Your FirstWorks Passport to World Music Awaits @PVDFest
Ukrainian folk-punk quartet DakhaBrakha at PVDFest! Music at the crossroads of Ukrainian folklore and theatre
Accompanied by Indian, Arabic, African, Russian and Australian traditional instrumentation, the quartet’s powerful and uncompromising vocal range creates a transnational sound rooted in Ukrainian culture. Their musical spectrum is intimate, then riotous, plumbing the depths of contemporary roots and rhythms to inspire cultural and artistic liberation in festival audiences around the world. Experience DakhaBrakha at PVDFest Saturday, June 8, at 7:30 PM at The City Stage Sponsored by Waste Management – 25 Dorrance St. Providence.
In addition to performing an unmatchable transnational concert experience, DakhaBrakha will color our PVDFest purple with a comedic Borcht-making demonstration and tasting!Saturday, June 8, at 1:00 PM in Kennedy Plaza.
Sona Jobarteh at PVDFest Africa’s first female kora virtuoso
Kora virtuoso Sona Jobarteh is a modern-day pioneer in a musical tradition that has been handed down exclusively from father to son for the past seven centuries. Sona uses her innovative stance to talk about cultural identity, gender, love and respect while still rooting herself firmly in her traditional cultural heritage. Sona is reputed for her skill as an instrumentalist, distinctive voice, infectious melodies and her grace onstage. See her at PVDFest Friday, June 7 at 6:30 PM at The City Stage Sponsored by Waste Management – 25 Dorrance St. Providence.
Leyla McCalla at PVDFest Multilingual soul from a stellar multi-instrumentalist
Deeply influenced by traditional Creole, Cajun and Haitian music, as well as by American jazz and folk, Leyla McCalla is at once earthy and elegant, her sound vibrating with three centuries of history yet strikingly fresh and distinctive. The former Carolina Chocolate Drops’ debut album, Vari-Colored Songs: A Tribute to Langston Hughes, was named 2013’s Album of the Year by the London Sunday Times, and The Guardian praised her latest record, The Capitalist Blues, for pushing the boundaries of contemporary New Orleans music. Catch Leyla McCalla at PVDFest Saturday, June 8 at 5:45 PM at The Mural Stage – 120 Mathewson St. Providence.
Vox Sambou at PVDFest The Haitian hip-hop ambassador
A sharp-witted lyricist and classy showman, Vox Sambou captivates audiences with a mash-up of socially conscious hip-hop that integrates Haitian roots music, Afrobeat, Latin grooves, and reggae beats. The Montreal-based MC and activist has been called “the eternal voice of Haiti,” and a “key figure on the progressive front of the Rap Kreyòl movement.” An unflinching, passionate and compassionate performer, Vox’s boundless energy on stage with his six-piece band wins over every crowd. Discover Vox Sambou at PVDFest Saturday, June 8 at 10 PM at The City Stage Sponsored by Waste Management – 25 Dorrance St. Providence
Newpoli at PVDFest Mediterranean Pulse – Ritmi della Terra
Southern Italy’s inspiring interpreters of the taranta tradition return to PVDFest with a mesmerizing sound that melds traditional Italian folk music, Greek and Turkish grooves, Mediterranean and Spanish colors, and a contemporary sensibility they call “Mediterranean Pulse – Ritmi della Terra.” You’ll hear the tamburello pounding out the heartbeat of Newpoli’s music, the two female singers will start up a wild, frenetic dance and you’ll have a hard time sitting still! The tempo is high, and the drama and passion can be heard in every note. Welcome Newpoli back to PVDFestSaturday, June 8 at 1:45 PM at The City Stage Sponsored by Waste Management – 25 Dorrance St. Providence
Samite of Uganda at PVDFest “Melodies that rise up off the Ugandan plateau, caressed by kalimbas and other native instruments.” — BILLBOARD
Beautiful, powerful, personal and musical… world-renowned musician and humanitarian Samite explores the strength and resiliency of the human spirit through the sounds and stories of the modern African diaspora. His smooth vocals, accompanied by the kalimba, marimba, litungu and flute mesmerize audiences throughout the world. Enjoy the music of Samite at PVDFest Sunday, June 9 at 1:45 PM at The City Stage Sponsored by Waste Management – 25 Dorrance St. Providence.
For five years of PVDFest, FirstWorks has curated astonishing performances and spectacles from around the globe, helping to light up the streets of Providence along with hundreds of our amazing local artists, curators, food vendors and community organizations.
This year we are thrilled to bring you vertical dance theater and taranta folk music from Italy, L.A.’s sensational all-female tapsquad, Haiti’s ambassador of hip hop, Gambia’s first female kora virtuoso, songs of hope and peace from Uganda, Ukranian world music theatre, sensational Salsa music straight out of Colombia, and so much more!
Above photos: eVenti Verticali, Machine Dazzle, Grupo Niche, Syncopated Ladies
Volunteer @PVDFest!
A festival this big requires many hands…
We count on people like you to get involved, understand the experience, and make it happen. Get behind the scenes experience at Providence’s biggest summer arts festival! Volunteers are needed June 6, 7, 8 & 9. Each volunteer will receive an exclusive PVDFest t-shirt.
