Ozomatli to Headline Fiesta Friday Concert at Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

Ozomatli

Popular Latin/Hip Hop band Ozomatli will headline the April 13 Fiesta Friday Concert at the 2018 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, officials announced today.

The Fiesta Friday Concert will begin at approximately 6:45 p.m. on the plaza in front of the Long Beach Performing Arts Center adjacent to the Long Beach Convention Center and is free to Friday race ticket holders. Space at the plaza is limited and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Formed in Los Angeles in 1995, Ozomatli features a wide variety of musical styles, including salsa, jazz, funk, reggae, rap and others. Its six current members have been with the band since their self-titled debut album in 1998: Wil-Dog Abers, Raul Pacheco, Justin “El Nino" Poree, Asdrubal Sierra, Ulises Bella and Jiro Yamaguchi.

The band has released seven studio albums in total and played all over the world, including China, Tunisia, Jordan and Burma. Since 2011, Ozomatli has also served as the in-house band for stand-up comedian Gabriel Iglesias’ TV show, Gabriel Iglesias Presents Stand-Up Revolution.

“The Grand Prix of Long Beach is a long-time tradition that Ozomatli is happy to be a part of," said Pacheco. “There is nothing like the close up roar of high-performance race cars against the beautiful downtown skyline. With the 20th anniversary of our debut record right around the corner, we’ll be bringing a little somethin’ new and a little somethin’ old to our performance. No doubt, we’ll all be dancing!"

The group has found a way to represent Los Angeles’ eclectic culture through music that appeals to the local community and the world beyond. Ozomatli's success is exemplified in an impressive variety of genres and they have created one of the most exciting, captivating and flat-out fun live shows touring today. They continue to harness their musical instincts by conceiving new concepts and forging new sounds that keep fans on their toes and the world dancing.

Past Fiesta Friday concerts have included acclaimed artists including El Tri, Moderatto, Fobia, Moenia and many more.

Featuring a wide variety of on- and off-track activities for the entire family, the Grand Prix weekend’s on-track action will be headlined by the Verizon IndyCar Series and also include the BUBBA burger Sports Car Grand Prix, featuring the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge, SPEED Energy Stadium Super Trucks, Pirelli World Challenge and the inaugural Historic Trans Am race.

Ticket prices for Friday’s racing events and concert start at $33 for a General Admission ticket. Three-day tickets, pre-paid parking packages, handicapped seating, Verizon IndyCar Series Paddock access passes, Super Photo tickets and an array of VIP Club packages are also available.

Fans can select and pay for their 2018 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach tickets, parking and paddock passes online at gplb.com. Ticket orders can also be placed by calling the toll-free ticket hotline, (888) 827-7333.

Fans can also follow the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on Facebook at GrandPrixLB, Twitter @ToyotaGPLB, Instagram at ToyotaGPLB and Snapchat at ToyotaGPLB.