(8/15) Hipspanic goodness with ZZK at Beauty Bar

All you Latino hipsters and cumbia lovers should be pretty excited about this one. The Argentinian DJ collective known as ZZK will be making a tour stop in Austin this Sunday, August 15, at Beauty Bar. Dance music lovers, Latin music lovers and anyone looking for something cool and different will love these dudes. They mash cumbias and electronic dance music with traditional South American sounds we can all get down to. I first heard about them last year when they had an album on Nacional Records. Going on their own now, these DJs keep on truckin' and are making rare stateside appearances in different cities as we speak.

Arrive at 8:00pm and be ready to party all night. Dress for photos, as all the hipster photographers and photo bloggers will be out in full force. Admission is $7 but you can get in for $5 if you RSVP here. Local support comes from the Latin DJ team, Peligrosa All-Stars.  I mean really, what else are you going to do that's cooler than this on a Sunday night? You better call in Monday or tell your boss you're coming in late.

(6/5) Este Vato CD Release show at Mi Casa

Just because "Latin Music Month" is over, that doesn't mean the party stops. It begins again this weekend with Este Vato's CD release show at Mi Casa Cantina on 6th street. It is a very well put together showcase that includes some of San Antonio's best acts, Mexican Step Grandfather and Pinata Protest. It is sure to be packed inside the Mexican Cantina style bar tomorrow night. Also, Este Vato's debut CD is pretty damn good. My only qualm was that it was only seven songs. Make sure to stop by and pick it up. The show is free unless you're 18-20, then it's only five dollars. Check out this clip of Este Vato last year at Red 7 we captured for Austin Vida. Be ready to get your cumbia on!



Be sure and check out my review of Este Vato's debut CD here on Austin Vida:

Album Review: Este Vato (self titled)

Win Free Tickets to see Grupo Fantasma at Antone's

Austin's biggest and baddest Latin band is releasing their newest album next week, El Existential. To celebrate the release Grupo Fantasma is having not one, but two CD release shows this weekend at Antone's. Austin Vida is giving away tickets to both shows.Visit the Austin Vida blog link below to find out how:

http://tinyurl.com/wingrupotickets

New Year's Eve Pick: Peligrosa, Brownout & Grupo Fantasma at Mohawk

Why on earth would anyone be anywhere else other than Mohawk on New Year's Eve in Austin? This show is soooo good that it is worth the drive up from San Antonio, Houston or anywhere else in Texas for that matter. Latinos stand up! This is your party. Of course everyone is invited, everyone with rhythm or soul that is. Three Austin heavy hitters fill the bill with funk, beats and cumbia rhythms that will keep you dancing all night long.

I am not normally big on New Year's Eve, only because the show's are too expensive for the quality of acts booked. Also, I am not big on photo booth parties. I like good live music and variety. I also love Mohawk. I'm not afraid to say it is my favorite venue, when we are talking about the outdoor stage. On a nice night, there's nothing better.

As far as the acts for the show, you should already be familiar with Brownout and Grupo Fantasma, as they share members and are Austin staples. You've seen them on M.E. and on blogs for years now. If you aren't getting down with either by now, it is time to reconsider what you are doing with your life. Here's a couple of quick videos for you to check out. If you want tickets, which I suggest buying in advance as this will sell out, there's a link for that also.

Grupo Fantasma:



http://www.grupofantasma.com/

Brownout:



http://brownoutmusic.com/#/NEWS

DJ Orion of Peligrosa All-Stars



http://www.peligrosablog.com/

The Mohawk is located at 912 Red River, at the corner of 10th in downtown Austin. For tickets, click here.  Feliz Año Nuevo, chorizo con huevo.

New single from Maneja Beto

One of my favorite bands of all time, Austin's own Maneja Beto, just put out their latest single. Titled "Ofrendas", the Maneja guys get funky on this one. It showcases the band's diversity and ability to play pretty much any genre they wish. Most who are familiar with Maneja Beto know them for their indie meets cumbia hybird that has come to be known as "Indie en Espanol". I'll post more from Maneja Beto later on this month, but for now be sure to pick up the single and support local, creative talent. Check it out!



For more on Maneja Beto,visit the following links:

Official Maneja Beto website

Video Interview on Austin Vida

Tuesday Night Show Pick: Charanga Cakewalk (again!)

