Las Cafeteras, a multicultural band from Los Angeles, is bringing its unique genre-mixing sound to the Patricia Valian Reser Center for the Creative Arts on Sunday, April 28 at 7 p.m.
The musical group combines rock, hip-hop and Afro-Mexican beats with traditional instrumentals and contemporary style.
Its storytelling lyrics feature a blend of “English, Spanish, Spanglish, Love and Justice,” according to the band’s website.
The performance has not sold out yet, but remaining tickets are limited. General admission prices range from $17 to $33 and students receive a discounted price of $5.
Tickets can be purchased online at the PRAx website and discounted tickets must be claimed with a student ID or proof of enrollment.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. for spectators to purchase food and drinks and explore the new building, including a graphic design student exhibition and the Sonic Booms gallery exhibition.
At around 6:25 p.m., a 15-minute program on music and activism will take place in the lobby with two historical scholars who specialize in Latin America, according to PRAx Executive Director Peter Betjemann. The program is a light introduction to Las Cafeteras’ main performance.
“They use their music to create awareness and to create activist pathways,” Betjemann said.
The PRAx website describes the band’s music as a “vehicle to build bridges among different cultures and communities.”
Sunday’s audience can expect an “electrifying” concert from Las Cafeteras that is both fun and impactful, according to Betjemann.
The performance takes place in Detrick Hall, a venue created by acoustic engineers who have also designed spaces at Julliard, Yale and Carnegie Hall.
“We feel very confident that this is one of the best sounding venues on the West Coast,” Betjemann said.
Betjemann is most excited to hear the “genre-bending and genre-breaking band” fill the concert hall with their unique sound.
PRAxKIDS is offered at this event as a childcare option for parents. The program partners with KidSpirit, a professional youth development program on campus, and more information can be found on the PRAxKIDS website.
Following the performance, several members of the band will return on Monday, April 29 for a contextualized dialogue titled “Las Cafeteras and the Past, Present, and Future of Chicano Music.” The event is free to the public and will feature guest speakers with expertise in history, ethnomusicology and anthropology.
