Culture Clash American Payasos: End Times Cabaret

Founded in 1984, Culture Clash has graced the Grand Performances stage several times over the decades, using comedic sketches and other forms of storytelling to center Chicano culture. The trio returns to Cal Plaza to deliver a night of engaging comedy and timely political and social satire. This night will include performances from É. Arenas, La Nueva Ola de Cumbia, and Dj Dali.

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Culture Clash is a performance troupe composed of writer-comedians Richard Montoya, Ric Salinas, and Herbert Siguenza. Their work is satirical.

Culture Clash was founded at the Galería de la Raza in San Francisco's Mission District by the writers José Antonio Burciaga, Marga Gómez, Monica Palacios, Richard Montoya, Ric Salinas, and Herbert Siguenza. Their works range from comedic sketches to full-length plays and screenplays, all of which feature political satire and social satire. The troupe's members have appeared separately and together in several films and received numerous awards, commissions, and grants. They filmed thirty episodes of a sketch comedy television series, also called Culture Clash.

Eduardo Arenas was born and raised in Boyle Heights (Los Angeles, CA). He is a founding member and bassist/guitarist/vocalist of Chicano Batman. For the last 10 years, he has dedicated himself to É Arenas, where he is pioneering the resurgence of the 90’s cumbia-quebradita with the release of several dance bangers, including La Fila de Tommys, Takis and Mar Iguana. His full band, É Arenas & Las Iguanas del Mar, puts on a Frank Zappa meets Mi Banda El Mexicano-esque electrifying live performance filled with mosh pits and crowd surfing.

From Latin America to the world, La Nueva Ola de Cumbia reinvents the biggest hits of the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s with their unmistakable “cumbialized” style, blending rhythm, high energy, and humor into a vibrant show that connects with audiences of all ages. Formed by musicians from Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Nicaragua, and “Outer Space,” the band is quickly becoming one of the most innovative forces in today’s Latin music scene.

After signing with Universal Music Mexico in 2024, they’ve continued to rise in 2025 with TV appearances in Mexico and the U.S., featured moments on La Casa de los Famosos México, major event closings during Latin Grammy Week, and sold-out performances like their show at the Mayan Theatre. Releases such as Viernes de Peligro, Cumbiando, and Mujeriego have made a strong impact on audiences and Billboard rankings, which described them as “an innovative proposal, a musical madness.”

Founder of Contra-ICE

With 32 years behind turntables spinning exclusively vinyl, DJ Dali creates sets as sonic storytelling journeys across genres — bridging house, techno, dub, hip-hop, jungle, classical, experimental sound, and sampling into immersive experiences that transcend borders, space, and time to bring people together.

A connector of people and visionary rooted in a Love Over Fear ethos — the belief that music and art create vibrational connection through shared experience, emotional resonance, and movement beyond language. Through her work as the creative visionary behind CONTRA-ICE and every DJ set she plays, DJ Dali’s intention remains the same: to elevate the collective vibration higher through love, never fear.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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