Latest news with #Rawayana
Los Angeles Times
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Coachella's second day highlights to include Charli XCX, Weezer, Green Day and Travis Scott
Trump's visa policies have foreign musicians on edge. How will they affect Coachella and touring? Last month, Alvin Gibbs, bassist of the British punk band U.K. Subs, said he was turned away at the border before his Los Angeles show. He wrote on Facebook that when the band got to LAX, they were 'detained in a cold holding pen, along with a group of Colombian, Chinese, and Mexican detainees. My luggage, phone, and passport were confiscated.' He and most of the band were sent back to the U.K., Gibbs said, for having an incorrect visa. But he wondered if other factors contributed. Judeline is bringing the divine pop of 'Bodhiria' to Coachella The Spanish-born singer Judeline will make her U.S. debut at the 2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Inside her apartment in Madrid, the 22-year-old singer-songwriter Lara Fernández Castrelo, better known as Judeline, is rummaging through her closet, piecing together some desert-friendly looks before hopping a plane to Los Angeles. On Saturday afternoon she'll make her Coachella debut on the Sonora stage. It will also be the inaugural stop of her first-ever United States tour, which includes an April 17 date at the Roxy in West Hollywood. Over a video call, I see her standing outside her closet, visibly overwhelmed by the options. 'My house is a mess right now — I don't even know [how many] days I'm going to be in the States — then later Mexico City and Bogotá,' says Judeline. 'It's going to be a crazy trip!' How Venezeula's most popular band overcame the odds and became the soundtrack of a generation in exile Alberto 'Beto' Montenegro, right, of Rawayana, and Li Saumet, of Bomba Estéreo, formed a supergroup called Astropical. They play at the Hollywood Bowl in September. MEXICO CITY — Rawayana, a band composed of Venezuelan émigrés whose trippy, Caribbean-soaked pop has earned it global acclaim, was riding high. Late last year the group had just been nominated for a Grammy, been confirmed for this month's Coachella lineup and was about to release a new album with the beloved Colombian band Bomba Estéreo. And after two years of near nonstop touring around the world, Rawayana was preparing an epic homecoming: celebratory concerts across Venezuela that sold out almost as soon as they were announced. Tips for a successful Coachella Music fans watch GloRilla at the 2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio. We survived the blistering heat of the first day of Coachella. Today the Empire Polo Club will play host to see artists including Travis Scott, Green Day, Charli XCX, Enhyphen, the Misfits and more. As we wake up and shake off the dust from opening day, our team in the desert offered up some tips and tricks for navigating the festival. 'Heineken 0.0. All the multivalent sensory bliss of cracking the first frosty beer of a scalding Coachella day. 100% less chance of getting hammered by sundown, losing your friends in the Sahara Tent, breaking up with your partner after fighting over where to watch Gaga from and unearthing years of resentments, and finally desperately searching for a place to plug your phone in to get a ride home,' — August Brown 'I am convinced that Emergen-C mixed with orange juice each morning before, during and after the festival will help keep the Coachella crud away. And if you hear something interesting as you're walking by a tent, always poke your head in and check it out.' — Vanessa Franko Usually the energy you bring to Coachella is the energy you get out of it. But sometimes you'll need to rely on the positive vibes of your friends and strangers to get you through. One of the best things you can do to get out of your sun-beaten, Coachella malaise is to stop, go find a drink and some shade and make conversation with strangers. Engage a random person in small talk about your favorite set of the day, throw them a compliment or a high-five and see how quickly it can boost your 'Chella endorphins.—Nate Jackson 'At the end of the night, never mind the windblown desert dirt coating the street dog you pay 12 bucks for in the parking lot. It won't hurt you.' — Mikael Wood 'Try to get to the festival grounds early at least one day. Yes, it's the hottest part of the day, but it's also the most peaceful. Take advantage of short food and bar lines, explore immersive art or ride the Ferris wheel, and catch a rising act. (Fun fact: my first time seeing Kendrick Lamar was an early afternoon set at Coachella in 2012.)' — Danielle Dorsey 'Be sure to take advantage of each brand experience. (And don't be afraid to go back more than once.) The festival grounds are filled with different tents from companies like Coca-Cola, Buldak Ramen and Pinterest. They usually offer various activities and sometimes give out freebies. Over the years, I've sampled different Lay's chips, sipped on new iced coffee flavors and even received free Method body wash. The typically air-conditioned tents can be a much-needed break from the heat and a breather from the large crowds.' — Cerys Davies
Los Angeles Times
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
How Venezeula's most popular band overcame the odds and became the soundtrack of a generation in exile