It's a Tuesday in September, which means you need to get to Momo's around eight o'clock to catch Austin's own, Charanga Cakewalk. Headed by musical genius, Michael Ramos, Charanga Cakewalk is a Latin Fusion band that can play just about anything from Latin jazz, cumbia, norteno, salsa, you name it. Momo's is a great little spot right above Katz's Deli on 618 West 6th Street. Other performers tonight include Federico 7 and The Hashashins at at 10pm and The Reddies at 11pm. It is World Music Night sponsored by KUT and it's only $7 to get in. This show is worthy of a Saturday, so take advantage while there are still some Tuesdays left in September. Bring your dancing shoes as you won't be disappointed.

For more on Charanga Cakewalk visit their Myspace page online at www.myspace.com/charangacakewalk

Need to know more about Momo's? Visit Momo's online at www.momosclub.com

Maneja Beto: More Than Just My Friday Concert Pick

I really don't even know where to begin when it comes to talking about one of my favorite bands ever, Maneja Beto. They aren't an internationally signed, although they should be. They are from right here in Austin, although that wasn't my first guess when I saw them for the first time at ACL Fest in 2005. They don't sound like anyone else, known or local. That's what I love about them. They truly are an original in every sense of the word. I feel at times, they might even be ahead of their time. They sound so far evolved from most Latin radio music out today. It is as if they took the best from traditional Latin music, indie, jazz, electronica and rock and created a completely new genre.

Every time I'd have people listen to their music or bring them to one of their shows, they gained a new fan. It didn't matter of it was one of my hipster classmates from St. Ed's or my mother even. They were all impressed. From 2005 to about summer 2008, they were always around. Their normal spots were Club DeVille, Mohawk, etc. I always took them for granted and didn't realize it until they went on a small break, or what I refer to as their "hiatus" last year. It was weird not seeing them around.

Well this year they made their return at Austin' s best new festival, Pachanga Fest at Fiesta Gardens in May. Everything suddenly felt normal again, only this time I wanted to make a point to use my editorial power to do everything I could to help them succeed. I want so badly for them to "make it" and never take another break. I know that sounds rather "fanboy" of me, but so be it. I'd never say that on anything but my blog, but it's all true. They're such talented dudes and their members play in other great bands around town, including Mitote, The Escondido Project, Mice and Rifles and Pack Of Wolves.



I want you all to get to know them and hear them live. I want you all to buy or download their albums. First and foremost, I want you all to go check them out live tonight as they play at The Mohawk with a DJ Chorizo Funk, Black Cock, and a great band from San Antonio, Bombasta. Doors open at nine. Get there early. You'll love Mohawk if you haven't been before.

Oh yeah...I almost forgot. We (Austin Vida) just launched and uploaded a new video interview with all the guys from Maneja Beto which you can now view on the home page. You get the story behind the name, the reason for their "hiatus", and get to hear from them how they craft their sound. Before you view that, check out this live clip we shot at Stubb's this summer.




For more on Maneja Beto, check out the following links:

Maneja Beto Myspace

Maneja Beto on Double Stereo

Maneja Beto Website

Check out the Maneja Beto video interview on Austin Vida:

www.austinvida.com

New Music Video from Los Bad Apples

"El Ritmo Me Manda" is the new music video from Austin's own Los bad Apples. The video features footage from when Los Bad Apples were overseas entertaining our troops. That alone warms my heart. My boys from Subrosa Union did the same recently. This video is also something of meaning to me as it was edited by my good friend and Austin Vida's Managing Editor, Ajay Miranda.

For those who have seen Los Bad Apples live, you are probably familiar with the song "El Ritmo Me Manda" already. For those who haven't hear of Los Bad Apples yet, do give the video a watch. If you like what you hear, I have posted some links for you to check out below the video. Their next show is at Lambert's here in Austin on September 4th. Show your love for talented Austin bands and check out the show. Lambert's is a good spot and worth checking out.

Los Bad Apples: "El Ritmo Me Manda" [music video] from Nite Owl Media on Vimeo.

For more on Los Bad Apples, check out the following links:

Los Bad Apples Website

Los bad Apples on Myspace

Cumbia Rock with Kanko

Last Friday night I headed downtown to The Parrish on 6^th to check out a band I first heard about at SXSW. During SXSW I worked a Batanga.com radio showcase over at Habana. Batanga featured a lot of good artists that day, but one band that caught my eye was local Latin Alternative act “Kanko”.

To be honest, I was running around doing miscellaneous errands and production assistant type stuff while Kanko was on. What I did hear from them that day sounded good to me, so I figured since they are Austin based I’d get a chance to seem them later on.

