Interlude + Little Joy

This is like an interlude post as we are forming our lists for the best albums of the year, if you have a last-minute recommendation please contact us, we are never confident enough on how much music territory we cover, so obviously many great albums escape from us. Just arriving from a great show by Little Joy, as you know, their album was my #3 favorite album of 2008 (outside the latin circuit), and it was a pleasure meeting them. Also, for the first time I met a very nice community of Brazilians that attended the concert, my brother and I almost shouted "sing O VENTO" but decided to behave ourselves. Their song "Evaporar" is truly wonderful, hopefully it becomes a single. Keep an eye open for Red Cortez, the energetic opening band that really impressed me. I'll leave a video for "The Next Time Around", which will for sure be on our list for the year's best songs. 

Cafe Tacvba in Phoenix Tonight!

See you tonight Tacubos!
Cafe Tacvba @ Celebrity Theatre, 8:00 PM

Maria Daniela y Su Sonido Lasser / Silverio Concert Review

THE BLACKOUT PARTY BY NUEVOS RICOS
María Daniela y Su Sonido Lasser / Silverio / Devon Disaster
August 30, 2008 (Phoenix, AZ)

Nuevos Ricos is a growing independent label based in Mexico City on support of the electronic scene and its derivatives (clash, glam, garage etc). They may not be delivering the level of quality releases from MUN or Tercer Piso but that doesn’t stop it from been the most exciting label of modern music made in the Aztec country. Understanding their project means setting the music industry into different disciplines: the visual goodies of their colorful and abstract websites, the exhilarating press releases, the music itself and their code for partying hard and loud. The Blackout Party is a 30-city tour from two of the label’s most popular acts: the unpredictable DJ who wants to be called “your majesty” Silverio, and the very girly but magnetic Maria Daniela y Su Sonido Lasser.

The event was scheduled at 8:00 P.M. at Tio Leo’s Cantina; nature sometimes is bitch and decided to give us a strong monsoon just a day before the party. Electricity was off and so it was decided a few hours before the show to change its location to an open place on downtown Phoenix. Because there was no official announcement (at least not on time) we ended up translating from the old place to the new one, almost looked like a caravan of fluorescent colors. Aside from the uncomfortable but inevitable voyage through the not very exciting phoenix night life, things looked promising as many lights waited for us. Also awaiting audience was Cidade dos Homens, the follow-up series to the Oscar nominated film Cidade de Deus directed by Fernando Mierelles projected on a two-story building next to the hosting party house. Presumably shown in there for visual pleasure, but meaningless until the music kicked off.

The improvised stage welcomed the opening act Devon Disaster, an exciting electro/club act from Germany. It is led by an attractive girl with strong attitude. The performance suffered from all the technical problems one can think of. At one point she even joked about them making honor to their name through this disaster. Nonetheless it proved to be in the right place with potential followers in blowing attendance. Next up was Silverio, a one of a kind character hard to resist. In my review of a couple of months I mentioned that his albums are incomplete offerings, he is a showman by all means and brings one of the most unprecedented “styles” of reaching the audience. I’ll just say that like his music, he lets it all hang out.

Silverio is releasing his latest EP titled Superacion Personal, which I initially found annoying but after getting that other half at his performance grew on me. Still, an inferior sophomore production that is just too safe for its own good. Those of us following Silverio knew what we were getting into; those people that were brought to the event by friends or just stopped by showed shocking reactions from their first encounter with Silverio. Anthem track “Yepa Yepa Yepa” was a stunner opener, followed by songs he dedicated to himself such as “El Idolo” and “Superacion Personal.”

Headliner Maria Daniela y Su Sonido Lasser reached the stage at very ‘late’ hours; people were waiting for that peculiar voice of hers and the talents of electric guru Emilio Ecevedo. Maria Daniela is simply charming, a petite body doing its thing at very high energy. The track “Pecadora normal” opened the act’s performance, while first single “Pobre Estupida” exploded the wild audience, which was followed by some of her best songs from her latest album Juventud en Extasis. Electro pop acts in Latin America seem to embrace Daniela Romo, a telenovela actress that made a quick career in music during the 80s but apparently left her influences in the most radical kitsch sound of Maria Daniela or the down tempo electrifying music of Javiera Mena. Maria Daniela does a fine job at making homage to the actress with a cover of “Mentiras.”