MEXICO CITY — Rawayana, a band composed of Venezuelan émigrés whose trippy, Caribbean-soaked pop has earned it global acclaim, was riding high. Late last year the group had just been nominated for a Grammy, been confirmed for this month's Coachella lineup and was about to release a new album with the beloved Colombian band Bomba Estéreo. And after two years of near nonstop touring around the world, Rawayana was preparing an epic homecoming: celebratory concerts across Venezuela that sold out almost as soon as they were announced. But in December, days before the tour was to start, the band that has always seen its music as a refuge from Venezuela's turbulent political landscape was itself embroiled in politics. Venezuela's authoritarian leader, Nicolás Maduro, whom Rawayana criticized last year after he declared victory in a rigged election, delivered a fiery televised speech in which he lambasted the band and a hit song it had just released, calling it 'horrible' and an insult to Venezuelan womanhood. Venues began disavowing Rawayana, which was forced to cancel its tour. 'Until further notice, this is how we say goodbye to our country,' it wrote on social media. Band leader Alberto 'Beto' Montenegro said he was saddened by Maduro's attacks, but not surprised. The 36-year-old singer and his bandmates are part of the largest diaspora in the world — among nearly 8 million Venezuelans who have fled dueling political and economic crises over the last decade — and their country's leaders had long found new ways to disappoint them. But Venezuelans, they knew, were nothing if not resilient. And so the bandmates picked up their instruments and kept doing what they've always done: Look forward, and play songs for far-flung compatriots longing for the sounds of home. 'There are so many ugly things happening in the world,' Montenegro said recently while in Mexico City with Bomba Estéreo frontwoman Li Saumet to promote their new super-group, Astropical. 'But we try to stay optimistic and move from love. We hope our music serves to heal.' The members of Rawayana — Montenegro, Antonio Casas, Andrés Story and Alejandro Abeijón — were still kids when leftist Hugo Chávez won the presidency in 1998 and began nationalizing Venezuela's industries and consolidating power. They started by uploading tracks to the internet in college and quickly gained a following. At a time when the country's political context was increasingly heavy, their reggae and funk-infused sound was light — dominated by danceable songs about weekends at the beach and cheeky covers of reggaeton hits. 'Music for us was like an escape hatch,' said Montenegro. The band invented the name Rawayana, which it imagined as a remote island far from the real world and its problems. Its first album, in 2011, was called 'Licencia Para Ser Libre.' Permission to Be Free. But as the band grew in popularity, and started collaborating with some of the country's most accomplished musicians, Venezuela was falling apart. In 2013, Chávez died and Maduro took power. The economy plummeted, homicides soared, and Caracas became one of the most dangerous cities in the world. The capital's once thriving nightlife, with its packed salsa and meringue clubs, went dark. After several of the band's members were briefly kidnapped, they decided to leave. 'There was nothing, no opportunities,' said Montenegro. 'The only thing we could do was sing in private concerts for wealthy people who could pay for them, or do government gigs. And we didn't like either of those paths.' The band members lived between Miami and Mexico City. Their paths out of the country — aided by record companies that helped procure visas — were easier than those of most Venezuelan migrants, who have scattered around the world in search of opportunity and safety. While abroad, Rawayana kept making music for those back home — going back to Venezuela when possible to play free concerts. But they were also becoming, as Montenegro describes it, 'the soundtrack for the diaspora.' The band traveled constantly, playing lively concerts anywhere Venezuelans had settled, from Barcelona to Omaha, Neb. Venezuelan flags flew at every show. Migrant life is hard, said Orestes Gómez, a Venezeulan-born percussionist who tours with Rawayana. 'People want to come and enjoy like they're back in Caracas.' 'Whenever they play, their music is impeccable, and the vibe is just incredible,' said César Andrés Rodriguez, a music producer from Venezuela who now lives in Miami. 'Everybody is enjoying themselves, dancing. I've never seen a bad show.' The band continues to make sunny, funky pop that offers an escapist path. 'You don't need a visa to be happy,' Montenegro and rapper Apache croon on the song High. But Rawayana has increasingly touched on political themes. One song on their 2021 album, 'Cuando Los Acéfalos Predominan' (When the Headless Predominate), offered a veiled critique the corrupt elite that govern Venezuela, describing private parties where waiters serve 'champagne bottles worth five times more than your grandmother's pension.' Last year, with discontent over Maduro at an all-time high, Venezeula's opposition had high hopes that it would be able to best him in the country's closely watched presidential election. Evidence collected by independent observers suggests opposition candidate Edmundo González won handily, but election officials declared Maduro the winner. Venezuelans in and outside the country screamed fraud. 