CULTURE SHOCK 401 Fest Goes On Virtually

In the face of arguably the most challenging year in his lifetime, self-described "Rapping Dad, Teacher and Entrepreneur" Chachi Carvalho was informed that his popular annual outdoor music festival CULTURE SHOCK 401 was canceled due to COVID. Instead, of letting it just stop there the 43-year-old Pawtucket native decided that if the people of his community could not come to his annual event, he would bring it to them.

That event, Culture Shock 401 will stream online for FREE starting December 21, 2020, on the event's website www.cultureshock401.com starting at 7:00 pm EST. The diverse roster of musical artists performing for the virtual event includes Storm Ford, Flawless, Joe Bruce, Brooxana, Roz Raskin, Shokanti, Temperamento, Kelce, and Jabubu.

Over the past six months, event organizer Carvalho enlisted the aid of Providence-based creative agency HAUS to help him create the video. The performers each filmed sessions in the COVID-safe HAUS studios so that the concert could be streamed online from the comfort - and safety - of everyone's homes. Sponsorship was provided by the Pawtucket Arts Festival, Citizens Bank, Beatbox Studio, Railroad Park Recording Company, Swurl, The Capeverdean American Community Development Agency, and Buckytown Productions

"During this time of pandemic, people are starved for connection," explains Carvalho, "Our goal was to share a little bit of hope, love, and connectedness by bringing the art, bringing the music to you. I want the world to experience the fruits of our collective ideas, our talents, and our love for the community."

The driving force behind Culture Shock for the past three years has always been Carvalho. Born and raised in Pawtucket, RI, he is a powerful advocate for the community's youth and in showcasing the area's diverse arts and culture, as well as his own strong Capeverdean heritage.

He explains that he created Culture Shock three years ago "to celebrate the many differences that make us one," going on to say, "Culture Shock brings together different cultures, different genres of music, different mediums of artistic expression, and puts them all on display to "shock" the globe with an explosion of music, art, excitement...and most of all love."

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