Music and Poetry in solidarity with El Salvador, August 25 August 25, 2006

Music and Poetry in solidarity with El Salvador, August 25

Join Voices on the Border to celebrate art, justice, and community with performances by DC Poets Against the War, Alfonso Velez, and members of The.Blackout.District

Friday, August 25th 8:00 pm

The Playbill Café, 1409 14th St. NW

$20 Suggested Donation

(includes 2 drinks or food)

The Playbill Café is on 14th and P Streets.

The closest metro stations are Dupont Circle (red line) and U Street (green line).



Violent police repression of a recent protest in El Salvador has been called the worst human rights violation since the 12-year civil war ended in 1992. The students who were peacefully speaking out against the rising cost of living were met with violence and the occupation of the "autonomous" university. The government is calling the students and the opposition party "terrorists" and trying to rescind their freedom of expression. This government response, combined with recent evidence of death squad activity, are cause for concern that El Salvador could be returning to a violent past.

Voices on the Border is a small non-profit that works in solidarity with grassroots communities that build peace with justice in El Salvador. We support community development and organizing efforts. Visit us at www.votb.org.

Alfonso Velez is a singer/songwriter whose music reflects his diverse cultural background. His voice has been described as polished attitude. A good deal of Velez’s steel-string guitar work runs strongly in the blues vein, although he will vary it with country configurations, Merle Travis picking and what he calls his Spaniard Bluesmanship. His pungent, driving, hypnotic voice is sometimes used in the manner of the late Jeff Buckley with falsetto’s that beckon from an ethereal place only to be balanced with the haunting howls of Robert Johnson’s lost soul melodies.

Patrick Edwards and Kelly Manion have performed as members of the local rock band The.Blackout.District for the past 2 years. The band's sound can be described as melodic alternative rock with experimental elements. When performing as a pair the two focus on their acoustic strengths and vocal harmonies to express their often multi-layered messages.

DC Poets Against the War are local writers and activists who continue the tradition of socially engaged poetry as a voice against war, tyranny and oppression.

Official Website: http://votb.org