Puerto Rican band to kick off European tour in June

Havana: The Puerto Rican band Calle 13 will kick off a European tour June 15, group co-leader Eduardo Cabra said in Havana.

Cabra, known as "Visitante", said in remarks published over the weekend by Cuba`s official Prensa Latina news agency that the band`s itinerary of 18 scheduled concerts is "very ambitious" and will represent a phase consisting of "a lot of work". The tour will last until July 24 and is designed to promote Calle 13`s latest album entitled "Entren los que quieran", which includes 20 songs. Before traveling to Europe, the group is scheduled to finish up its shows in the US that it began this month in Washington and will conclude May 29 in Las Vegas. Cabra and step-brother Rene Perez, a.k.a. "Residente", are the core of Calle 13, an alternative hip hop outfit that has won 10 Latin Grammys. Visitante returned to Havana, where his wife - Cuban singer Diana Fuentes - lives and with whom he is involved in recording an album. Calle 13 first performed in Cuba last year at a huge concert in Havana and, according to Visitante, they are planning a repeat performance in December during the International Festival of New Latin American Film. IANS