The Virginia Folklife Program at Virginia Foundation for the Humanities (VFH) announces the summer tour of Argentinian bluegrass band, Che Apalache. The band will perform across North Carolina and Southwest Virginia, in communities including Galax, Floyd, and Abingdon. The tour runs from Thursday, July 20 to Sunday, August 20; see full tour dates and sample media links below.
The Che Apalache tour offers a unique opportunity for the social and cultural integration of the fast-growing Latino community in Galax and surrounding counties. Mexicans and other Latinos are one of the largest and fastest-growing immigrant communities in Southwest Virginia. The tour will provide cultural exchange opportunities for the Argentinian musicians with both Appalachian musicians and Latino communities in Virginia.
Notable tour spots include the Old Galax Fiddler’s Convention, the Fries Fiddler’s Convention, Heartwood, and Floydfest. The band will also perform at several schools in Galax and Grayson County, coordinated by the Chestnut Creek School for the Arts.
About Che Apalache
Che Apalache was formed in Buenos Aires by North Carolina-native Joe Troop, who has lived in Argentina teaching music for the past 10 years. Troop, who plays fiddle and sings lead, came into contact with local multi-instrumentalists and singers through his teaching. Other band members include: Pau André Barjau Mateu from Tepoztlan, Mexico, who plays banjo and sings bass; Martin Bobrik from Buenos Aires, who plays mandolin and sings tenor; and Franco Martino, also from Buenos Aires, who plays guitar and sings baritone.
Che Apalache carries a clear Argentinian root in the word che, which in Argentina, is used in casual conversation as a term of endearment toward a friend or loved one. The word’s meaning is equivalent to the American English terms “brother,” “sis,” or “homie.” Apalache means Appalachian, thus the band’s name can be roughly translated into “my Appalachian homeboy.” Che Apalache symbolizes the band’s hope of achieving unity in the Americas from North to South.
Tour Dates and Locations
- Thursday 7/20 – 1:30pm – El Buen Pastor (discussion & presentation) – Winston-Salem, NC
- Thursday 7/20 – 5:00pm – Scuppernong Books (discussion & presentation) – Greensboro, NC
- Friday 7/21 – 10:00am – The State of Things (WUNC radio interview with Frank Stasio) – Durham, NC
- Friday 7/21 – 7:30pm – Triad Stage – Greensboro, NC
- Saturday 7/22 – 5:00pm – Fernandez home (house concert) – Durham, NC
- Sunday 7/23 – 6:45pm – Rooster’s Wife – Aberdeen, NC
- Wednesday 7/26 – 7:00pm – Ted’s Fun on the River – Wilmington, NC
- Thursday 7/27 – 7:00pm – Vimala’s Curryblossom Café- Chapel Hill, NC
- Friday 2/28 – 7:00pm – The Bullpen – Durham, NC
- Saturday 7/29 – 7:00pm – The Blue Ridge Center – Galax, VA
- Sunday 7/30 – 10:15-11:00am (VIP Stage), 3:15-4:15pm (Healing Arts), 6:15-7:00pm (Workshop Porch), Floydfest – Floyd, VA
- Monday 7/31 – Saturday 8/5 – The Appalachian String Band Festival – Clifftop, WV
- Sunday 8/6 – Sunday 8/13 – The Old Galax Fiddler’s Convention – Galax, VA
- Wednesday 8/9 – 1:00pm – Chestnut Creek School for the Arts (discussion and presentation) – Galax, VA
- Thursday 8/10 – 6:30pm – Heartwood – Abingdon, VA
- Tuesday 8/15 – 6:00pm – The Bywater – Asheville, NC
- Thursday 8/17 – Friday 8/18 – School visits in Galax and Grayson Co, VA
- Friday 8/18 – Sunday 8/20 – Fries Fiddler’s Convention – Fries, VA
- Sunday 8/20 – 2:00pm – Muddy Creek Music Hall – Winston-Salem, NC; 6:00pm – El Buen Pastor – Winston-Salem, NC
Media
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