On July 27, ESL Music and Eric Hilton of Thievery Corporation bring us Babylon Central, a dramatic film written and directed by Hilton himself. Here’s the synopsis:

Sebastian James is a courier by day and aspiring DJ by night. When he forgets an important delivery, Seb finds himself an unwitting participant in an economic powerplay with a Saudi Prince and his attempt to change the currency for oil. As Seb begins to fall for the Prince’s daughter and his friends are dragged into the conflict, the powers that control modern-day Babylon – Washington, DC – are exposed, and the US Empire is called into question.

Accompanying the DVD release is a seventeen-song soundtrack to the film, featuring heavyweights like the Bad Brains, El Michels Affair, Dorothy Ashby, and Thievery Corporation. Get a taste here.

You can pick up your copy two days early at the Babylon Central release party on July 25 at the Eighteenth Street Lounge in Washington, D.C. Doors are at 8PM, and there’s no cover. DJ sets by Hilton, Ocote Soul Sounds, and John Bowen of Video Killers.

The Eighteenth Street Lounge is at 1212 18th Street, NW. Call ‘em at: (202) 466-3922.

The first twenty-five people in attendance receive free copies of Babylon Central and the latest issue of Wax Poetics!

RSVP to info@eslmusic.com to skip the line.

Here’s a trailer for the film:

And check out an interview with Hilton:

Grupo Fantasma, the ten-piece Latin orchestra best known for its blistering live sets and work with Prince, is back with its fifth album, the fiery El Existential. With horns blasting, guitars grooving, and special guests like the Meat Puppets’ Curt Kirkwood and Fania piano man Larry Harlow, El Existential is poised to top the massive success of GF’s last album, the Grammy-nominated Sonidos Gold.

El Existential is out now on Nat Geo Music. Pick it up here. Grab a free track here.

En route to some dates in Europe and Canada, GF will celebrate the album’s release at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City on July 20. Pick up tickets here.

Watch the band make El Existential below.

On July 22, make your way over to the Kava Lounge for Adrian Younge and the Black Dynamite Sound Orchestra! Only $10!

If you can’t make it to San Diego, experience the BDSO here, here, here, and here.

Or read about them in Wax Poetics Issue 38!

Come out to the Grandstar Jazz Club in L.A. on July 11th, beginning at 12pm, to partake in The Los Angeles Beat Swap Meet, a true gathering of minds.

There will be over 35 invited vendors and collectors, buying, selling & trading records from all over the world, and over 25 real DJ’s spinning 12’s and 45’s…some that are even for sale.

Throughout the day, we will have live performances by: Adrian Younge & the Black Dynamite Sound Orchestra (Wax Poetics Records), La Chamba, Balance and the Traveling Sounds, and ESQ & The Chikaramanga (Tres Records)

On Sunday, July 11th, DJs Bobbito Garcia, Laylo and Sake One reinvigorate the vibrant ’60s and ’70s Salsa sounds of NYC at their annual party Siempre! A DJ Tribute To Fania Records, at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City.

Taking inspiration from the label’s groundbreaking artists (Willie Colón, Hector Lavoe, and Celia Cruz to name a few), the ¡SIEMPRE! crew blend Latin music (bomba, boogalu, descarga, guaguanco, rumba, son montuno, etc.) for the modern dance floor, adding in elements of hip-hop, soul, jazz, house, and reggae, making the classic recordings more accessible to a younger audience while retaining its authentic flavor.

Doors open at 7pm, with a cover of $10 before 8pm, and $15 after.

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of Timeless, VTech and Mochilla have come together once again for an amazing once-in-a-lifetime event.

On Friday, June 18th, live onstage at the historic Los Angeles Theatre Center, we will present Arthur Verocai LIVE all the way from Rio de Janeiro with an all-star twelve-piece band. And…it’s FREE!  All you have to do is go to Mochilla.com and follow the instructions. The sign-up page will go live on Thursday night (the 10th) at midnight and will come down on Friday night at the same time.  There are only 200 pairs of tickets available, so we’re holding lottery drawings. So sign up with a valid email address (one per person), and you could be one of the lucky 200. There will be a very special after-party (with amazing surprise guests), but more on that later.

VTech and Mochilla will be screening the Timeless: Arthur Verocai concert DVD on the 16th and 17th of June at the Independent Downtown Theater, with Arthur Verocai making a special Q&A session appearance!

Lee Fields and the Expressions and the Black Dynamite Orchestra heat up Southpaw on June 18! You can’t miss with this one, folks. Get advance tickets here.

In celebration of Wax Poetics’ Hip-Hop Issue (#41) and Latin Freestyle,

Kenny Herzog, Wax Poetics, & Remezcla Present:

Noel the Freestyle icon (“Silent Morning,” “Like a Child”) will perform at Brooklyn’s Glasslands with special guest Chico Mann (Antibalas), followed by DJ sets from the Original Whiteboy KYS, R. Kenny, Tha Pumpsta, and Stay High.

Friday May 21st 2010
Glasslands
289 Kent Ave. (Btw S. 1st & S. 2nd)
Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY
$8, tickets at door only
Doors at 11 p.m.

Wax Poetics presents Adrian Younge and the Black Dynamite Sound Orchestra. The group will be performing the composer’s score from Black Dynamite.
5/15 (LA): Funky Sole @ The Echo
5/19 (SF): @ 330 Ritch
5/20 (SF): Afrolicious @ Elbo Room
5/28 (LA): Converse presents “Tux and Chucks” @ The Echoplex
6/18 (BK): With Lee Fields & the Expressions @ Southpaw
6/19 (MANHATTAN): @ Ars Nova Theater

MAY 15th LOS ANGELES
The Echo, 1822 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA

Adrian Younge & the Black Dynamite Sound Orchestra
with resident Funk DJs Miles (Breakestra) and Clifton aka Soft Touch
No Cover.
Doors: 9PM Showtime: 11PM

MAY 19th SAN FRANCISCO
330 Ritch, 360 Ritch St., San Francisco, CA

The Burn It Down Sound and 330 Ritch present
Adrian Younge and The Black Dynamite Sound Orchestra
with The Park, Bottom Hammer, and DJ Shred One (Sweater Funk RRS Feed). Hosted by Sonny Phono
Arrive Early and have dinner at Little Skillet!
$12 Pre-sale $15 Door.
Early arrival suggested, semi-formal attire encouraged.
Buy tickets

MAY 20th SAN FRANCISCO

Elbo Room, 647 Valencia, San Francisco, CA

Pleasuremaker & Señor Oz present Afrolicious
Adrian Younge and The Black Dynamite Sound Orchestra
$7 pre-sale $10 door.
Doors: 9PM Showtime: 11PM
Buy tickets

MAY 28th LOS ANGELES
The Echoplex, 1154 S Glendale Ave, Los Angeles, CA

Converse presents “Tux and Chucks” a prom themed party.
Adrian Younge and The Black Dynamite Sound Orchestra
with Peanut Butter Wolf and Bobby Evans
Free with RSVP. Open Bar all night.
9PM – 2AM

JUNE 18th BROOKLYN
Southpaw ,125 Fifth Ave, Brooklyn NY

Adrian Younge and The Black Dynamite Sound Orchestra
with Lee Fields & the Expressions
$15
Buy tickets

JUNE 19th MANHATTAN (2 shows)
Ars Nova Theatre, 511 West 54th St., New York, NY

Adrian Younge and The Black Dynamite Sound Orchestra
$20
Showtimes: 7PM & 10PM
Buy tickets