Media Release

Mexico: Beyond Your Expectations (July 17 – July 19)

presented by the Consulate General of Mexico in Toronto

Part of World Routes 2009 presented by RBC

Toronto, July 2 -- Mexico’s heritage and vibrant culture is celebrated at this inaugural festival, mounted on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Mexican independence and the 100th anniversary of the revolution. Mexico: Beyond Your Expectations, happening July 17 to July 19 at Harbourfront Centre in Toronto, is made possible due to the generous support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, Mexico Tourism Board and Aeromexico, the official airline of this festival. Grammy award-winning Mexican rock group Café Tacuba celebrate their 20th anniversary. Luaka Bop tropipunk and ska group Los de Abajo and Arts & Crafts’ Mexican Indie rock band Chikita Violenta show off the wide range of music coming out of Mexico.

The cultural icon of the mariachi will also be featured in music and dance throughout the weekend with performances from Toronto-based Mariachi Viva Mexico, Mariachi Amigo and Cascabel along with the Mexican Folkloric Dance Company.

2009 is also the 25th anniversary of El Santo’s death, one of Mexico’s most famous and iconic luchadores (Mexican wrestlers) who is credited with having popularized professional wrestling in Mexico much like Hulk Hogan did for the USA. In a fitting tribute, Mexican luchadores Blue Demon Jr. and Incognito go head-to head against Canadian luchadores Superxtremo, Cody 45, Sombra and Tigerstar in Toronto’s first live outdoor Lucha Libre wrestling match. Afterwards, wrestling fanatics can meet their favorite masked heroes in an intimate and interactive Q&A session and even morph into their own luchadores persona at a late-night Lucha Libre Dance Party with Latin-Rock group Dirty Maria. Film highlights for the festival include Santo y Blue Demon vs. Los Monstruos (a luchadores film featuring the father of Blue Demon Jr. who will be on site over the weekend) as well as a screening of Santo y Blue Demon en la Atlántida.

Authentic and Contemporary Mexican cuisine is also highlighted with food demos from downtown Toronto restaurants La Tortilleria and Frida Restaurant and Bar. The World Café also features Mexican and Latin American vendors preparing an array of typical Mexican dishes including fajitas, tacos, soups and more!

[Below, full site highlights for categorized by music, food, performing arts, film and family activities.]

About World Routes
A series of FREE festivals that run from July through September, World Routes presented by RBC explores ideas in contemporary culture, bringing together rich, artistic traditions from around the globe. For complete information visit harbourfrontcentre.com or call 416-973-4000. Harbourfront Centre is located at 235 Queens Quay West, in Toronto.

About the Sponsors
Consulate General of Mexico in Toronto: www.comsulmex.com
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico: www.sre.gob.mx
Mexico Tourism Board: www.visitmexico.com
Aeromexico: www.aeromexico.com 1(800) 854-1806 / 1(800) 800-9999

-30-

Media Contacts:
Althea Linton 416-973-4428 alinton@harbourfrontcentre.com
Rebecca Webster 416- 973-4518 rwebster@harbourfrontcentre.com
worldroutesmedia@harbourfrontcentre.com

Music:

Psychotropical Orchestra: Friday, July 17, 8 p.m. -SIRIUS Satellite Radio Stage
Known for their flamboyant and wild performances, Montreal’s Psychotropical Orchestra shatters musical barriers by mixing Cumbia, Cha Cha Cha and Mambo with the modern sounds of Rock, Dance and Electronica. www.psychotropical.ca

Los de Abajo: Friday, July 17, 9:30 p.m. -SIRIUS Satellite Radio Stage
Founded in Mexico City in 1992 as a Latin ska four-piece, Los de Abajo have expanded to eight members and widened their influences to include rock, salsa, reggae, ska, and cumbia. The band continues to break down barriers as they popularize their fusion of tropical rhythms often referred to as ‘punk salsa’ or ‘tropipunk.’ www.myspace.com/losdeabajoska

Jeanette Maccari: Friday, July 17, 11 p.m. -Brigantine Room
Jeanette Macari stages her own opera, theatre and cabaret shows. Her repertoire includes glamourous cabaret routines, theatrical shows and solo recitals.

