The 10-piece Latin funk band, which was featured as Pollstar’s Hotstar last August, kicks off the fun at Josabi’s in Helotes, Texas, July 3 with dates through an Aug. 1 show at Hi-Tone Café in Memphis, Tenn.

Additional tour stops include Empty Bottle in Chicago (July 17), Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland (July 19), Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (July 22), Williamsburg Waterfront in Brooklyn, N.Y. (July 26) and Grey Eagle in Asheville, N.C. (July 30).

Grupo Fantasma has plans to head for Europe in August. European festival dates will soon be announced.

The band, which was invited to open for Prince in 2007 as well as back the Purple One for a number of select gigs, will be showing off tunes from its latest release, the Grammy-nominated Sonidos Gold.

“Just like Prince’s seal of approval, the Grammy nomination sends a message that the band’s music and performances are of the highest quality, and that we can conquer anything we put our minds to,” said Jose Galeano, who handles vocals and timbales in the band. “It is quite an accomplishment. Finally the masses will know that we kick some serious ass!”

Click here for the Grupo Fantasma’s Web site.

Click here for the band’s MySpace page.

Click here to read the band’s Pollstar cover story.