It’s time to turn up the heat on the dinosaur dance floor again this week as Grupo Batacha brings the Cuban flavor to the Museum.

We talked to lead singer Oscar Larranaga from Grupo Batacha as he and his band prepare for one of the best salsa nights Mixers has seen yet!

What is the one thing that helps you bring energy to your performances?

If I had to pinpoint one thing it would be percussion: the Latin percussion. It always brings a lot of intensity.

What brought Grupo Batacha together?

That was ’97. We wanted to develop a Cuban flavored live band without any sequence music.

How do you prepare to play at Mixers?

We prepare 2 weeks before. We know there are a lot of people that follow us over to the museum. In the past we’ve has twelve to thirteen hundred people follow us over there. Before we start, we always talk about our performance and get pumped.

What was your first impression of the crowd at Mixers?

The people that come over there come to have a good time. They come to enjoy the music. It is a place to see and be seen. It is important for us to convey our message to the public. We are there to have fun and to see them. We are really pumped. It’s a good gig for the regular musician. It gives you an opportunity to play at a venue that is not so regular. Playing under the dinosaurs, now that’s something special!

There are only a few Mixers left this year! Don’t miss this sizzling night starting at 6 p.m. in the Volkswagen Lounge and the energy-filled performance following at 7 p.m.