ANTIBALAS, Brooklyn’s premiere 14-piece afrobeat orchestra, has long been revered for re-popularizing the classic Afrobeat sound while adding their distinct New York City grit to the mix. Influences of punk rock, free jazz, and hip-hop seep into their expansive works to define a truly 21st century translation of the Afrobeat genre and beyond. They are the quintessential live band — their performances are praised globally for their intense but party-friendly sound and earnest political messages. ANTIBALAS is Spanish for “bullet-proof,” an obvious reference to street activism and an uncompromising will to speak up and stand up for social injustice in the spirit of Fela’s own struggle in Nigeria.