As we close out another year Pandemic would like to thank all the performers who joined us this year and everyone who came out to support our events. It was an amazing year of dance parties, live shows and much more.
We are back at Brillobox for the final Pandemic of 2018. 4 hours of non-stop global dancehall featuring Pandemic Pete and DJ SMI (of Afroheat/Beleza). Don’t miss out.
Kicking off the fall with some big events. First I’ll be guest djing at Spirit Hall for Afroheat w/ DJ SMI. Then on to pandemic w/ Super Yamba Band and bringing in guests Lemon Bucket Orkestra. Click images for links
Djs SMI and Pandemic Pete plus special guests bringing the Afrofunk from Benin by way of NYC.
Kaleta and Super Yamba bring the 70s era Afrobeat sounds with this 9 piece funky and dark sound.
Brooklyn afro-funksters Kaleta & Super Yamba Band are fronted by legendary Afrobeat veteran Leon Ligan-Majek a.k.a. Kaleta. The singer, guitarist and percussionist from the West African country of Benin Republic lived his adolescent life in Lagos, Nigeria where Afrobeat was born. Kaleta performed and toured the world with the two most popular musicians from Nigeria, Fela Kuti and King Sunny Ade, along with Majek Fashek and recently Lauryn Hill.
Kaleta got his start in the late 70s performing in church and was soon after picked up by iconic Juju master and world music pioneer King Sunny Ade. A few years later Fela Kuti came calling. Kaleta would go on to tour the world playing guitar for the King of Afrobeat in his band Egypt 80 through the 1980s and into the 1990s.
Now based in New York City, Kaleta was overjoyed to find Super Yamba Band and hear their take on the vintage, psychedelic sounds of his native country. Super Yamba takes its cues from artists like Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, El Rego and The Funkees, all legends in their own right for pioneering the classic styles of Afro-Funk and Afro-Rock in Benin and Nigeria. With regular gigs all over New York City, Super Yamba Band have dialed in the nuances of some of the rarest grooves out there with a timeless sound that will move everyone in the room to dance! Audiences will hear Kaleta sing in several different languages native to West Africa including Fon, Goun, Yoruba and Ewe, along with French and Pidgin English, “the official language of Afrobeat” he says with a grin.
Super Yamba Band’s live performances with Kaleta are absolutely explosive. Afropop Worldwide said “their ace-up-the-sleeve: the singer Kaleta, whose James Brown grunts have got to be some of the best in the business.” With Kaleta at the helm Super Yamba Band have recently erupted onto stages at Paste Magazine’s Emerging Music Festival, World Music Institute’s Masters Of African Music Series, The Untitled Action Bronson Show (Viceland TV), L.E.A.F. Festival, Secret Planet APAP 2018 Showcase and more, giving audiences an unforgettable experience of world-class Afro-Funk dance music.
Click Here to visit the Brown Paper Tickets event page.
BALKAN BRASS from Toronto…Tuesday Night Balkan Dance Party
“Lemon Bucket Orkestra is a guerilla-punk-Balkan-brass band massive like no other! Equal parts reckless abandon and exhilarating precision, the 12 strong collective’s legendary live shows are a truly immersive experience, ranging from the ecstatic to the cathartic – and all points in between. Don’t miss the Pittsburgh debut of this Canadian juggernaut, celebrating the worldwide release of their new album If I Had The Strength on Six Degrees Records.”
Special guests : The Gypsy Stringz playing Eastern European and Gypsy Music.
w/ PANDEMIC PETE
ticket info coming soon.
“Amazing, frenetic, gloriously anarchic and ultimately joyous!” Winnipeg Free Press
“Adventurous, multicultural and amazing!” The Wall Street Journal
“Raucous and hot-blooded – a collective triumph!” Exclaim Magazine
“A truly exhilarating performance!” The Guardian
“When LBO ditched the stage and jumped in with the crowd on Saturday night they cemented themselves a place in WOMAD lore” Taranaki Daily News, New Zealand
Brown Paper Tickets Ticket Widget Loading…
Click Here to visit the Brown Paper Tickets event page.
Pandemic is rounding out its 12th year and entering 13 with a bang-up lineup. On Aug 3 we welcome Radio Jarocho playing traditional son jarocho music from Veracruz, Mexico with special guest dj Mateo Mattos.
Radio Jarocho plays the rowdy, upbeat, and at times melancholic music of the countryside of Veracruz, Mexico, and has been mixing it with the sounds of New York’s urban life for over ten years. Having recently joined forces with son jarocho legend Zenen Zeferino, they deliver performances that are passionate, energetic, and true to the roots of the genre. Radio Jarocho & Zenen Zeferino have played concerts at festivals and venues in the east coast, including Kennedy Center, Brooklyn Bowl, Joe’s Pub, La Casita at Lincoln Center, Le Poisson Rouge, Celebrate Mexico Now! and Celebrate Brooklyn. They are gearing up to release “Rios de Norte y Sur”, their first studio production together. With this album, Radio Jarocho & Zenen Zeferino celebrate the music that unites Veracruz and New York, Mexico and the United States through original songs and new arrangements for old jarocho tunes, offering a modern take on a traditional genre by fusing it with sounds that have become part of New York City’s musical fabric — flamenco, cumbia, rock, baroque, and jazz. “Rios de Norte y Sur” will be available in May 2018.
In September we are back with an Afrobeat Special featuring Keleta and Super Yamba Band at Brillobox. Afroheat’s DJ SMI and resident Pandemic Pete playing tunes all night long.
Kaleta & Super Yamba Band Afropop Worldwide said “their ace-up-the-sleeve: the singer Kaleta, whose James Brown grunts have got to be some of the best in the business.” Brooklyn Afro-Funksters Kaleta & Super Yamba Band are fronted by legendary Afrobeat veteran Leon Ligan-Majek a.k.a. Kaleta.
Pandemic is happy to announce we were again voted one of Pgh City Paper’s Best Dance Parties 2015. That’s 3 years running! We are really excited about this award. We were also given BEST DIY FESTIVAL for Pittonkatonk.
Now we move on to Pitchblak Brass Band and the People’s Champs.
Got a lot on the plate coming into 2014. I’ll be updating the page regularly over the next couple weeks so come back for more info, new mixes, etc….
PANDEMIC RETURNS WITH SOME NEW YEAR NEW BASS…. I’ll be djin all night playing BALKAN BEATs, CUMBIAs, DANCEHALL, TROPICAL BASS, GLOBAL GLITCH, CHALGA, FAVELA FUNK, AFROBEATS and more….
First things first. I am djin 2 events on NYE.. My last set of 2013 will be a benefit at FREE RIDE
Celebrate the new year in style at Free Ride…Plus help us raise funds for a good cause!
Featuring 6 Dj’s, tons of music from here and around the world, and our very own food truck serving you delicious mexican inspired cuisine!