We performed 16 shows on our second national tour – from Philadelphia down to New Orleans, out west to San Francisco, and stopping in Chicago along the way back east to our final stop in Hartford. Each show offered something unique and special, making this year’s tour something to remember.

Whether dancing, singing, cheering or sharing praises after a show, audiences everywhere we stopped gave us so much energy and love. Of course some days we arrived at shows exhausted after driving sometimes over 10 hours to our destination. But the energy of our audiences fed us, allowing us to share our art with all we have to give, and by the end of the night we would be riding high on the spirit of the show.

We were also inspired by the amazing art and organizing we had the opportunity to witness around the country, from Second Line in New Orleans to Taala Hooghan in Flagstaff to Chuco’s Justice Center in LA to El Batey Urbano and the Puerto Rican Cultural Center in Chicago. We arrived home filled with an affirmation that there is hope for a more loving and just world.

As always we were also inspired by all of the amazing natural sites we witnessed while traveling across the country. We loved looking out the window of our van to see the landscape transform from place to place. We also made some great stops for hiking and swimming like the beaches of Galveston, TX and our all time favorite, the Redwoods of northern California.

We are so grateful to everyone who collaborated with us to make this tour the amazing adventure it was. We are so thankful to everyone who shared the stage with us including Monica McIntyre, Latin at Heart, Proyecto Nuevaluz, Joshua Collier, Summit Dub Squad,Shining Soul, Guerilla Queens, Sherman Austin, In Lak Ech, Let the World Die, Cihuatl-Ce, Tezozomoc, Danza Mexica by Kalpulli Tlaltekuhtli, Lila Rose, The Genie, Pasa Kruda, Tansy & Tarweed, Candread & the Rizing Rezistance and Ara Cruz. We are also very thankful to everyone who collaborated with us in setting up the shows including Daniel Flaumenhaft and Crossroads Music, Evan Edwards and the Firestorm Cafe, Rene Broussard and Zeitgeist Multi- Disciplinary Arts Center, Brandon Badillo and Bemba Ent., Thora Oniel, April Goltz, the Santa Fe Brewing Co., Klee Benaly and the Taala Hooghan Collective, Sammie Ardito, Xultizin and Chuco’s Justice Center, Cinthya Munoz,Cafe Du Nord, Brenna Sahatjian and In Other Words Books, Candread, Henry and the Reef, Nick, Lora and the Underground Coffeehouse at Western Washington University, Eric Ross and Naropa University, Ben Yager and the Gypsy House Cafe, Isaac Graves, the Rock & Soul Cafe, Michael Reyes and El Batey Urbano, Matt McLaughlin, Workers’ Solidarity Alliance and Queers Without Borders, Naima Penniman, Evan Greer, and Bear Campo and Tracy Christopher of Evolution Talent Network. And finally, MUCH APPRECIATION to EVERYONE who spread the word about our shows, hosted us in your homes, or attended our shows!!

In Love and Rebellion,
Taina Asili y La Banda Rebelde

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