Festival International: You've got to hear this
Previewing our favorite bands for each day of the celebration
by Cody Daigle
cdaigle@theadvertiser.com
 
It's here.
Festival International 2010 is off and running, and we're as ready as you are to ditch the cubicle, shed the work week and enjoy a weekend of international music, arts and culture.

The schedule, as always, is a daunting one. And while you can't catch everything Festival has to offer (unless you’re willing to dash from site to site like a jackrabbit for four days), you can soak in most of the Festival goodness.

In that spirit, we’ve scoured the schedule and are weighing in on our best bets for Festival International 2010. We’re giving you our choices for must-see acts, acts for the adventurous and collector's items you’ll beat yourself up for missing.

Enjoy what Festival has to offer this year. We certainly will.
THURSDAY
Must-see: Grupo Fantasma. This funk-Latin fusion band rocked Festival International last year, and they're back for another chance to get you moving. Their onstage energy is infectious, and their tunes are irresistible. Warning: if you don't want to dance like a fool in public, you should skip these guys. Otherwise, ride the wave of Grupo Fantasma from first note to last. Grupo Fantasma plays the Scène Popeyes at
6 p.m.

Adventurer's Pick: Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba. Kouyate brings the traditional music of the ngoni to the Festival stage. Fleshing out and revitalizing this traditional music of his home country of Mali, Kouyate is known around the world for his powerful music. This should be a fascinating show for the adventurous. Kouyate plays the Scène Bacardi at 7:45 p.m.

Collector's Pick: Les Breastfeeders. One of the joys of Festival International are the lineup's excursions into rock, and Les Breastfeeders should supply one of the best rock shows of the weekend. This Canadian rock outfit is known throughout the world for their intense fiery tunes. Check out what the fuss is about. Les Breastfeeders play the Scène Bacardi at 9:30 p.m.
FRIDAY
Must-see: On Friday, Feufollet will deliver one the of the must-see performances of the weekend. This local act has a reputation for their vibrant and youthful take on contemporary Cajun music, but this show will feature music from the band’s upcoming album En Coulers, which has new indie folk sounds to savor. Check this show out, and see the future of Louisiana sounds. Feufollet performs at 7:45 p.m at Scène Chevron.

Adventurer's Pick: Fishtank Ensemble. Their music has been called “cross-pollinated gypsy music,” which is alone reason enough to check them out. This French outfit produces some thrilling music out of a ragtag bunch of instruments including trombones, musical saws and banjos. This should be one of the more interesting acts of Festival. Fishtank Ensemble plays Scène TV5MONDE at 7:15 p.m.

Collector's Pick: Los de Abajo. This Mexico City-based act combines ska, punk and hip hop — and that combination alone should get your attention. They call their sound “tropipunk,” and not only do you get a fresh combination of styles, you also get a dose of political commentary. This band is a unique addition to the schedule, and you won't want to miss them. Los de Abajo plays Scène Bacardi at 9:15 p.m.
SATURDAY
Must-see: Chiwoniso. This all-star lineup of some of the top musical performers from Zimbabwe and South Africa is destined to be one of the more memorable moments of this year's festival. Their music is not only technically accomplished, but their tunes also explode with an abundant spirit, a playful rebelliousness and an infectious joy. Chiwoniso plays Scène Popeyes at 1:45 p.m.

You’ll also want to make room in your schedule for Lunasa, playing Scène Bacardi at 7:45 p.m. This modern Irish supergroup honors the traditions of Irish music and pushes those traditions into the contemporary music realm. Their show should be an exciting one.

Adventurer's Pick: Nation Beat. This Brazilian group is bringing the rhythm to Festival International. Their sound is a percussion-based sensibility inspired by the Afro-Brazilian music of northern Brazil. Expect some of the weekend's most heart-thumping percussion from this act. You'll be hard pressed to keep still during their show. Nation Beat plays Scène Bacardi at 5:45 p.m.

Collector's Pick: Mucca Pazza. They're the marching band that thinks they're a rock band. In what will probably be the weekend's most bizarre performance, this band transforms the stage into a raucous party like band camp filtered through a Green Day concert. You'll kick yourself for missing this show, if for no other reason than to say, “Mucca Pazza? Yeah, I was there.” Mucca Pazza plays the Scène Bacardi at 9:45 p.m.
SUNDAY
Must-see: Sierra Leone’s Refugee All-Stars. This band has a powerful personal story of escaping violence and surviving a horrific war in their home country. Their music is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and their show will be one of the standout shows of Festival 2010. In many ways, their performance on the Festival stage is what it's all about: music transcending all obstacles and bringing people across cultures together. Sierra Leone's Refugee All-Stars play Scène Popeyes at 5:30 p.m.

Adventurer's Pick: La Excelencia. Taking salsa music and infusing it with a contemporary freshness makes La Excelencia an intriguing entry in this year's festival schedule. Their take on salsa is young, hip and carries a message of social awareness and change. Their show should be one that not only touches the music lover in you, but the political soldier in you as well. La Excelencia plays Scene Popeyes at 3:45 p.m.

Collector's Pick: De Temps Antan. This folk music act from Quebec takes pride in their deeply traditional sound. As a band, mining the music of traditional Quebecois culture is of primary importance, but the band infuses their sound with just enough contemporary energy to make them irresistible. Their show should be a refreshing, laid-back experience, capping off a weekend of global music highs. De Temps Antan plays Scene Chevron at 1:45 p.m.

Originally published April 22, 2010