Later on brings us to the end of May. I saw Kanko on the bill for Pachanga Fest. I missed Pachanga, therefore missing Kanko again along with the other bands that played. I’m not too disappointed because I knew I would catch them again some day. That some day finally came Friday night at The Parrish.

Kanko started their set around 11 pm, a good time slot for them. They immediately got started with some music that had all the hot white girls dancing. Enough said there right? Kanko’s music is a good blend of rock and Mexican cumbia....with hints of punk. I call their music “cumbia rock”.

The only other band in town I’ve seen in my made up “cumbia rock” genre is Maneja Beto. Maneja is more of the indie rock persuasion where Kanko’s music is harder and faster cumbia rock. Despite the harder and faster sound, it is still very danceable.

Lead singer Brian Ramos is a very active musician on the scene. I’ve noticed that along with being the lead singer of Kanko, he also plays in another Latin Alternative band called El Sancho. El Sancho played in a Myspace Latino showcase recently there at the Parrish. Ramos also got together with Charanga Cakewalk to create a theme song for Rock y Roll Radio, an internet radio show hosted by Paul Saucido.

With all this talent, drive, hard work and contacts I think Kanko will be around for a while. I am not sure to what level exactly, as they are a semi-new band that only came together within the last couple of years or so. However, with Maneja Beto on hiatus for a while, Kanko will be a good cumbia rock fix in the meantime.

Kanko tracks to listen to: Agua Ardiente, Culero, La Maquina

Maneja Beto at Stubbs

Tonight I went to Stubbs (indoor) for local Latino indie rock band, "Maneja Beto". Translated literally, it means "Beto Drives" in case you were wondering. Maneja Beto is a rare blend between traditional Mexican cumbia and indie rock. I know that sounds weird. Those aren't really two genres that merge often. In fact, I have yet to find a marriage of Mexican cumbia and indie rock that is better than Maneja Beto

Maneja Beto is not anything new to me personally. I have seen them twice before and know that their music is amazing. However, I made a special trip out to Stubbs tonight because Maneja Beto will soon be on hiatus. That's right. They will not be playing many shows after tonight for a long while. That being said, I made it a point to come out to Stubbs to see them tonight to review the show and help spread the word about Maneja Beto.

For those not familiar with Maneja Beto, let me break it down for you. Their sound is unique. When I mentioned cumbia and indie rock coming together through them earlier, I was merely scratching the surface. They sing in Spanish but sound nothing like any other band you've heard, local or mainstream. They blend the keyboards and feedback with guitars. They merge two voices, Bobby Garza and Alex Chavez, with musical harmonies not yet touched by most Latin Alternative bands. Melodic is another word that comes to mind when I listen to their music. You really do have to listen for yourself.

Are they energetic and exciting live? Honestly, no. Are they fantastic musicians? Yes. Are they original and creative? Yes. When you go to a Maneja concert, you won't find the large crowds (yet) or a mosh pit. You'll see an older mid to late twenty's and up crowd dancing to the cumbias and nodding their heads to the indie songs, like my personal favorite of theirs, "Apertura". I know this because it has been the same crowd at all three shows of theirs I have been to.

Tonight was no different. The crowd was small but enthusiastically into their music. Truthfully I have seen bigger crowds for worse bands at other local Red River joints such as Red Eyed Fly and Headhunters. They don't deserve such mediocrity and low turn outs. Maneja Beto is too good of band. They recently entered a Myspace Latino sponsorship contest and lost to a bunch of gimmicky Pussycat Doll clones. It just goes to show that smut and boobies are still valued by the general Latino public over creativity.

With the recent release of their most recent EP, "Maneja Beto", they should be gaining popularity. All five tracks are worthy of being a single and make for a good listen. Again, the tracks won't pump you up, but they won't put you to sleep. Their music, I figured out, is for the music snobs of the world to appreciate. The idiots who like the spoon fed, over saturated garbage of Mun2 and MTV Tres won't like it. Those who look for something different, creative, unique and Latino will love Maneja Beto.

Maneja's music can currently be heard on M.E. Telvision's "Sonido Boombox" and new internet radio program "Rock y Roll Radio". If by some miracle you read this blog on Friday the 27th of June, Make plans to see them open for Alejandro Escovedo at The Continental Club on South Congress. They are cool guys, great musicians, and offer a unique product. You will not be disappointed. Check out this video from Pachanga Fest put out by Guanabee.com:

Maneja Beto Pachanga Interview on Guanabee
by guanabee