Son Rompe Pera and Cabeza De Chivo

Presented by Thalia Hall and Ruidosa Arts Collective

Born and raised in Naucalpan, the deep outskirts of Mexico City, the Gama brothers and their band Son Rompe Pera have thrashed through all preconceived notions of what a marimba-centered band is, and have rendered the instrument inseparable from their punk ethos. Their shows have become home to the now-infamous marimba mosh pit across the globe, joining intergenerational audiences in moments of essential release and community around their hard-hitting, forward-thinking, unrelenting punk-infused cumbias. With two critically-acclaimed records under their belt, and hundreds of shows on some of the world's most prestigious stages to a rapidly growing audience, the band consistently proves their boundlessness as far as where they can take the genre, standing vehemently by the fact that traditions are meant to be both honored, broken, and built again.

Cumbia Punk Development

Son Rompe Pera is responsible for developing and coining the now-global genre Cumbia Punk- one rooted in their history which is steeped in deep-hearted rebellion. The Gama brothers began playing and performing the marimba when they were kids alongside their father, Batuco, at weddings, quinceañeras, and birthday parties on weekends to help generate income for the family. Teenagers being teenagers, the brothers rejected the notably un-cool and tourist-shop-bound instrument out of embarrassment, turning instead to punk. They spent some time playing in punk and psychobilly bands, but the instrument's hold proved strong and they came back to it eventually, taking punk with them this time. They started to put their own punk twists on traditional cumbia songs, a wildly danceable fusion that's come to unite global audiences in sweaty, respectful mayhem.

Personal Tragedy and Musical Revival

In 2016, the brothers' father, Batuco, responsible for introducing them to the marimba and also for naming the band, was killed in an act of local violence. After that, the brothers nearly gave up on music altogether, though a chance meeting with the legendary Chilean cumbia group Chico Trujillo in 2017 kept that from happening, and eventually resulted in the recording of their first studio album. The band spent 4 months in Chile recording and playing, reigniting a flame that would eventually become impossible to extinguish.

Debut Album and Community Engagement

Batuco, their debut album named after their father, was released in 2020 via ZZK Records. When a pandemic rocked the world shortly after, the band naturally took what most of the world considered an obligation to stop as an opportunity to keep going. They breathed life into spaces that were left lifeless, popping up regularly for socially distanced performances in Mexico City’s Parque México, fostering a sense of community when such a thing felt nearly impossible.

Event Information

This event is 17 and over. Any ticket holder unable to present valid identification indicating that they are at least 17 years of age will not be admitted to this event, and will not be eligible for a refund. Ticket Fee includes 1% City Amusement Tax.