Saturday, July 11
Is America Part of the World? Outdoor Music Festival with Forro in the Dark, Nation Beat, Red Baraat Festival & DJ Nickodemus @ BKLYN Yard
Four US-based bands join forces to move hips while challenging the way we think about “American” and “World” music
In 2007 NY-based, Brazilian-influenced band Nation Beat was invited to perform at a “world music” festival where they were asked to not play their songs that were in English. This inspired Nation Beat band leader Scott Kettner to bring together musical acts who blur the lines of world music, as well as foster a platform of discussion and debate about this controversial and very vague term.
On July 11 Brooklyn, which has become a veritable breeding ground for musicians looking beyond America’s borders for inspiration in recent years, will play host to the launch event of the “Is America Part of The World?” outdoor music festival. Produced by Nation Beat, Beleza NYC and Electric Lila, the event features four of New York’s premiere music-mixocologists: Forró in the Dark, who dig deep into the sounds of northeastern Brazil, while singing in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, Nation Beat, who create a 21st century fusion between thunderous Brazilian maracatu drumming and New Orleans second line rhythms, bluegrass, and country-blues, Red Baraat Festival, who meld the infectious North Indian rhythm Bhangra with brass funk, dhol, percussion, horns and traditional Punjabi songs, and DJ Nickodemus, who explores the intersection of urban & regional sounds with funk, jazz, hip-hop, house & dub, all seen through the eyes of a New York native. Join us on this joyous celebration as we celebrate the fruits of our cultural exchanges.
at BKLYN Yard
388 – 400 Carroll St
by the Gowanus Canal in Carroll Gardens
Brooklyn, NY
Doors 2pm, show 4pm
$10 in advance until June 15
$15 in advance afterwards at brownpapertickets.com, $18 at the door.
