Artists creates weekend of soul, R&B psychedelic
By Khalil Reed, November 3, 2026
Crowds sang in English, Spanish and Portuguese at The Haven in downtown Pomona during Moon Block Party’s 15th anniversary, a three-night event presented by Desert Daze from Oct. 23-25.
Concerts, featuring three bands per venue, took place at The Haven and The Glasshouse.
At The Haven, Thee Heart Tones and The Silvertone played Friday, Levitation Room and Bardo Martinez, lead singer of former band Chicano Batman, played Saturday and Rogê and Tropa Mágica closed Sunday. The Haven called it the biggest weekend so far in its promotional Instagram post.
“The energy, the love was there from everyone, and I feel like it really brings the whole community together to see this type of music,” said Jazmine Alvarado, lead singer of Thee Heart Tones.
Friday’s show began after the rain stopped, and a short line formed outside the venue. Shortly after the doors opened, about 20 to 30 people, a mix of older and younger concertgoers, stood near the stage as 1980s rock played over the speakers before the first band.
The Silvertone opened with soul rock, sultry vocals and a saxophone, performing to a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd dressed in flannel, denim, black clothing and utility boots.
Alfredo Fratti, lead vocalist and writer of The Silvertone also incorporated upbeat songs driven by drums and bass, to voice concern with his song, “You Wonder Why We Say A.C.A.B.”
The band closed its set by leading a “F— ICE” chant against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which the crowd joined.
Thee Heart Tones took to the stage with soul rock and R&B, mixing songs from their previous album with new singles and unreleased tracks, some performed in Spanish. Alvarado also announced the band had just finished recording its second album with Big Crown, an independent record label.
It was Thee Heart Tones’ first time playing at The Haven, according to Alvarado.
“The crowd today is super chill,” said Mark Huerta, who sells merchandise for Thee Heart Tones. “Very nostalgic, I would say.”
Huerta said many older fans were drawn to the show by the music genre that shaped their childhoods.
“I came here not to check out the songs, but to actually see them in person,” said attendee Nelson Rocha, who had been following the band on Spotify for a while. “I have to see the music in person. It’s real, it’s electric.”
The crowd roared and sang along to the chorus of “Forever and Ever,” the band’s most popular song, with more than 4 million streams on Spotify as of Nov. 2. After the band’s last song, the audience begged for more, and the group returned for an encore.
“It’s just more than music,” Alvarado said. “You connect with different people. You meet new people.”
Alvarado said they have found welcoming people, like the Silvertone band members, who have turned into long-term friends.
Alvarado said her mother listened to Smokey Robinson, Brenton Wood and 1990s R&B. She sang Etta James’ “I’d Rather Go Blind” for the encore, her favorite song to sing, and the crowd exuberantly cheered as the band performed.
“I think it’s interesting to see that people actually know our music,” Alvarado said. “It’s also very shocking. It’s a very bittersweet kind of feeling.”
Rogê opened Sunday night with a blend of Afrobeat and Brazilian samba, with vocalist and guitarist Roger Curry singing in Portuguese as the crowd slowly grew.
During the set, Curry shouted out his young son, who had been picking up the percussion instruments from the floor and handing them to the drummer. Near the end of the show, he invited the boy onstage to play shakers while the crowd cheered and danced.
“I like that they play a variety of music here,” said Alysa Cua, who came Sunday to see Tropa Mágica. “For the most part, I’ve had a positive experience here.”
Rene Pacheco, drummer for Tropa Mágica, joined the crowd during one of the bands songs, banging on a cowbell and dancing. David and Rene Pacheco are brothers and formed the band in 2018. They were inspired by the songs and vibes of 1990s East Los Angeles backyard quinceañeras, baptisms, family gatherings and punk shows, according to their website.
Tropa Mágica closed the weekend with high-energy psychedelic funk as colorful lights in different shapes and patterns moved across the venue walls. Bassist Christian Vasquez wore a pin that read “F— ICE.”
“I want to support artists who are willing to speak out on important issues,” Cua said. “ICE had a significant impact on our local community.”
The band announced a new album set to release in November and performed it in full, both sides of the vinyl. Lead guitarist and vocalist David Pacheco showed the audience a new music video for “Si Te Dicen,” midway through the set. The band also chanted to the crowd occasionally to make chihuahua sounds between songs.
Near the end of the set, a fan gave Vasquez a joint. Vasquez asked the audience for a lighter, and fans eventually passed the joint around. Soon, more fans were lighting up their own joints, and smoke filled the room.
The band also asked fans to line up in the middle of the dance floor, forming a line that turned into a dance circle. They closed with a song, that encouraged a mosh to form while the audience danced and cheered.
