Join us as we celebrate 10 years of one of Bristol's most loved community music groups, Afon Sistema, with a huge party featuring live Brazilian music, DJs, Capoeira & Forró Dance Class! Read on to find out all about the artists performing on the night!

Afon Sistema (50 piece drum and dance ensemble!)
Safrela (All female roots Brazilian sounds)
Denis Veloso (Forró Bristol)
Capoeira Roda (Filhos de Angola)
Poly-Ritmo (One of the UKs finest selectas)
Gerah (Expert Brazilian digger!)
Marla Kether (100% Baile Funk Set!)

Founded back in 2013, Afon Sistema is a cultural group created to pay homage to the carnival culture of Maracatu from Pernambuco, Brazil. Created by Jackson Lapes and Jake Calvert (of Worm Disco Club), Afon Sistema has been forging links with cultural groups in Brazil through yearly trips over the past decade. Both of them have been passionate about Brazilian music since a young age and after first hearing Maracatu, the instantly fell in love with it!

10 years later, Afon Sistema has over 40 drummers and 10 dancers (directed by Angeles Fiallo Montero) and is one of Europe's best-known Maracatu groups. In 2019 Afon Sistema won the "Best Maracatu" award at a European encontro in France, as well as winning Bath Carnival in 2016 and 2018 and St Pauls Carnival in 2019.

Working and studying with many of Brazil's oldest living Maracatuzeiros (Maracatu Musicians), the group is dedicated to preserving and celebrating this rich culture and regularly brings teachers over to the UK as well as working to support them remotely as well. Anyone who has witnessed their Carnival performances first hand knows just how powerful the sound of their drums is!

To join them in Celebration of 10 years, Afon Sistema has invited many of their friends to join them for an unforgettable evening showcasing the best in Brazilian musical culture.

Safrela - an all-female Bristol based collective brought together by their love of Afro-Brazilian music, beautiful harmonies & intoxicating rhythm. Pure percussion and voice, these ladies will take you on a guided tour of Brazil featuring rhythms such as Samba de Coco, Maracatu and Afoxe.

Capoeira Roda (Filhos De Angola) - To open up the evening with the right intention, we've invited our friends from Filhos de Angola Bristol to run a Capoeira roda at the start of the party. Come and witness the ancient and mysterious art form, which originated in Africa...Capoeira players may be able to join at the discretion of the Mestre / Contra-Mestre.

Denis Veloso (Forró Bristol) - Following on from the Capoeira Roda, we will be joined by Denis Veloso, one of the UK's leading teachers of Forró, a traditional dance style from Brazil. Denis will be sharing some steps from this incredible dance culture, before we open up the dancefloor to everyone to practise their moves to some classic Brazilian Forró.

DJ's

After 11pm we will be handing over the reigns to some of our favourite DJs who will be bringing that 100% Brazilian heat!

Poly-Ritmo

One of the UK's best known selectors, her Brazilian mixtape for My Analog Journal has now clocked over 1.3 MILLION VIEWS! Polly really knows her stuff when it comes to Brazilian music and we can't wait to welcome her back to Bristol once again to share her selection of rare n tasty vinyl with us!

Gerah

Brazilian born, London based DJ, Gerah has previously collaborated with Afon Sistema in London at a fundraising event raising money to help protect indigenous communities in the Amazon. We can't wait to repay the favour by inviting him to Bristol to play a set of the finest Brazilian music, especially the tropical sounds of Bahia and the Northeast!

Marla Kether

This up-and-coming Bristol based artist is no stranger to a dancefloor, having played sets at Worm Disco Club, Trinity Centre and recently releasing her debut EP via the incredible Saffron! She'll be ripping up the dancefloor with a special 100% Baile Funk set just for this one!

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