TapRoots hosts Puerto Rico hurricane relief fundraiser at Hawks & Reed
Date/Time
Location
Hakws & Reed (289 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301, Greenfield MA)
WHO: TapRoots, Los Sugar Kings
WHAT: Puerto Rico hurricane relief fundraiser
WHEN: Saturday, October 8, 8:00 p.m. (doors open at 7:00 p.m.)
WHERE: Hawks and Reed, Greenfield, MA
TICKETS: $15 (though greater donations are welcome)
CONTACT: Matthew King tapr00tshome@gmail.com
October, 2022, The Latin Funk Fusion band TapRoots, will be organizing a fundraiser for Puerto Rican hurricane relief at Hawks and Reed Center for the Performing Arts in Greenfield. The event will include live painting, vendors, and incredible performances by TapRoots, Boston’s Los Sugar Kings, and others. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/taproots-with-los-sugar-kings-at-hawks-reed-tickets-388847412077
After making landfall in Puerto Rico on Sunday, Hurricane Fiona caused devastating flooding and landslides on the island. Fiona packed winds as high as 130 miles per hour on Wednesday and was expected to strengthen as it moved north. In Puerto Rico, where 40% of the island's 3.3 million residents were still without water and three-fourths were lacking power, authorities were trying to determine the scale of the destruction and start rebuilding. For many Puerto Rico residents, the memory of Hurricane Maria in 2017, and the 2019 earthquake, is still fresh. An estimated 1.07 million homes and businesses remained without power in Puerto Rico by midday on Wednesday, according to LUMA Energy, which has said full restoration to all 1.5 million customers could take several days.
For TapRoots’ founder, Matthew King, the time to act is now. “When these kinds of travesties happen, it is often the case for us up here in Massachusetts not to know how exactly to respond, though so many would like to help. So many people in this area have family on the island, and I felt that this show would be a good way to send some help to those in need in Puerto Rico. This will be an easy way for folks to lend a hand and contribute to the sustained community-based efforts to rebuild after such devastation.” 100% of the bands’ pay from ticket and merchandise sales will go directly to the relief effort.
The entertainment for the night will be an eclectic mix of highly danceable latin-inspired bands. King’s own band, TapRoots, is a new vision of cultural sonic fusion that touches the live wire of the spirit, body and mind. While the music is at once familiar - borrowing from elements of soul, reggae, salsa, jazz, hip-hop, samba, folkloric rhythms, rock and beyond - it taps into the roots of these traditions while imagining something refreshingly new. Intertwining elemental foundations of spirit, rhythm, planetary reverence, and socio-political transformation, TapRoots braids a vision of human experience united by struggle, celebration, resilience, ceremony and fierce desire for social change. The band travels beyond the borders of traditional popular music, bringing the listener on a journey filled with catchy hooks, pulsing rhythms, thought provoking lyrics and intricate musical motifs, all fueled by a unique synthesis of sound, spirit and passion into a powerful, deeply rooted, listening experience.
The other bands on the event’s lineup are a perfect compliment to the sonic and creative vision of TapRoots: Los Sugar Kings is a Boston-based quartet known for their dynamic live performances, rich harmonies, intense musicianship and ability to transcend genres with an authenticity rarely heard. In their world, respect is paid to the forefathers and traditions of Afro-Cuban Son, Salsa and Rumba-Flamenca but Sugar Kings (named after a Cuban baseball team) also actively draw on influences from nearly every continent in their unique roots-rock-reggae repertoire. All are highly accomplished on their instruments, however, the true magic of Sugar Kings is how these four individuals come together to put on a performance worthy of any festival, party, club or concert hall. Every show is an intimate dialogue between the band and their audience, with both sides communicating in a manner that is spontaneous, passionate, thoughtful and joyous.
For more information, promo requests or to set up an interview, please contact Matthew King at: tapr00tshome@gmail.com