Antibalas was founded in Brooklyn in early 1998 by Martín Perna, with help from Gabriel Roth and other members of the Soul Providers (later to become the Dap Kings).
The group, first called El Conjunto Antibalas (the Bulletproof Ensemble) emerged out of the stable of Desco Records (the predecessor to Daptone Records) along with local musicians from the neighborhood.
For the first year, the group played strictly non-commercial spaces (block parties, community markets, parks, lofts, rooftops, basements) until they were offered a weekly gig at NoMoore in Lower Manhattan in August 1999. For 16 months, the group held a Friday night residency called Africalia, featuring 3-4 sets by Antibalas, as well as featured guests including Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, The Sugarman Three, The Mighty Imperials and members of Fela's Africa 70 and Egypt 80 bands.
After NoMoore abruptly closed, the group began touring nationally and internationally at the world's premier jazz, world music and rock festivals and has since then performed over 1500 shows in over 30 countries.
Beginning with their debut single "Uprising" in 1999, they went on to record five full-length albums on labels including Daptone, Ninja Tune, Rope-a-Dope and Anti- as well as several singles, EPs numerous appearances on compilations.
The group has appeared in full on NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Show. Several members are frequent guests with the Roots onstage and on TV, having performed with Public Enemy, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Rod Stewart, Jim James and many others.
Antibalas also served as the house band at Carnegie Hall in 2014 backing artists including Allen Toussaint, Angelique Kidjo, Judy Collins, and many others in a hommage to the music of Paul Simon.
In October 2014, Italian singer Lorenzo Cherubini invited the group to Electric Ladyland to collaborate on two songs from his record "2015CC" - Libera and "Melagioco".
In early 2015, they toured North America collaborating with Zap Mama, and returned to Carnegie Hall in March 2015 to serve as the house band for a tribute to David Byrne and Talking Heads.
They finished the year with a four week residency at Brooklyn Bowl, with guest appearances by Santigold, Jovanotti, Saul Williams, Lee Fields, Sahr Ngaujah, Quantic and Kal Traver of Rubblebucket.
In 2016, they kicked off the year at the SF Jazz Fest with Amayo and the horns collaborating with drummer Eric Harland and his Voyager Ensemble.
Later that month, they began a monthly residency at Brooklyn Bowl through 2016.
Tickets: $20 Advance / $25 Day of Show / $30 Reserved
Venue Information:
The Ardmore Music Hall
23 East Lancaster Ave
Ardmore, PA, 19003
http://www.ardmoremusic.com
