II Festival del Monólogo Cubano

A festival that insisted on letting the world know that Cuban music is not only salsa and reggaeton, but also has a heavy metal tradition with enthusiastic fans

Organized by Brutal Beatdown Records with the collaboration of Agencia Cubana de Rock, Brutal Fest is the first and most important international extreme music fest in Cuba. It takes place twice a year in Cuba: Brutal Winter Fest (February) and Brutal Summer Fest (August). The Brutal Winter Fest will be dedicated to Canadian Trigger Effect vocalist Nick Babeu, who passed away in November, 2013. The lineup includes The Prestige (France); Chariots of the Gods (Canada); Meltdown, No Sun in San Francisco and Algebra (Switzerland), and Combat Noise, Darkness Fall, Switch, Arrabio, Tragedy, Zeus and Espoleta (Cuba). As usual, the Fest will travel to other cities around Cuba:

Feb 13: Santa Clara
Feb 15: Holguín
Feb 16: Santiago de Cuba
Feb 18: Camagüey
Feb 19: Trinidad
Feb 21 & 22: La Habana
Feb 23: Artemisa

Venues: Teatro Tomás Terry (Cienfuegos) with other venues in Havana and Villa Clara


  • Paco De Lucía at the 2013 Leo Brouwer Chamber Music Festival

    Paco De Lucía at the 2013 Leo Brouwer Chamber Music Festival  LH 5

    We cannot thank Leo Brower enough for his contribution to Cuban culture. Not only for his work—possibly the most extensive and solid of all time of any Cuban composer—but also for the time he has devo …

    Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope

    Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope  LH 5

    The Terry Fox Marathon of Hope takes place in Havana and all across the country, starting at 9am. This has the greatest participation of any country in the world with up to 2.3 million people running, …

    Balletomania at the International Ballet Festival

    Balletomania at the International Ballet Festival  LH 5

    Blind but beady-eyed, beaky-nosed, old, imposing and profoundly glamorous, Alicia Alonso stands in a single spotlight at the front of the dress circle of the Gran Teatro de La Habana, bathed in waves …

    Marcha de las Antorchas: A tribute to José Martí

    Marcha de las Antorchas: A tribute to José Martí  LH 4

    The writings of one man have enlightened and inspired Cubans for over a century. This man is José Martí, and every year on January 27, students and workers gather together to celebrate his birth in th …

    Japanese Samurai in Havana for the week of the rising sun

    Japanese Samurai in Havana for the week of the rising sun  LH 4

    It is one of those juxtapositions that make you look twice, which challenges your preconception of where you are. Japanese samurai performing Aikido in Plaza de Armas, a crowd of Japanese looking peop …

    XV Festival Romerías de Mayo

    XV Festival Romerías de Mayo  LH 4

    Continuing a tradition that goes back to the Colonial period, in 1993 a group of young Cuban artists decided to revive these “romerias” (al fresco religious festivities) that announce the arrival of s …

    Mayo Teatral

    Mayo Teatral  LH 4

    The forerunner was the Festival of Latin American Theater sponsored by the Casa de las Americas in the early 1960s and by 1964 attaining international characteristics. By the end of the 60s it had sto …

    Havana’s 2014 International Book Fair

    Havana’s 2014 International Book Fair  LH 4

    Havana’s International Book Fair opened its doors in February with its usual flair to once again become that huge annual event celebrating the mythical power of books. Perched on the ramparts of the M …

    Plenty of Love despite the rain

    Plenty of Love despite the rain  LH 4

    6th International Love In Festival, 2013 The Sixth International Love In Festival had to contend with some vicious weather with tropical downpours more reminiscent of Bognor Regis than Havana. Nonethe …

    The Feria Internacional del Libro

    The Feria Internacional del Libro  LH 4

    The Havana Book Fair is one of the most popular fairs in Havana drawing tens of thousands of people within the walls of the La Cabana Fortress. Don’t be put off by what can at times seem like a mob sc …

    « 3 of 8 pages »