One of the most exciting bands to come to Kilkenny this ‘arts festival’ season has to be the 10-piece multi-cultural Grupo Fantasma.
This energetic Latino band are embarking on a European tour that stops off for one big performance in the new Set Theatre in Langton’s on Friday August 14 as part of Kilkenny Arts Festival’s musical extravaganza.
The band’s reputation as the funkiest, finest, and hardest working Latin orchestra to come out of the United States in the last decade precedes it. Following the Kilkenny gig, the 10-piece funk orchestra will head towards Belgium, Sweden, and the Netherlands where they will continue their tour before heading back to their base in the musical Mecca known as Austin, Texas where they do most of their ‘jammin’’ when not on the road.
They have been entertaining the masses with their soulful and rhythmic music for the past 10 years.
Speaking to the Kilkenny Advertiser, guitarist and founder member of the band Adrian Quesada said that the band came together quite casually at the beginning with little knowledge of how big it was going to be.
“We were a group of friends in two separate bands. I had one and we were quite punk rock while the other band was more funk. We used get together at friends’ houses and at parties and just jam together. Our friends loved it and we began to play together more and more until we finally decided to put the two bands together and Grupo Fantasma was born. That was 10 years ago now and we have come a long way since then.”
They visited Dublin last year for a whistlestop performance and they are very excited about the prospect of visiting Kilkenny.
“We loved Ireland last year, although it was a very brief stop-over. We get two nights in Kilkenny this year and so hopefully we will get to see a bit more,” said Adrian.
So what can one expect from a Grupo Fantasma gig?
“It’s loud, it’s a huge sound and it is full of rhythm. You don’t need to know any particular moves to dance to Grupo Fantasma music and that is our philosophy - just get out there and let yourself go. It’s about getting out there and dancing. This is music for everyone — not just salsa dancers,” said Adrian.
And with instruments such as drums, timbales, trumpets, congas, trombones, bass, and guitar fans won’t be able to sit still for a second, nor will they be encouraged to as Grupa Fantasmo are only asking people to dance and feel the music.
They play the Set Theatre in Langtons on August 14, at 10pm. Admission is €22/€19 and tickets are available at the box office on 7752175, or see the website on www.kilkennyarts.ie
