The Puerto Rican group El Laberinto del Coco announced on Friday, November 13 that it will play the Puerto Rican genre of bomba for the first time in Australia and New Zealand in March 2027, at two festivals, fusing the traditional music with rhythms including jazz, rock and hip hop. Héctor Barez, known as Coco and the band’s leader, told EFE the 14-member group will perform at WOMADelaide in Australia from March 5 to 8 and at WOMAD Aotearoa in New Zealand from March 12 to 14.
Coco, a former percussionist for Calle 13, said the group also collaborated on the latest album by artist Rainao, "Marcriá." He described bomba as living one of its most important moments, citing schools and workshops teaching it, new groups and musicians, and people of different generations drawing closer to it. Bomba was long banned in public spaces, was kept alive in private family gatherings such as those of the Cepeda and Ayala families, and has recently resonated at massive Rauw Alejandro concerts and Bad Bunny’s 31-concert residency in Puerto Rico.
El Laberinto del Coco, which released its first album in 2017 with 13 tracks including "Llegale," "El Dilema" and "Plere María," was also a pioneer in presenting bomba on the Tiny Desk platform in 2024.