Fiesta del Sol’s must-see music artists

By Alexandra Castro

What do Café Tacuba, Julieta Venegas and Joan Sebastian all have in common? They have all performed at Fiesta del Sol!

With the recovery of Pitchfork and the arrival of Lollapalooza itching on the skin of music junkies, there is no reason to stop the music this weekend with the performances of local talent at la Fiesta. Over a million guests will attend this four-day festival in the Pilsen neighborhood to enjoy mouth watering Latin food, art, carnival rides and of course the contagious dance beats from the DJs of House of Sol that has even our abuelitas two steppin’. With hundreds of spectators per set, the main stage performances have proven throughout the years to capture the energy of the crowd with the explosion of their near-hidden talents. Fiesta del Sol has been the stepping stone for many local artists for 41 years, and with its free admission there is no doubt you should check out these artists first. You never know; maybe in a couple of years you’ll see some of them performing at the Congress or even Lolla.

Here are some bands performing this weekend that we believe are a must see!

You Are Here – Friday, July 26 at 5pm

With two powerful vocalists and romantic rifts, this experimental band of three keeps their listeners hooked with their dynamic sound.

Them Guilty Aces – Friday, July 26 at 7pm

Invoking a tasteful combination of influences from Jerry Lee Lewis and classic rock, this group has contrasting rockabilly lullabies and stomping tunes that we predict will get the whole crowd dancing.

Kelroy – Sunday, July 28 at 2pm

This indie rock band features a refreshing blend of percussion, trombone, keyboard and drums in addition to enticing vocals.

Malafacha – Sunday July 28 at 4pm

This ska band of local Pilsen natives has gain recognition through their Latin Reggae infused rhythms and has even shared the stage with Maldita Vecindad and Panteon Rococo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGUcbbc9m4c

All Main Stage performances will be at Cermak and Morgan. For the complete line up and further information on Fiesta del Sol please visit fiestadelsol.org.

[Photo of Malafacha via PinaPhotography]