Mariachi Viva Mexico: Saturday, July 18, 2 p.m. -SIRIUS Satellite Radio Stage
Toronto-based Mariachi Viva Mexico brings the energetic sounds of mariachi music and the joy of the fiesta to the waterfront. As they play the popular style, the Mexican Folkloric Dance Company provides mariachi dance lessons. www.vivamexicomariachi.com

Chikita Violenta: Saturday, July 18, 7:30 p.m. -SIRIUS Satellite Radio Stage
Mexican Indie rock band Chikita Violenta recorded their first major label record The Stars and Suns Sessions in Toronto's Stars & Suns studio. Produced by David Newfeld, their unique sound is crafted after North American and British acts instead of the traditional Latin-rock that dominates the Mexican music scene. www.chikitaviolenta.com

Café Tacuba: Saturday, July 18, 9 p.m. -SIRIUS Satellite Radio Stage
Grammy-award winning Café Tacuba formed in Mexico City in1989. They are the pioneers of rock en español; a combination of Latin rock with all-Spanish lyrics. They are highly regarded for their innovative sound that incorporates various music genres including alternative rock, traditional Mexican music, ska, punk, funk, new wave, and electronica. www.myspace.com/cafetacvba

Mariachi Amigo: Saturday, July 18, 9 & 11 p.m.¬- Ann Tindal Lawn/Park
Founded 17 years ago by Jorge Lopez, Mexico Amigo is one of the most respected mariachi bands in Ontario.
Although the band consists of a diverse mix of international cultures, their ultimate goal is to preserve the traditional style and sound of Mexico's mariachi music. http://tiny.cc/Vk4S4

Lucha Libre Dance Party with Dirty Maria: Saturday, July 18, 11 p.m. – Brigantine Room
Audiences can unmask their inner luchador (Mexican wrestler) at a late night dance event. Wear your own luchador mask or purchase one at the venue (not mandatory) and dance along to Toronto’s Latin-rock group Dirty Maria’s high-energy performance. www.myspace.com/dirtymaria

Cascabel: Sunday, July 19, 1 p.m. –Redpath Stage
Breaking away from the traditional sounds of Mariachi, Toronto’s own Cascabel brings the sound of Latin Jazz and Mexican music together in one group. The word Cascabel has many different meanings, including a rattlesnake, a chile pepper and a child’s rattle. Just like the words diverse definition’s, Cascabel’s music reflects the diversity of contemporary Latin music. www.jlopezentertainment.com

Sabor Norteño: Saturday, July 18, 4 p.m. – Redpath Stage
Sabor Norteño is one of the first Mexican Norteño band formed in Canada. Norteño is a genre of Mexican music literally meaning "northern" in Spanish. The accordion and the bajo sexto, a 12-string guitar literally meaning ‘sixth base’, are the most characteristic instruments. This genre is extremely popular in both Mexico and the United States, especially among the Mexican community. www.myspace.com/tequilatorfw

The Homeless: Saturday, July 18, 6 p.m. –Redpath Stage
Fronted by Javier Vazquez and Viviana Guzman, The Homeless brings Latin Music to a higher level by blending rock, blues, R&B and soul. Formed in 2006, this 9-piece band has a unique sound that can be attributed to the musician’s different backgrounds. (German, Jewish, American, Colombian, Dutch, Portuguese and Canadian) www.thehomelessband.ca

Food:

World Café: Friday 6 p.m.-12 p.m., Saturday noon-1 a.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
The World Café features delicious, exotic and unique tastes from around the globe. It offers a weekly variety of international cuisine prepared by a rotating selection of popular Toronto restaurants and caterers. This weekend highlights Mexican and Latin American cuisine.

Food Demo by Frida Restaurant and Bar: Saturday July 18, 2 p.m. & 5 p.m. Lakeside Terrace Tent Motivated by the authentic spirit of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, Friday Restaurant and bar aspire to transform and elevate the Mexican food culture in Toronto. Executive Chef and Owner Jose Hadad leads food demonstrations. Hada, a Mexican who came to Canada five years ago, has a flair for using Mexican ingredients in a unique and delicious way. He’s studied with renowned chefs Michael Stadtlander and Mark McEwan.

