Día de Muertos, celebrated in Mexico on Nov. 2, is one of the country’s most important cultural traditions. It honors the lives of loved ones who have passed away. With calaveras, music and plenty of joy, the country fills with orange and purple as families set up altars with photos, favorite foods and Mexican marigold flowers — welcoming the departed back, if only for one night, to enjoy the things they loved in life.
The Festival Ánimas Que Sí Amanezca was born from that tradition. Created by regional Mexican singer Alfredo Olivas, the festival carries special meaning for the artist: In 2015, he survived an onstage shooting that left him with multiple bullet wounds.
Life gave Olivas another chance — not only to live, but to become one of the genre’s biggest stars. This weekend, he honored the souls of the departed with a celebration at the Explanada del Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico. The grounds featured candlelit altars, giant Catrina figures and phone stations where festivalgoers could pretend to call loved ones who are no longer here.
The festivities began Sunday afternoon (Nov. 1) and carried on into the early hours of Monday (Nov. 2). Fans heard cumbia from Los Ángeles Azules, norteño from rising artist Moy Bobadilla, technobanda from Mi Banda El Mexicano and, of course, música de banda sinaloense and norteño banda from three of the genre’s biggest stars: Olivas, Edén Muñoz and Julión Álvarez.
Here are some of our favorite performances from the first edition of Ánimas Que Sí Amanezca.
