Afro-Colombian rhythms hit Bogota for cumbia festival

The Afrocumbia All Star Vol. 2 festival will bring hip shaking Afro-Colombian vibes to Bogota’s Metro Theater June 15.

This year’s event features four of the brightest acts in cumbia, a musical genre that fuses African, indigenous and Spanish influences to create an eclectic sound that is popular throughout Latin America.

The headliners for this year’s festival are Colombian electronic trio Palenke Soultribe. The group, who now live in Los Angeles, mix digital sounds with traditional Afro-Colombian rhythms and melodies. They’re coming off a recent U.S. tour where they performed in historic venues like New York’s Irving Plaza.

The one-day event will also feature La Mojarra Electrica, considered to be pioneers of the modern sound of Colombian cumbia. The 12-piece band infuses their jazz foundation with flourishes of salsa, reggae, hip hop and other traditional Latin music.

The third act at Afrocumbia All Star will be Venezuelan DJ, producer and musician MkC, who has worked with several Latin Grammy winners, including Colombian hip hop darlings ChocQuib Town. With several radio hits in his native country over the last ten years, MkC is sure to get Bogotanos out of their seat for his electic set.

Finally, the festival will see Barranquilla’s own Colectro take to the stage with their electronic-infused party anthems. The up-and-coming group has seen their star rise in the past year, appearing in several important festivals around the country.

Tickets are available at the Kea Bar in Bogota for $17 (COP 30,000).

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