Event

LOS DE ABAJO

Sound Culture and Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs Present

World Music Festival 2009's Showcase of
LOS DE ABAJO from Mexico

In collaboration with Ratio Nation
and Sponsored by Arte y Vida Chicago

ÂCall it Tropipunk, file it under Explosive. It's the sound of the future, get used to it.Â
MOJO MAGAZINE

Tuesday, September 22nd 2009
Green Dolphin St. 2200 N. Ashland Ave.
7pm Doors | 8pm Show
Los Vicios de Papa 0pen
$12 Advanced | $12 at the Door
Tickets available soon at brownpapertickets.com

Los de Abajo came together in 1992. They initially had a Latin-ska sound in mind, but as their ranks expanded, they soon began hosting high-energy gigs at various ersatz clubs and spaces in Mexico CityÂs largely improvised rock scene.

They take their name from a classic novel about the Mexican Revolution, and they fervently believe that change comes from below. "Of course, the ideas had an influence on the music," says Yocu. "This became the most punk and radical thing: combining our sentiments with the strength and heat of Afro-Latin rhythms."

They are an exciting combination of rock energy, salsa, reggae and cumbia. Los de Abajo endeavor to present Mexico in its crazy-quilt glory. "WeÂre not a mosaic, but a kaleidescope of Mexican life."

Luaka Bop first heard of Los de Abajo when the band sent some demos to the labelÂs New York office. ÂThey were already a pretty exciting combination of rock energy, salsa, reggae and cumbia. We then asked to see what they were like live and were sent a video of the band performing at a union party in a huge outdoor shed-type deal - they were playing their salsafied rock and the audience was pogoing, moshing and jumping around like mad,Â explains David Byrne. www.losdeabajo.tv