Tortilla Food Demo by La Tortilleria: Sunday, July 19, 2 p.m.-Lakeside Terrace Tent
La Tortilleria prepares fresh corn tortillas right before your eyes! They are made with the highest quality ingredients, without any added preservatives or artificial flavoring and come in a variety of sizes and flavours. www.latortilleria.ca

Dance:

Mexican Folkloric Dance Company: Saturday, July 18, 1:30 p.m. - Redpath Stage parading to the SIRIUS Satellite Radio Stage
With a splash of colour, heaps of fancy footwork and keen attention to detail, the Mexican Folkloric Dance Company has been performing a repertoire that embraces the diverse Mexican cultural. Authentic dances, costumes and traditions from various regions within the Mexican nation for over two decades,

Film:

All Saturday afternoon, Luchadores from Mexico and Canada will be interviewed by writer and film maker Michael Paszt about the lives of the masked wrestlers

Santo y Blue Demon vs. Los Monstruos: Saturday, July 18, 12 p.m.- Brigantine Room
Santo and Blue Demon, Mexico's top wrestlers, come face to face with a monster army created by the evil Dr. Bruno Halder. These 'monsters' are really humans, reanimated back to life through a series of brain transplants. But when Dr. Halder targets Blue Demon as his next victim, Santo sets off to rescue him.

Santo y Blue Demon en la Atlántida: Saturday, July 18, 5:30 p.m. - Brigantine Room
In this Mexican wrestling thriller, thanks to the mind-controlling mechanisms of the wicked ex-Nazi scientist Rado, good-guy masked man Santo must take on fellow good-guy grappler Blue Demon in a fantastical battle of the titans.

Pancho Villa, The Revolution Isn’t Over (La Revolución no ha terminado): Sunday, July 19, 1 p.m. Brigantine Room (English subtitles)
This is the true story of Pancho Villa told by those who knew him. Pancho Villa was a Mexican revolutionary who advocated for the poor. Some consider him a hero, others a bandit. He was responsible for a raid on Columbus, New Mexico in 1916. http://tinyurl.com/mq7n9r

The Last Zapatistas, Forgetten Heroes (Los Últimos Zapatistas, Héroes Olvidados): Sunday, July 19, 4 p.m. -Brigantine Room (English subtitles)
Through a series of interviews, this film brings to life the testimony of the last 12 surviving revolutionaries of the Liberation Army of the South -- patriots who fought alongside Gen. Emiliano Zapata during the 1910 Mexican Revolution.

Family:

Mariachi Clown by Cornisa 20: Friday, July 17, 7 p.m., Saturday, July 18, 7:15 p.m., Sunday, July 19, 2 & 4 p.m. -Ann Tindal Lawn
Cornisa 20 is a repertory company performing plays that included acrobatics, clown, dancing, muppets, stilts and mojigangas (giant muppets). http://tinyurl.com/m97rls

Lucha Libre Mask Craft Workshop by Mexican Social and Cultural Foundation:
Saturday, July 18 & Sunday July 19 at 1 p.m.- Kidszone Tent
Kids can create their own Lucha Libre masks and become an enmascarado/a.

Historias en Vplanivuelo, Triciclo Rojo: Saturday, July 18, 4 p.m. & Sunday, July19, 1:30 p.m.
Studio Theatre
Triciclo Rojo is a contemporary theatre company that integrates clown and dance performances with animation and music for a fun children’s spectacle. Sunday’s performance is followed by a Q&A. www.triciclorojo.com.mx

Sport:

Lucha Libre – Mexican Free Wrestling – Presented with BSE Wrestling Inc. & Circle Squared Wrestling Inc. Saturday, July 18 & Sunday, July19, 3 p.m. - Ann Tindal Lawn
Mexican wrestlers Blue Demon Jr. and Incognito go head-to-head against Canadian wrestlers Angel De Guerra, Tigerstar, Cody 45, Sombra, and Superxtremo in Toronto’s first outdoor international Lucha Libre match. The public are invited to get their photo taken with the wrestlers following the matches and can purchase their own wrestling masks. http://tinyurl.com/mbtrbe

Q&A with the Lucha Libre Wrestlers: Saturday, July 18, 4:15 p.m. - Brigantine Room
Audiences have the opportunity to ask questions to the Lucha Libre wrestlers following their match. Wrestlers include the infamous Blue Demon Jr. and Incognito from Mexico as well Canadian Lucha Libre wrestlers Cody 45, Sombra, and SuperXtremo. Interview will be moderated by Maye Ornelas.

235 Queens Quay West, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2G8
Phone: 416-973-4600 | Fax: 416-973-6055 | harbourfrontcentre.com