From the Streets to the Stage

This article examines two professional brass bands from Central Chile, La Bandalismo from Valparaíso and Banda Conmoción from Santiago, which have built successful careers in the contemporary music scene by merging infectious dance rhythms and diverse musical styles with a strong commitment to activism. The study investigates how these bands’ artistic paths and public roles demonstrate a balance between entertaining audiences and engaging with social causes, positioning activism as a key, yet not exclusive, aspect of their identity within Chilean popular music. Drawing on fieldwork and semi- structured interviews with band members, I argue that their success has played a crucial role in reshaping the image of brass bands, transforming them from symbols of tradition to vehicles of resistance in social movements. In the post- dictatorship Chilean context, these bands’ popularity stems not only from their innovative music but also from their active involvement in social movements, which anchors their artistic projects

Aesthetics · Art · Dance · Dictatorship · Electronic dance music · Media studies · Musical · Political science · Politics · Popular music · Popularity · Social movement · Sociology · Violin musical styles · Visual arts · History · Law · Music History and Culture · Political and Social Dynamics in Chile and Latin America