Black Box Blackout hits Orlando with 'You're Invited to the Barbecue' music fest this weekend

Black History Month is about to kick off and, with it, a procession of cultural happenings. Of them all, however, there’s something especially promising and organic about this weekend’s Orlando debut of aspiring arts organizer Black Box Blackout.
While events like the City of Orlando’s annual MLK Concert (7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2, Steinmetz Hall, free) are valuable and necessary, their pulse usually has an official tenor. Black Box Blackout’s event, on the other hand, will have a decidedly next-gen heartbeat.

Founded by distinguished jazz singer Kristen Warren, Black Box Blackout is a young, community-minded organization dedicated to championing Black artists. Since its 2022 inception, the Melbourne-based movement has been showcasing and celebrating Black excellence through a series of events featuring a spectrum of arts including music, spoken word, theater and visual art, among others. Now, Warren is bringing the BBB energy to Orlando.

While BBB and its founder are headquartered in Brevard County, Warren has been a known figure in the Orlando scene for years, often performing alongside some of the city’s smartest hip-hop voices and jazz players. As such, she says Orlando was the most natural next step for BBB’s outreach.

On Saturday at Boom Squad Academy in SoDo, BBB debuts here with the You’re Invited to the Barbecue soul music festival, a full-day event of live expression including music, spoken word, murals and more. The musical lineup alone attests to BBB’s youthful edge and features some impressive native artists whom I’ve covered here before, like bright alt-soul singer MoZaic, gifted rapper AMiAM and the graceful Warren herself. Rounding out the roster will be Jessica Delacruz, Sharp., Raspberry Pie, Nico Sweet, Brandon Vee, Tomas Lopez Trio, Creek, Hazel Poet, Jamalia Scott, Coach Boom, Melanated Man, Bran Le Artist and Brian Hancock.

In addition to the performances, this family-friendly affair will also offer festivities like soul food and bounce houses. More than just fun, Black Box Blackout’s Orlando premiere is the next level-up by an ambitious arts group that’s pushing to be on the vanguard of a new generation of Black voices.

Unlike the top-down feel of institutional Black History Month functions, BBB’s spirit springs from the grassroots of youth with an outlook that’s vital and forward. While other celebrations may spotlight the past, BBB is more about the present and the future. As the name “You’re Invited to the Barbecue” implies, their inaugural Orlando event promises to be an affair that’s both Black and inclusive. (Noon-8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, 3610 S. Orange Ave., $15-$20)


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