Asian/Pacific American Heritage Festival

At this year’s Asian/Pacific American Heritage Festival, you can experience the meeting of East and West. One of the biggest draws this year will be Pakistani rock group Junoon, which blends traditional Sufi, or Islamic mystic music, with rock. Junoon, which is wildly successful both in Pakistan and abroad, has been compared to Led Zeppelin and Santana. While steeped in rock, singer Salman Ahmad doesn’t forget his heritage, mixing traditional drums and tunes in with guitar riffs. Ahmad, who is also a doctor, a UN Goodwill Ambassador and a spokesman for peace, spent his childhood split between Lahore, Pakistan, and New York, so he came to the mixing of sounds and styles naturally.

Other live acts on today’s bill include Filipino crooner Lirio Vital and Austria-raised Bao Han, a tiny Vietnamese female vocalist playing synthesizer-heavy pop music. Show up early for the food, cultural performances and arts and crafts, and stay through the evening for the musical acts. The festival starts at 3:30 p.m.; music at 7 p.m. Miller Outdoor Theatre, 100 Concert Drive. For information, call 713-784-1112 or visit www.apaha.org. Free.
Sat., May 3, 3:30 p.m., 2008