Raices & Rhythms - Latin America in Australia

La Fiesta Unplugged
An evening of music, memory, and conversation.

Raíces & Rhythms: Latin America in Australia returns to The Street for a new edition of intimate live music and conversation, opening the weekend of La Fiesta 2026.

On Saturday, these artists will take to the stages of La Fiesta with bigger bands, full percussion, amplified sound and festival energy. On Friday night, we meet them differently.

Across the evening, musicians from Chile, Cuba, Argentina and Australia step away from their larger ensembles to perform short, stripped-back sets before sitting down with host Frank Madrid for conversations about the music they make, the places and traditions that have shaped them, and what it means to carry those sounds into a life in Australia.

The conversations are as much a part of the performance as the songs themselves — revealing the stories, journeys and cultural connections behind what we hear on stage. The evening is bookended by an intimate Afro-Cuban percussion collaboration bringing together three artists whose relationships with Cuban music have taken very different paths.

Dr Adrian Hearn, Aloy Junco & Rodolfo “Panga” Hechavarría
A special trio drawn from Melbourne’s Suns of Mercury, bringing together Brazilian Celtic percussionist and anthropologist Adrian Hearn with Cuban musicians Aloy Junco and Rodolfo “Panga” Hechavarría. Together they explore the deep rhythmic traditions of Afro-Cuban music, from rumba and folkloric percussion to the living cultural practices behind the music.

Keko Virán
Chilean-born Melbourne singer, guitarist and percussionist Keko Virán draws on a lifetime of Latin American music, from Chilean songwriting to traditional Cuban son. Best known through his long-running project Kekoson, Keko performs a rare solo set highlighting the songs and stories behind his musical journey.

Aya Kitaoji & Alejandro Flórez
Flamenco artists Aya Kitaoji and Alejandro Flórez bring voice, guitar, percussion and flamenco rhythm together in an intimate duo performance. Their work reflects years of study, performance and cultural exchange between Australia, Spain and Latin America.

Brian Lee Silva, Cristian Saavedra & Leonardo Rodriguez
Three members of Melbourne’s The New Monos strip the band’s energetic sound back to voice, guitar and percussion. Drawing on cumbia, reggae, Latin rock, hip-hop and South American folklore, the trio offers a closer look at the songwriting and migrant stories behind the music.

HOSTED BY FRANK MADRID
Returning after hosting the inaugural edition, Frank Madrid is one of Canberra’s most experienced Latin American cultural producers and world-music specialists. Of Venezuelan heritage, Frank has spent decades bringing international and Latin American artists to Australian audiences, producing more than 30 national tours and contributing to festivals, radio, cultural diplomacy and major arts programs around the country.
Over one evening, Raíces & Rhythms moves from Cuba to Chile, Argentina, Spain and Australia — but its real subject is what happens between those places.

The night before La Fiesta turns up the volume, come and hear the stories behind the music.
Presented in partnership with The Streat Theatre, La Fiesta – Canberra’s Latin American Festival and Clandestino Canberra, ArtSound

Street One | Reserved | Duration 165 Minutes including interval
Click here for information on accessibility.