The finest moment of the night arrived with the performance of “Carita de Angel”, a cover included in the Rigo es Amor compilation, a collection of some of Rigo Tovar’s most popular songs on altered versions by Nortec, Plastilina Mosh, Cabas, Los Amigos Invisibles, Austin TV among other artists. As we were waiting for “Miedo”, the first and most popular hit by the duet the volume was shut down and the Phoenix Police interrupted the ‘healthy’ session of electropop in the dance halls. It appears that the event was taken as a loud party, but it’s understandable since the organizers probably didn’t have time to put everything in order, again nature sometimes is a bitch. The event was actually awesome considering the circumstances, and we had enough Maria Daniela y Su Sonido Lasser to reaffirm her status as the leading electropop act in the Mexican indie scene, which includes among others Sussie 4, Quiero Club, Faca and Electrica Miami.

Next concert in Phoenix
THE MARS VOLTA, October 1, 2008

Monte Negro Concert Review 08/12/2008

Monte Negro, Circo Rocktastico Tour 2008 @ Modified Arts, Phoenix-AZ.

We were extremely skeptical of the MTV Tr3s project a few years ago when it was announced; it has proved to be not as bad after all. An idea catapulted after the reggaeton phenomenon, so we expected a music channel with eyes shut down at the alternative scene. There is a long way to go, but at least we have a space that showcases Latin rock in the broadcast channel that is surprisingly available on regular broadcast television. MTV tr3s was one of this year’s most important supporters of the LAMC (Latin Alternative Music Conference) at least financially; too bad they cancelled their show INDIE 101 to cover it. Monte Negro is one of the new acts the channel has been extensively showcasing, along with The Dey and Pacha Massive. They all belong to an emerging generation of English-speaking artists getting their message through Spanish, English or Spanglish, with artists like JD Natasha and Alejandra Alberti also enjoying the attention. Monte Negro is currently the headliner of the Rockstatico Tour organized by MTV Tr3s in more than 30 cities of the U.S.

The Latin alternative scene in Phoenix is taking baby steps when it comes to solidifying a profitable audience. At least that’s what the 25 people number tells us, or it might just be that the concert last night had zero promotion in all media. The opener band was a notable discovery, the also L.A-based band Astra Heights. In fact, they were a tough act to follow and they were indeed the better band of the night. When a virtually unknown band steals the show from the band you went to see it means you’re pushed into a juxtaposing situation, where you wish to have the power to put an order on the concert lineup. They were followed by The May Fire, yet another interesting band that added to the overrated expectations we had for the leading band.

Montenegro kicked off their performance with the song “Me Duele No Estar Junto A Ti”, the song that made them popular early this year when they were featured on the –Descubre and Download- segment of MTV Tr3s. The music was accurately executed, but the vocals were quite hard to swallow. It appears that they have over tuned the vocals with synthesizers; the outcome can’t be less than disappointing. But as the concert went on with the next songs it turned into a much more enjoyable night because of the vocalist’s explosive visual performance. As usual with any new band they performed a cover, they chose “La Negra Tomasa” made popular by Jaguares. The most celebrated song of the night was indeed their new single “Give Me Love (No Llores)” which is currently playing everywhere as it is offered for free on MTV and iTunes. It was followed by new songs from their first LP album Cicatrix, which includes the closing and best track by the band, “Arde El Corazon.” There’s nothing else to do but to keep on eye on the promising band. Here is hoping someone gives them some guidance on the overall sound system and especially hope for the vocals to at least be shallow.

Next concert in Phoenix:
August 30, 2008
MARIA DANIELA Y SU SONIDO LASSER & SILVERIO
Tío Leo’s Cantina