'Venezuela has been living a great fraud for many years … an ideological, moral and ethical fraud,' Montenegro told Billboard. 'Unfortunately we are not surprised by another electoral fraud, we have already seen it all.' The attacks from Maduro came a few months later. His target: a hit song Rawayana made with the artist Akapellah called 'Veneka.' The song, which became one of the most listened-to songs last year in Latin America, sought to assign new meaning to the slur 'veneco,' which has been used to describe Venezuelan migrants in neighboring countries such as Colombia. 'Where are the venecan women who represent?' the song asks. 'Wherever she goes, the whole world knows she's the boss.' 'We wanted to use it as a symbol of resilience,' Montenegro said. 'It was like, 'I don't care what you call me. We are the best. Period.'' But Maduro slammed it. 'The women of Venezuela are called Venezuelans with respect and dignity ... not venecas!' he said at a rally. The leader called the song 'insulting' and alleged the band was 'trying to disfigure our identity.' In the days after Rawayana was forced to cancel the tour, the band members sunk into depression. Venezuela's leaders had already devastated their country. 'Now they were trying to take advantage of our success to generate news,' Montenegro said. But there were good things on the horizon. Such as Rawayana's big night in February, when they became the first Venezuelan act to win a Grammy for best Latin rock or alternative album. When they accepted the award, Montenegro named a dozen Venezuelan musicians in a rhymed speech and urged his countrymen to keep their heads up. Then, there was the surprise announcement to fans of an album with Bomba Estéreo. Last year, Saumet reached out to Rawayana to collaborate on a single. Things flowed so well in the studio they went on record a full album. Astropical kicked off a tour in Mexico City last month, and will play the Hollywood Bowl Sept. 7. While they were working, the musicians bonded over the similarities of their countries — the difficulties Venezuelans face now mirror the violence that plagued Colombia in the 1990s. And after Rawayana found itself attacked by Maduro, Saumet gave Montenegro some advice. Success, she said, always comes with difficulties. 'The bigger the tree, the bigger the shadow.' But adversity, she said, often paves the way for art. 'The most impactful music comes from difficult situations,' she said. For Montenegro, what matters most are the band's listeners. 'We have the support of the people,' he said. 'So I don't mind that much.'
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Brooks & Dunn Reschedules Arena Show After Explosion on Texas Tech Campus
Brooks & Dunn has postponed a concert at the United Supermarkets Arena following an explosion at Texas Tech University. On Thursday, the band reposted a Texas Tech statement confirming that their Thursday show would be postponed to March 20 after the campus was on alert the night prior. 'Brooks & Dunn's performance at United Supermarkets Arena originally scheduled for tonight, March 13, has been rescheduled for Thursday, March 20, due to the events on the Texas Tech University campus in Lubbock, on Wednesday, March 12,' read the statement. More from Rolling Stone Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana Are Taking Their Supergroup on Tour Maná Plot 'Vivir Sin Aire' North American Tour Shakira Postponed Her Third Show This Tour: 'My Heart Is Broken' According to the post, fans who had previously purchased tickets to see Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn will be able to use them on the new date. Fans were also allowed to request refunds at the point of purchase if unable to attend, while new tickets were also made available. Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec sent an email to students and their families Wednesday night confirming that a 'manhole' tunnel explosion caused a fire to spread on the campus, 'leading to outages' in different areas of the school. 'Electricity and gas were shut down across both the Texas Tech and Health Sciences Center campuses in Lubbock to keep the fire from spreading further,' read the Wednesday statement. 'The fire was successfully extinguished Wednesday evening.' Brooks & Dunn is scheduled to perform at Austin's Moody Center on Friday and Corpus Christi's American Bank Center on Saturday before returning to Lubbock next week. The group is set to continue their Neon Moon Tour's first leg through late April. The tour is named after their 1992 hit of the same name. Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
USA Today
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana team up for Astropical tour: Find out how to get tickets
