From December 17-19, Red Bull assists Texas’ well-regarded Peligrosa party crew in celebrating their eighth anniversary with some top-tier events. Peligrosa emerged nearly a decade ago at Austin’s Creekside bar. As founder DJ Orion states, the party enabled him to actually “play Latin music, because [it] was a popular request during [his] open format DJ nights.”
Eight years later, Peligrosa is a full-fledged musical revolution. Peligrosa member King Louie – a DJ and half of the Royal Highness production duo with Principe Cu – says, “[You] could always hear Tejano music [in Austin], but we have helped introduce a new movement of Latin music to Austin. It’s a movement that is spreading to countries all over the world and because of Peligrosa, Austin is on the map for these sounds.”
That spread of progressive sounds includes some standout acts making their way to Texas over the next two nights. Que Bajo?!-affiliated DJ Geko Jones is signed to the resurgent Fania Records and has just curated an EP of remixes of Ralfi Pagan’s 1969 album Latin Soul. What’s more, one-woman carioca bass firestorm Zuzuka Poderosa has paired with Mexican vocalist Anahi for “Boom Cha,” a single that has already surged to the top of that country’s iTunes charts. El Dusty is also scheduled to spin, fresh off the success of singles like “Trapanera” and “Cumbia Anthem.” Happy Colors, DJ Playero, Los Rakas, and more are also slated to appear.
Regarding the success of Peligrosa and the expansion of Latin dance grooves overall, Geko Jones’ Que Bajo!? compatriot Uproot Andy notes, “when [Geko and I] started doing Que Bajo!? in New York, Peligrosa in Austin and the Tormenta Tropical in San Francisco were the only other parties in the U.S. with the same all-embracing approach to Latin electronic music, as far as I know.”
Andy continues, “They were our sister parties; we were like the tropical triangle holding down the East coast, the West coast, and the South respectively. It made us all feel like we were part of something bigger than our local scenes, and it gave us all a home away from home across the country. I think it had a great effect not only on our scene, but on a lot of artists who were in the crowd on those nights, and I think that played a real role in the widening rhythmic scope of electronic dance music today.”
For more information regarding ticketing and locations for the trio of Peligrosa anniversary events, click here.
Austin – December 18 at Empire Control Room & Garage: 8 p.m.-2 a.m.
DJ Playero
Los Rakas
Que Bajo?!
Peligrosa
Happy Colors
Zuzuka Poderosa
Kiko Villamizar
La Frenetika
DJ Orion
Austin Samba
Corpus Christi – December 20 at Aria Sky Lounge and Terrace: 8 p.m.-2 a.m.
DJ Playero
Los Rakas
Que Bajo?!
Peligrosa
Happy Colors
El Dusty
MLKMN