Askultura is Miami’s party band with punk rock, rumba, and ska in our loins. We like to drink big bottles of wines & beers with you! Come to a show and let’s dance. BAILA gente baila.

In less than 4 fast-paced years the ever-evolving Miami, Florida rumba punk ska band Askultura has packed in 200 shows, 3 tours (2 to NY and Boston, 1 to NoLa), a dozen Florida mini-tours, 2 studio albums, 1 live album (recorded in Miami’s legendary Churchill’s Pub), 5 compilations (Europe, USA, South America), 1 successful Kickstarter campaign, and underground distribution across the world-our cd’s are in Malyasia to boot!

Askultura’s very original & unique sound bleeds thundering skate-punk with european melodies, dank ska with rumba-inspired breakdowns, and lively reggae set to fun lyrics dealing with conspiracy theory, talking blue skirts, procrastination, the brotherhood of clown-life, and of course, marijuana (“it’s not just another legalize it song”). The crew is comprised of hard-working American, Italian, French, Okie, Ohioan, Cuban, Peruvian, and Dominican musicians touting voices and washboards, guitars and horns, drums and congas and keyboards, bad sleeping habits, and a desire to tour everyday of the year…except Mother’s Day, when Asku puts on a special, secret sold-out acapella show for…your Mom.

2010’s “You Stank, We Skank” sold 1,000 copies right quick; the only thing left to do was release a 16-song second album, this one aptly describing the Askultura’s sound, breadth, and power: “Ten Strong Superpunk Reggae Rumba Fury”. Allen Vose of SPOT Magazine wrote: “The adrenaline-breeding album “Ten Strong” encompasses a rhythmic blend of mischievousness tracks inspired by unpretentious perceptions that are guaranteed to swing your ass!” And I tell you something reader: everyone likes swingin asses.

To this day and forevermore Askultura’s mission remains the same: spread the Asku gospel of positive, uplifting, and party-minded elements to all curves of the globe. This is the always-evolving, tireless and eclectic symphony that is Askultura. The spirit of the streets. The rumbling in your heart (or the turpitude of a fart) and the movement of your feet. The echos from home.

Malafacha is a Ska band with Reggae and Latin rhythms that was formed in 2003 in Pilsen’s Hispanic Bohemian neighborhood in Chicago, IL. Malafacha is conformed of 8 members, Moises Bello -lead voice, Alejandro Cruz -drums, Ivan Bello -alto sax and choirs, Ezequiel Cruz -bass, Juan Abad-trombone, Armando Pescador – percussions, Roberto Carlos Tovar (Charlie) -guitar and Martin Orosco -Keyboard. All different personalities and musical tendencies between the band members has brought the band to obtain an original sound with a base of Ska, Reggae and Latin rhythms mixed with Punk, Metal, Cumbia, Rock, Disco and an endless fusion of genres that makes of Malafacha an unique band.

Malafacha takes it’s name from the lyrics of “Chilanga Banda” a song written and performed by Jaime Lopez and Jose Manuel Aguilera both are a very well known as classic Spanish rock exponents in México. Cafe Tacuba later recorded this song. Malafacha is a word that doesn’t really exist in the Spanish Dictionary and though some people will give it the meaning of dress badly, for us Malafacha is a style of living. For some conservative people will be thought as “bad dressed”, but for us is looking our best, being original and keeping our freedom of expression, we promote that people should fight for their ideals, living free and in peace. Malafacha doesn’t believe in distinction of race, doesn’t respect frontiers neither repression. Malafacha is a sublime cry of liberty, describes themselves and believes everybody is a citizen of the world,

Malafacha had shared the stage with a big number of bands including some of international recognition such as Maldita Vecindad, Panteon Rococo, El Gran Silencio, Victimas del Dr. Cerebro, The Wailers, Gondwana, La Castañeda,The Toaster, Rata Blanca, Salon Victoria, Sekta Core, Genitallica, Nana Pancha, El Haragan, Banda Bostik, Kenny y los Electricos, and La Tremenda Corte. Also Malafacha toured some if the USA cities on 2009 as invited musicians for La Royal Club. Malafacha has performed in big and small cities through the USA, it does not matter where do fans live Malafacha will visit their city when they least expect it.

Started playing in August 2012. We created a sound that we became familiar with and really enjoy playing. People then started coming to watch us practice more and more each week. We hope that you can enjoy our music too! So get a groovin!

Starting in early 2010, Allen Mendez brought a group of men together as “The Runner Ups” to take on the idea of a ska punk band. The premise was to play fun, upbeat, loud music that people could get up and dance to. “The Runner Ups” sought out well-known ska scene bands like “Run and Punch” and “Shortstop From Tokyo” to begin the first few years of playing in the Chicagoland area.

On January 18th, 2014, the band took on new members and added new instrumentation to their arsenal. The music of “The Runner Ups” became more technical and began to embrace various influences like Dixieland, Latin merengue, big band swing and even Arabic. This fusion of genres into the ska punk sound allowed the band to stray away from the standard and embrace something new in every song.

Now, the powerhouse 7-piece group—including trumpet, trombone, and tenor and baritone sax—have begun touring and playing all over the Midwest. “The Runner Ups” are doing their best to play everywhere and with everyone, so people with different backgrounds can all enjoy a ska punk fusion group with high energy music to dance to.