You don't need a passport, green card, or visa to experience some of the best music in the world.
You just need to hit the North Beach Bandshell on April 13 and 14 for the tenth annual Heineken Transatlantic Festival.
Seun Kuti, the prince of Afrobeat, and his band the Egypt 80 are coming to party. And so are Colombia's Quantic and Afro-Cuban allstar percussionist Pedrito Martinez.
As Seun Kuti explained to S. Pajot back in July, "Sometimes revolution can be peaceful. Sometimes it just has to be
violent. But whether peaceful or violent, sacrifices are made. Blood
must be spilled. This is what revolution is all about."
So as lively, and good timey as the music is, and as many people as there are dancing to it to forget about their first-world problems, know that its revolutionary political undercurrent runs through every note.
Quantic's cumbiatronica may be less overtly political, but its use of old world sounds filtered through new world gadgets speaks to the same mentality of documenting the import of traditional music through modern tunes that venerate it.
The festival also pays homage to the local scene with sets by The Gold Dust Lounge, which you may know from their residency outside the Harold Golen Gallery during the Wynwood Art Walk, and Miami's own Latin Grammy nominated Mr Pauer.
Tickets to the fest cost $20 a night in advance, or $25 at the door. Kids under 12 are always free. Visit transatlanticfestival.com.
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