This month, our Music in the Atrium series celebrates Planet Earth with live performances by Johnny Fireseed. A project of Framingham-based Fireseed Arts Studios, lead by artist and musician Patiño Vázquez in collaboration with local musicians and craftspeople, Johnny Fireseed uses instruments made entirely from upcycled trash and repurposed items to perform original music with an upbeat eco message. The band’s inspiring sound aims to spread a message of joy, fun and new ways of thinking about consumption and waste far and wide.

Vázquez will be showcasing instruments made from locally harvested trash and live looping to create ambient soundscapes. Come hear high-end electric guitars made from old kitchen countertops and drums fashioned from ventilation ducts and popcorn tins in an aesthetic that’s “part Victorian Steampunk with elements of mystic meditations in heart-opening layers of rhythms and harmonies.” Building loops and then improvising over the loops gives the listener a feel for the looks and sound characteristics of each instrument. Audience members are often invited to join in the fun!

Music in the Atrium is PEM’s live concert series that features local and visiting performers from a variety of musical traditions and styles. Concerts take place on select Sundays. Explore upcoming shows at pem.org/events.

About our collaborator

Patiño Vázquez is a first-generation American of Cuban descent, born to parents who emigrated from Cuba in the early 1960s after the revolution. Growing up in a chaotic environment, he found purpose through music, learning guitar and immersing himself in the Nueva Trova/Nueva Canción movement. In 2005, inspired by his musical upbringing, Vázquez formed Los Sugar Kings, a band that blends traditional Cuban rhythms with reggae, rock, R&B, funk, jazz and blues. Los Sugar Kings have released two double albums and won the award for Best Jazz Act at the New England Music Awards (NEMA). Vázquez is also the co-founder and President of Fireseed Arts Studio, which created the awards and sculptures for Amplify Latinx’s ALX100, recently on display at PEM. Fireseed serves as an event space and community hub, offering yoga, cacao ceremonies, concerts, art exhibitions, networking events, team-building sessions and social gatherings. Beyond his professional achievements, Vázquez is a proud father of two college-aged sons, Lucian and Mateo.