On September 25th, the Tijuana Sound Machine known as Nortec Collective came to Austin and gave a killer performance at The Hogg Memorial Auditorium. I wasn't there as I was covering another show, but my crew from Austin Vida were there. For the Nortec show, Austin Vida teamed up again with our friends from Blastro to bring you two cool new videos from the show. The one I posted below is the best live video ever captured of Nortec Collective. The sound is amazing and the show visually mind blowing. As jealous as I am that I didn't get to attend, this video puts me there. My hat is off to Blastro and Nacional Records on this one. Did I mention an interview? That's right! My girl Christina Garcia sat down with Bostitch and Fussible of Nortec for a NRP-PBS style video interview. They even let her play with the Tenori. I'm jealous again there.
Here's the live video! This ain't a YouTube clip folks. It's twenty minutes of Puro Chido:
During South By Southwest this year, some of us at Austin Vida were fortunate enough to catch Mexico City's Indie darlings, Hello Seahorse!. We have reviewed their current album, Bestia, here on AustinVida.com and posted another one of their videos with it.The video for their second single, "Despues", hit YouTube on August 14th.It's a great single to check out if you are unfamiliar with Hello Seahorse!. "Despues" is in Spanish, but if you don't speak Spanish and like what you hear, many of their other tracks are in English. I expect major success from Hello Seahorse! world wide.
For more on Hello Seahorse!, visit their official Myspace page at:
Noise beat Propaganda is a four piece Indie-pop band from Mexicali, Baja California. We’re In Love, Yeah Right! is their new 4 track EP on Poni Republic. This EP is the reason I hate getting good EPs in the mail. They might as well rename EPs “teasers” because that’s what We’re In Love, Yeah Right! is.
They were here last year as the headliner for the first Annual Pachanga Fest, but will be performing at Hogg Memorial Auditorium on September 25. To quickly describe Nortec Collective, I'd say they are a fusion of Mexican Norteno and techno. After having seen them live last year, I can honestly say that they do no dissapoint and the accordian player has the most blinged out accordian I've ever seen. It will be an awesome show to say the least. For those of you not familiar with Nortec, check out these two videos and turn it up loud.
Mexican Institute of Sound (MIS) is musical master mind, Camilo Lara. MIS is a large part of the strong electronic dance music coming out of Mexico and all of Latin America. Having always the recipient of great international critical acclaim, MIS is still relatively unknown to the casual music listener here in the States. Only hipsters and Latin scenesters have MIS albums it seems. Fans of Moby, The Chemical Brothers, Nortec Collective or even The Verve (yes, The Verve) should have MIS’s new album, Soy Sauce, in their collection. Read the full review on Double Stereo
This month's cover feature on Austin Vida is none other than San Antonio's own, Pinata Protest. I have known these dudes for while now and I see them making some real headway in the Austin Scene. They have an original style that marries Flaco Jimenz and The Sex Pistols. I know that sounds strange in print, but check them out and listen for yourself. They way I always describe them to friends is by using a Dropkick Murphys comparison. What the Dropkick Murphys do for the Irish and punk rock, Pinata Protest does for the Mexicans and punk rock. As the first person to bring Pinata Protest to Austin, I couldn't be happier to share this interview wth you all.
Those of you who are looking for free shows during SXSW should definitely check out The Mexic-Arte's day party with Pilar Diaz, Leche, Cosmopolitan and my personal favorite of the bunch....Monte Negro. This is one of the better Latin music showcases this year and it is free.
I know, this is one of any things you could be doing on the 20th. Before you dismiss this show all together for something else, watch the vids I posted below.
Although I much preferred her with the now broken up Los Abandoned, her solo stuff will be very appealing to not just Latin music lovers, but to anyone in attendance. I think she'll win you over if you aren't a fan already.
Monte Negro is one of the best bands in the Latin Alternative scene right now in my opinion. I have seen them live three times in Austin during the last year and they never disappoint. I only wish there were more people at those shows while they played to take notice. Seriously folks, time to pay attention. Their guitar player, Jason, is one of the best guitar players you'll find in any band of any genre. I have nothing but good things to say about these dudes. Check 'em out for free.
