2017 MVA Thesis Projects 

Thee Commons: Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá is a short ethnographic film about Thee Commons, a self-described “psychedelic cumbia punk” band from East Los Angeles. The band was founded by Los Hermanos Pacheco, David and Rene, two first-generation, Mexican-American brothers who have partied and played music with each other since childhood. Their syncretic style is the consequence of an upbringing spent alternating between backyard quinceañeras and hardcore shows. It is a direct synthesis of their artistic experience as Angelenos: psychedelic tones that continue to resonate from the late sixties, cumbia rhythms that dominant Latin American dance parties, and a punk rock ethos that drives their community oriented “Do It Together” worth ethic. Thee Commons are consistently rated as one of the best live bands by local music press and 2017 is poised to be their biggest year yet: a new self-released album, headlining shows at home and across the border, and a featured set at this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Thee Commons: Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá explores the acculturative process that informs the band’s vibrant stylistic bricolage alongside the experience of being young, educated, and creative Latinos working towards independent success.

 

Running time: 31 minutes