“We are the borders I have crossed” goes a line in one of their songs, and it perfectly encapsulates the defiant attitude of buzzworthy – and highly danceable – Brazilian band Francisco El Hombre, whose name is taken from that of a legendary character in the Gabriel García Márquez novel One Hundred Years of Solitude.

A benchmark for young activistas, the group uses its performances to condemn economic, political and sexual oppression, and to fight for a more unified society. Inspired by a potent cocktail of traditional Brazilian and Afro-Latin music mixed with psychedelic rock and electro-punk, their infectious rhythms and gypsy wanderlust embody a global perspective they describe as “noisy transamerican transculturalism.” They also have been highly influenced by Latin American visual art, and international travel has enlarged their cosmopolitan spirit.

The band comprises Mateo and Sebastián Piracés-Ugarte from Mexico, and Juliana Strassacapa, Andrei Martinez Kozyreff and Helena Papini from Brazil.  Francisco El Hombre’s 2016 debut album, Soltasbruxa, was nominated for a Latin Grammy and has accumulated 25+ million listens on Spotify and 31+ million on YouTube.  In addition, the band has performed more than 700 concerts in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Spain, Portugal and elsewhere, and headlined at major festivals such as Rock in Rio, Lollapalooza and Vive Latino. Whether playing streets, squares, jungles, parks or large indoor venues, Francisco El Hombre’s contagious energy is unquestionable, as TD Sunfesters will soon discover.