Ozomatli, 30 REVOLUTIONS around the sun, giving back, and having fun

Triple GRAMMY® Award-winning band Ozomatli is marking three decades of music, activism, and community with their “30 Revolutions” Nationwide Tour, which kicks off on May 30 in Boulder, CO, including a FREE SHOW in Fort Collins on May 31, making their way to Los Angeles on June 14. The band will donate $1.00 from every ticket sold to support mental health services for music industry professionals, in partnership with Sweet Relief and Backline.

“Celebrating 30 years of music, madness, and familia? That’s not just a milestone, that’s badass,” says saxophonist/vocalist Ulises Bella of OZOMATLI about their landmark anniversary. “Through all the chaos in the world, one thing hasn’t changed: Ozomatli brings the vibes that bring people together.”

Taking LA roots to spread the good vibes across the nation, with Colorado holding a special place in Ozomatli’s history. Starting the 30 Revolutions Tour in Boulder is a full-circle moment for the band. “We went through it all, from playing the Round at Midnight to playing the Cedars to all the different auditoriums, moving up to the Fox. And so we have a history with the town, and so it’s cool that we’re going back and starting this tour there.” 

OZOMATLI’s music blends salsa, dancehall, cumbia, samba, funk, merengue, New Orleans second line, Jamaican ragga, and Indian raga, reflecting the diverse cultural tapestry of Los Angeles. Members are Wil-Dog Abers on bass, marimbula, backing, and occasional lead vocals; Raúl Pacheco on guitar, tres, jarana, and vocals; Justin “El Niño” Porée on percussion, rap, lead, and backing vocals; Asdrubal Sierra on trumpet, lead vocals, and piano; Ulises Bella on saxophone, background vocals, requinto jarocho, keyboard, and melodica; and Jiro Yamaguchi on drums, percussion, and backing vocals. The six founding members remain to this day, with the addition of the seventh member, the drummer.

Ozomatli has experienced birth, death, endings, and beginnings together. They know what it takes to stick together. They know the highest highs and the lowest lows. That is why on this tour, they want you to leave your worries at home and celebrate just being alive together.  Uli says, “That’s the thing with this band, is that even though we might be angry at ourselves, at each other, at a moment in time when something serious happens to one  of us, we usually always have each other’s back.”

And that spirit doesn’t stop at the band members. The band considers the music community their family, “We are all in it together in the end. And I think in the general population,  it’s something to destigmatize. It’s hard for people to ask for help. Any way we can go about helping and facilitating those services for people, we are down,” says Uli. Bassist Wil-Dog Abers emphasizes that the journey means even more now, as the band continues to evolve with a purpose, stating, “Ozomatli’s got more to say and do—the story’s still being written.”

Ozomatli emerged from the politically charged streets of Los Angeles, rooted in activism and driven by a mission to unite communities through music. Their message of unity and social consciousness has sustained them for over three decades, earning them three GRAMMY® Awards, a global fanbase, and performances at iconic venues such as the Hollywood Bowl, as well as a TED Talk. With appearances on major TV shows like The Today Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and Austin City Limits, and tours reaching as far as Burma and Mongolia, Ozomatli continues to break cultural and geographic boundaries through their music.

 Uli says, “I wanna invite everybody down to the tour. And especially I think in these moments with so much going on in the world, whether it’s people’s personal economic struggles, to what’s going on in Gaza, to you-name-it. It can be so heavy for people’s mental health and people’s individual lives. I think more than ever, being able to find your tribe and commune with people and have a good time and share dance and share love together is really important.”

TOUR DATES: * signifies FREE show