Rock y Roll Dia 08 Coming November 1st

This is my first year to attend Rock y Roll Dia, an interactive community outreach event and concert. With two years under its belt, this year's Rock y Roll Dia will be its best yet. While previous acts were what I consider to be honorable mentions at best, with the exception of maybe Mexico's Jumbo, it had not garnered my interest enough to go. This year is a completely different story.

Headlining will be Venezuela's own Los Amigos Invisibles, who are known to many outside the Latin music world as the group David Bryne signed to his Luaka Bop label. I got to see Los Amigos for the first time in March during a free show at The Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC). Having heard only a few songs from them at the time, I had no idea they were so funky. Even if you don't understand Spanish, you can understand live Latin funk and good times. Mix their music with a little cocktail or chela (beer for you gringo friends and coconuts). Here is a video clip for you if you aren't familiar:

Recently added Monte Negro will certainly bring a great rock element Rock y Roll Dia didn't have without them. I got too see them live at SXSW for the first time at the Batanga showcase I worked and again this summer at Antone's on the Circo Rocktastico Tour. They are great live, sounding just like they do on CD with all the energy of their fast paced music. Kinski, lead singer, is great front man and doesn't sound like any other mainstream act out right now. They sing in both English and Spanish, even covering Bob Marley's Give Me Love. You may have seen that video on what used to M.E. TV's best show, Sonido Boombox. They were on M.E. before they were on MTV3 even, on their Discubre (discover) and Download segment. Don’t get me started on MTV3…..uuugghhhh.

The local representation comes from Michael Ramos and his eclectic band, Charanga Cakewalk. Many Austinites are plenty familiar with Charanga, especially with the M.E. Live taping for my favorite Charanga Cakewalk song La Negra Celina. To me, they are mix or regional Mexican, cumbia, Latin Jazz and Carribean. It's hard to explain, but fun to listen to and watch live.

Finally, the last group added to the bill will be Los Hollywood from (you guessed it!) Los Angeles. Given who is behind Dia, I should have expected some sort of LA injected into this. Just from listening to their music online, they sound like a younger, Latino version of No Doubt circa early 90s. Los Hollywood sings in both English and Spanish, so they too are gringo friendly while keeping it true to their roots so to speak. This group and this party, while being a Latin Music showcase, is for everyone. I hope to see you there.

Be sure to come early and get your tickets now, as it at The Mohawk and should sell out. Tickets are available on CD Fuse and you can find more info on the pre parties (whoot whoot!) on the Rock Y Roll Dia Myspace or on Do512. If you want to hear some of the music by these artists, you can listen to Rock y Roll Radio and check out the various shows from your computer. I don't normally plug or promote upcoming shows but my company, Gwizsk Design, are sponsors and the web marketing team for Dia. I say this in the spirit of full disclosure and just wanted to share this great event with you all. I will be posting another blog a couple days or so after the show in case you're lame and miss Rock y Roll Dia. You can read about what a great time it was for all.

Two Days with Plastilina Mosh in Austin

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. Live taping 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:

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

Pacha Massive live at Antone's

Last Thursday at Antone's, New York's own Pacha Massive played a free show sponsored by Pacifico Beer. Pacha Massive is a bilingual band who blends Latin, jazz, funk and some electronica. Their sound is something I have been looking for in Latin music for a while. I have discovered some real Latin music gems this year at the local level, such as Maneja Beto and Grupo Fantasma, but not anything new in the Latin mainstream.

Pacha Massive is a new group signed to Nacional Records, the same label as recent Austin performers Manu Chao (ACL) and Bostitch & Fussible (Pachanga Fest). Once again, Nacional Records signed an incredible band.

Pacha’s ethnic make up is as eclectic as their sound. Front man and guitar player DJ Nova is Dominican, his wife and bassist Maya is Colombian. The rest of Pacha’s ethnic make up includes Mexican, Italian and Philippine. It makes sense that a group so eclectic in make up creates such an incredible hybrid of genres. This is why I enjoy their music so much and was looking forward to them coming to Austin.

I first heard of Pacha Massive coming to Austin earlier in the week from internet radio program, Rock y Roll Radio. Hosts Paul Saucido and Dacia Saenz did a phone interview with Pacha Massive for a special show and myspace bit. I was even more excited when I heard it was a free show. I immediately penciled it into my concert calendar.

They were the late show Thursday, following a big Del Castillo show in which Los Lonely Boys made a cameo appearance. Pacha Massive went on around 11:30. The crowd (different from the Del Castillo crowd) was immediately into their set and the dancing ensued. Apparently, this is what happens when Pacha infects your ears. Your ears tell your mind “you must get downright now” and you start dancing. It could also be the alcohol, but whatever.

Pacha did not disappoint. Every song in some form or fashion showed off their excellent musicianship, their vibrant personality, and their confident swagger. I absolutely love it when a group dances to its own music as if no one is watching. DJ Nova and Maya get down even while playing guitar. Their chemistry on stage, perhaps due to them being married, is excellent. You can tell that Pacha Massive love the ride they are on with this tour and their new album, “All Good Things”. Only “good things” will come if they keep this up.

I got a chance to go back stage at Antone’s before and after their show to meet them. I wanted to share this with readers before I conclude this blog. Pacha Massive is one of the most friendly, down to earth groups I have ever come across at their level in any genre. They look you in the eye when talking to you, remember your name later, and shake your hand upon both greeting and departing. You’d be surprised how many bands I have met at different levels that do not practice such manners. Thank you Pacha Massive and please come back to Austin again soon. I leave you all with their video for my favorite Pacha Massive song, "Don't Let Go".