# Los Van Van Announce Concert in New York and Miami Beach

**Date:** 03/04/2023

The popular Cuban group Los Van Van announced their upcoming concerts at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in New York; and at Miami Beach Bandshell in that city, on April 29 and 30, respectively.

The popular orchestra, called "The train of Cuban music," has performed in the United States previously, where it has sparked controversies over its participation in cultural exchange programs between Havana and Washington.

In June 2019, the legendary band celebrated its 50 years with a tour through the United States, amid tensions over the rejection of Cuban musicians performing in Florida. Despite cancellations for other musicians and a hard battle for Washington to end "cultural exchange" with the Island, the orchestra played in Miami in May 2019 and also performed in California, New York, and Washington DC.

Announcement of Los Van Van concert at Miami Beach Bandshell (Screenshot)

On that occasion, the band's leader, Samuel Formell, attributed the protests to his distance from politics: "Since we are not politicians we try to stay as far away from that as possible, trying to make our music," he said to news agency AP.

"In the end, there is no doubt that when you see a Los Van Van concert there is no talk of politics, no talk of anything, what you do is go to dance and enjoy and forget a bit the problems that each human being may have day to day," he added.

However, in 2015, during an interview in Miami with several of the band's musicians, Roberto Hernández, known as "Robertón" and principal singer of the orchestra, described exile as "a necessary evil" that was harmful to musicians who had "nothing to do" with politics.

Los Van Van was created in 1969 by Juan Formell, and gained popularity in Cuba and internationally for creating a new rhythm called songo, which mixed the typical folkloric sounds of the Island with modern music from the 1970s.

In 1999, the orchestra won a Grammy for its 15th album, "Llegó Van Van." The group has more than 40 records.