Listen up L.A. and neighboring amigos – masterminds behind Mucho Wednesdays have an all-day extravaganza planned out for you this coming Saturday, August 14. In order to celebrate Mucho Wednesdays’ third-year anniversary, the Visionary Sounds Music Festival will bring together a wide array of artists from the Latin alternative music scene we all cherish to two local venues in downtown L.A., for a full day of music, art, and food.
Featuring a diverse lineup, the 1st annual Visionary Sounds will take place at both La Cita Bar and Bang Gallery in downtown L.A. starting at 2 P.M. that Saturday and will be paired with live art installations and a variety of local gourmet food vendors, running until 2.A.M. A $20 presale ticket will get you in, and $28 at the door. But if you RSVP with Remezcla you can get the $20 rate and pick up your tickets day of.
The Visionary Sounds lineup includes performances from already-established voices in the scene to newer acts that broaden the definition of the Latin alternative genre. Mucho Wednesdays’ founder Ricky Garay is, indeed, visionary and, more than anything, very practical. An event like Visionary Sounds brings together a talented group of artists that have a considerable fan base in L.A., but limited options when it comes to the U.S. festival scene. Like Mucho Wednesdays has in the past, Visionary Sounds will provide a much-needed platform for their exposure. And if that weren’t enough, part of the festival’s proceeds will be donated to Grupo Pastoral, a non-profit that provides social services and education in the east L.A. neighborhood of Boyle Heights.
We’ve chosen our Visionary Sounds don’t-miss acts, so be sure and, well, don’t miss them!
PERROZOMPOPO
This outspoken musician from Managua, Nicaragua, is slated as the festival’s headliner. His lyrics are doused with critique of politicians, the World Bank, and downright discontent with the country’s perpetual misfortunes, but accompanied by upbeat rhythms and thoughtful melodies.
_____________________________________________________________________
ORLANDO
The Tijuana native has been winning over listeners in the blogosphere with songs like “Solo Dios Sabe” for some time now. Capullo, his recently-released album, has been garnering positive reviews commending his insightful lyrics and acoustic talents, and has received a seal of approval by fellow artists like Natalia Lafourcade.
_____________________________________________________________________
ULI & THE GRINGOS
Former Julieta Venegas backer Uli joined forces with the Gringos about three years ago in New York and left an impression with her first record Simple and performances at Nacotheque and venues like the Knitting Factory. Now based in LA, you can expect the band to play their pop-alt tracks from the recently-released Metropolis EP and rearranged, revamped versions of Uli’s hits from Simple.
_____________________________________________________________________
LA BALLENA DE JONAS
You can tell there’s been a careful curating process for Visionary Sounds when this eclectic, instrumental ensemble is part of the lineup. These Tijuana-based musicians blend genres ranging from polka to jazz, while successfully incorporating musical influences from their native region.
_____________________________________________________________________
NINA DIOZ
Monterrey’s femcee has been pushing forth with her candid and audacious lyrics since her debut, releasing mixtapes and contributing on tracks with artists like Plastilina Mosh and Ceci Bastida, among others. At Visionary Sounds she’ll undoubtedly be there to rile up and energize the crowds with her quick wit and dirty dirty mouth.
_____________________________________________________________________
The lineup also includes a selection of DJs including Mucho Wednesday’ residents DJ Noir, San Francisco’s DJ Mr. E, and Anita Tijoux cohort DJ Ethos from Quilombo Arte, as well as LA scenesters Santi and Jose Galvan.
