Though Viva! is now presented on a larger scale, there’s still that backyard DIY spirit, Contreras said. “So it’s cool to have different styles take part in this and join the backyard community.” “It’s funny because (Indie Anthony) told me that when people think of Jamaica, they don’t normally think of post-punk coming out of there,” he said. ![]() Related Articlesĭreamstate Festival announces its 2023 lineup, relocates to Long Beach This year, Contreras shared that he booked several bands from Latin America and the Caribbean, including Indie Anthony, an artist based in Jamaica who will be making his California debut at the festival. Every language and every person is welcome, of course, but the theme of it is to have that energy.”Īcts from Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Argentina and Spain have taken part in Viva!, and for some acts, coming to the festival marked their very first shows in the U.S. “If you’re from the Inland Empire, you know it’s heavily dominated by people who speak Spanish, so a lot of us grew up speaking Spanish in our households then going out into society speaking English, so it’s a representation of that 50-50 split. “With any movie or book you read, there’s always a theme, and I really try to stay true to ours,” Contreras said. Latin artists account for more than half of the 2023 lineup, with a little more than 40 acts in all playing this weekend. Still, a key ingredient is incorporating Latin artists, he said, noting that many Latinos who grew up in the surrounding areas listened to Spanish and English music and he wanted to create a similar vibe. Since the inception of Viva!, it’s been vital for Contreras to book independent artists throughout Southern California. Whether you are a Coachella lifer or prefer to watch from afar, get weekly dispatches during the Southern California music festival season. Sign up for our Festival Pass newsletter. And it’s great because we get to put that on the map for so many people here.” And every year that passes it’s new artists, new generations and new projects people might not know about. “I never thought we’d even make it this far,” Contreras said of the festival with a cold brew coffee in hand, sitting on a bench in front of The Glass House concert hall. ![]() ![]() El Monte indie rock trio The Red Pears will headline on Saturday, July 15 and Atlanta, Georgia-based pop duo Coco & Clair Clair will close out the event on Sunday, July 16. The independent music fest - where now superstar acts like Chicano Batman, The Marias, Omar Apollo, The Garden, Cuco and DannyLux were exposed to audiences early on - is returning for its eleventh year at The Glass House in Pomona on July 15-16. Contreras’ ability to hear something that he knew would one day make it big is what has made the Viva! Pomona Festival so successful. He was searching for something that gave him the goosebumps and artists he could reach out to in hopes of booking them for a show in his hometown of Pomona. For more than a decade, Rene Contreras has had his finger on the pulse of rising musical talent in Southern California and beyond.Īs a teenager, he spent countless nights staying up until the early hours of the morning, cycling his way through every music platform available.
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