Rock en Espanol in Austin has a new voice and youthful energy with Kalua’s debut album, La Novedad. What’s hidden in that youthful energy is an old spirit that summons the old Mariachi classics of our abuelos. Every song is passionately sung in Spanish, the native tongue of all four Kalua members, who hail from Mexico, Columbia and Venezuela respectively.
Monterrey, Mexico’s own Plastilina Mosh was in Austin this week. Originally scheduled just for an Univision (Spanish television network) taping, Plastilina Mosh, or P-Mosh, ended up making the most of their stay in Austin. Although it all started with Univison, they ended up with an M.E. Livetaping and a show at Emo’s Lounge. I was lucky enough to be at both.
It all started for me Thursday afternoon at The Radisson on Congress and Cesar Chavez. I had to pick some give away schwag up for Rock y Roll Radio to pass out at their Emo’s Lounge show that night. As I picked up everything, I caught P-Mosh outside smoking a cigarette, so I asked to join them and chat. We talked about the upcoming show, their tapings, Austin, Mexico, and bands we liked. It was awesome and yes, totally groupie of me. I know. It’s all good though as someone in a previous post pulled my “man card” for going to see Tilly and the Wall.
Well, later that night at Emo’s Lounge I caught the show. It was actually a listening party for their new album “All You Need is Mosh”. DJ Manolo Black was spinning while Paul Saucido and Dacia Saenz from Rock y Roll Radio were hosting. There was a full house there at Emo’s Lounge and pretty well mixed in terms of age and cities. I talked to four young guys who drove all the way from Laredo just for this show and to three guys from El Paso who did the same.
Their set itself was in one word, fun. Definitely entertaining as well. One of their first songs they performed was an older one and personal favorite of mine, “Peligroso Pop”. Good times.
Everyone up front was dancing, jumping and singing along. I could tell that the P Mosh guys were really feeding off that and enjoying themselves. In fact, they even covered Motley Crue’s classic power ballad “Home Sweet Home”. How seriously can a band take themselves by covering that? P-Mosh also had the best ending I have seen this year for a show. I uploaded it to my You Tube channel for you to check out.
Friday afternoon it was more P-Mosh for me and my crew. I arrived at M.E. TV for their M.E. Live Taping Paul Saucido set up for Sonido Boombox. I love the M.E. Television tapings because of the intimacy and close proximity to the band itself. No other channel in Austin can do what they do in terms of quality tapings. Paul Saucido does a good job of making sure the Latin Alternative acts are well represented.
For those not in the know, let me fill you in.Plastilina Mosh is a big deal in Mexico and Latin America, which translates to having a large following of American Latinos. I have known of them since the late 1990s when I used to hear some of their songs at clubs in San Antonio and Laredo. I also had friends in college who were from El Paso that listened to them a lot. I don’t know that I would drive nine hours to see P-Mosh, but I totally believe now that they have lots of fans that would as I found out Thursday.
Plastilina Mosh’s sound is rock with a little pop, electronic and funk sung in both English and Spanish. Being from Monterrey, one of the most chic cities in Mexico not named Mexico City, it is no surprise that they have such a cool eclectic sound. Some comparisons or familiar sounds that come to mind are the Beastie Boys and maybe some Franz Ferdinand. It is evident that when you listen to P Mosh, they are heavily influenced by American and European bands. Many bands of from Latin America now are bridging the gap and making music for broader audiences by singing in English. Plastilina Mosh is one of the better bands to do that. I can’t wait to see the video of their M.E. Live taping. Maybe then you who are unfamiliar with P Mosh can check them out and add them to your collection.
After talking to them again Friday, you will get another chance to see them in Austin soon. I will keep you posted. For now, check out my favorite P Mosh video called “Peligroso Pop” which translates to “Dangerous Pop”. Enjoy:
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:
Ian is a graduate of Round Rock High School and attended St Edward’s University in Austin, Texas. In 2008 he joined the team at Double Stereo (formerly CD Fuse) as their Blog editor where he reviewed concerts, albums, and did interviews for the popular music site.In January 2009, he became the Editor in Chief for Austin Vida. In 2010, with the help of some of his most talented friends, he launched Red River Noise. "Ian's Music Blog" is also one of the few blogs selected to be a Do512 All-Star.
On any given night of the week he can be found in downtown Austin on 6th Street and the Red River live music district.