Two estrellas shine brighter than one, and Astropical is taking its heightened star power on the road. The Latin supergroup, which consists of the critically acclaimed bands Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana, will embark on a headlining North American tour this summer. The 16-date trek, which kicks off May 24, will include stops in New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and Las Vegas. Fronted by singer Liliana "Li" Saumet, Colombian group Bomba Estéreo has been charming audiences with its vibrant electro tropical sound, which combines euphoric dance beats with warm Caribbean rhythms. Bomba's latest album, 2021's "Deja," cracked the top 20 of Billboard's Latin Pop Albums chart, while the group's 2022 collaboration with Bad Bunny, "Ojitos Lindos," resulted in a Latin Grammy nomination for record of the year. Blackpink announces 2025 world tour: Find out how to get tickets Venezuelan band Rawayana, whose psychedelic alternative-pop fusion is led by singer Alberto "Beto" Montenegro, emerged victorious at the 67th annual Grammy Awards in February when "¿Quién Trae las Cornetas?" won the award for best Latin rock or alternative album. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. "I'm really excited about the Astropical tour because I've had many years playing only with Rawayana," Montenegro told USA TODAY in a statement translated from Spanish. "I'm preparing myself to join forces with Li and bring the most beautiful thing possible to this world." The tour follows the release of Astropical's self-titled debut album on Friday. The experimental 12-track LP takes inspiration from astrology, with each song dedicated to a different zodiac sign. Here's everything you need to know about the supergroup's upcoming shows. How to get tickets to Astropical tour Tickets for the Astropical tour go on sale to the general public on Thursday at 10 a.m. local time. Concertgoers can purchase tickets via the official Astropical website or Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana's respective websites. Additionally, there will be several presales ahead of the public sale. The artist presale will run from Tuesday at 10 a.m. local time through Wednesday at 10 p.m. local time. The venue presale takes place on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time. The Spotify presale will also run on Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. local time. Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter Tour: How to get tickets to the 2025 shows Astropical tour dates May 24: Montreal, Canada - Fuego Fuego Festival May 25: Toronto - Queen Elizabeth Theatre May 28: Washington, D.C. - The Anthem May 29: Philadelphia - The Fillmore May 31: Bridgeport, Connecticut - Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater June 1: New York - SummerStage in Central Park June 3: Chicago - The Salt Shed Aug. 23: Hollywood, Florida - Hard Rock Live Aug. 24: Clearwater, Florida - The BayCare Sound Aug. 27: Atlanta - Coca-Cola Roxy Aug. 29: Dallas - The Bomb Factory Aug. 30: Houston - White Oak Music Hall Aug. 31: San Antonio - The Espee Sept. 3: Phoenix - The Van Buren Sept. 10: Las Vegas - Brooklyn Bowl Sept. 12: Berkeley, California - The Greek Theatre
USA Today
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana team up for Astropical tour: Find out how to get tickets
Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana team up for Astropical tour: Find out how to get tickets Two estrellas shine brighter than one, and Astropical is taking its heightened star power on the road. The Latin supergroup, which consists of the critically acclaimed bands Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana, will embark on a headlining North American tour this summer. The 16-date trek, which kicks off May 24, will include stops in New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and Las Vegas. Fronted by singer Liliana "Li" Saumet, Colombian group Bomba Estéreo has been charming audiences with its vibrant electro tropical sound, which combines euphoric dance beats with warm Caribbean rhythms. Bomba's latest album, 2021's "Deja," cracked the top 20 of Billboard's Latin Pop Albums chart, while the group's 2022 collaboration with Bad Bunny, "Ojitos Lindos," resulted in a Latin Grammy nomination for record of the year. Blackpink announces 2025 world tour: Find out how to get tickets Venezuelan band Rawayana, whose psychedelic alternative-pop fusion is led by singer Alberto "Beto" Montenegro, emerged victorious at the 67th annual Grammy Awards in February when "¿Quién Trae las Cornetas?" won the award for best Latin rock or alternative album. "I'm really excited about the Astropical tour because I've had many years playing only with Rawayana," Montenegro told USA TODAY in a statement translated from Spanish. "I'm preparing myself to join forces with Li and bring the most beautiful thing possible to this world." The tour follows the release of Astropical's self-titled debut album on Friday. The experimental 12-track LP takes inspiration from astrology, with each song dedicated to a different zodiac sign. Here's everything you need to know about the supergroup's upcoming shows. How to get tickets to Astropical tour Tickets for the Astropical tour go on sale to the general public on Thursday at 10 a.m. local time. Concertgoers can purchase tickets via the official Astropical website or Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana's respective websites. Additionally, there will be several presales ahead of the public sale. The artist presale will run from Tuesday at 10 a.m. local time through Wednesday at 10 p.m. local time. The venue presale takes place on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time. The Spotify presale will also run on Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. local time. Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter Tour: How to get tickets to the 2025 shows Astropical tour dates
