Last year, the Rhythm Foundation and Heineken's TransAtlantic Festival brought together the Afrobeat extravaganza of saxophonist and bandleader Seun Kuti and the modern-day cumbia stylings of Quantic and Combo Bárbaro.
You might think it would be hard to follow that kind of lineup. But maybe that's what makes the Rhythm Foundation organizers so successful at plugging Miami into the international music scene: They don't think about the borders or distances between; they just make it happen.
So not only is TransAtlantic fest back for another edition but the concert series has doubled the number of events it will be hosting and added two additional venues in downtown Miami and Wynwood.
See also:
-Miami's Best Albums of 2011: Mr. Pauer's Soundtrack
-Bomba Estereo Talks Ponte Bomb, Road Trips, and the TransAtlantic Festival
-Recap: Quantic, Pedrito Martinez, and Mr. Pauer at TransAtlantic Festival 2012
There is no better way to launch four days of multicultural partying than Thursday, April 4, at Brickell's Blackbird Ordinary with Psychic Mirrors, the Miami-based funky Latin disco mega-ensemble that has its finger on the Magic City's racing pulse. And odds are, the Mirrors are partly responsible for just keeping its heart beating with all those gotta-dance, smooth groove bangers and ballads.
Heineken TransAtlantic Festival 2013 Kickoff Party. Featuring a live performance by Psychic Mirrors and sounds from DJ Contra. Thursday, April 4. Blackbird Ordinary, 729 SW First Ave., Miami. Doors open at 10 p.m., and there is no cover. Call 305-672-5202 or visit rhythmfoundation.com.
And then it's off to the North Beach Bandshell on Friday, April 5! The TransAtlantic Festival's signature beachside venue adds a great deal of charm and character to the already dynamic lineups curated by the Rhythm Foundation. How does a little electrotango sound for a Friday-night playlist? The mega-fusion sounds will be cranking courtesy of Argentine and Uruguayan collective Bajofondo. And we imagine tango infused with a lil' uhntz-uhntz would be a huge hit on the sands of North Beach.
Bajofondo. With The Hongs. Friday, April 5. North Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Ave., Miami Beach. Single-night tickets cost $23, and weekend passes cost $35 via flavorus.com. Call 305-672-5202, or visit rhythmfoundation.com.
On Saturday, April 6, the ante gets upped by a trio that's made it a personal mission to get every party person within reach soaked in their own ecstatic sweat. Bogota, Colombia's Bomba Estéreo meld the folk sounds of cumbia with the urban edge of hip-hop and techno. That same evening, solo artists Zuzuka Poderosa and Kush Arora will be performing a joint set of equally cross-pollinated Brazilian baile funk. This night of the festival is where the Rhythm Foundation overlaps most with Miami's proud tradition of twerkin' booties and brain-pounding bass.
Bomba Estereo alongside Zuzuka Poderosa & Kush Arora. With Krisp. Friday, April 6. North Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Ave., Miami Beach. Single-night tickets cost $23, and weekend passes cost $35 via flavorus.com. Call 305-672-5202, or visit rhythmfoundation.com.
Assuming you haven't danced yourself into a state of paralysis, TransAtlantic wraps on the afternoon of Sunday, April 7, with barbecue tunes at Wynwood's Gramps, courtesy of Beatmachines.
Heineken TransAtlantic Festival Closing Party. With a performance by Beatmachines and the sounds of Mr. Pauer. Sunday, April 7. Gramps, 176 NW 24th St., Miami. Party starts at 4 p.m. with beer, BBQ, and bocce, and there is no cover. Call 305-672-5202, or visit rhythmfoundation.com.
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