An Electropop Night With Belanova

All Photos Courtesy Of: Claudia Guzman

It has been four long years since Belanova toured in the Bay Area. And, this past weekend, they more than made up for the time lost by having three shows, two in San Francisco and one in Oakland. Belanova performed at a gay club in San Francisco this past Saturday night, and they were the headliners of the latin stage at Pride festival on Sunday.

But, their three day stop did not end in San Francisco – on Monday, the band had an unbelievable show at Oakland’s The New Parish. Fans gathered at the venue, anxious to finally see the return of Belanova to the stage.

Lead singer Denisse Guerrero looked flawless when she got on stage – dawning a crop top, high waisted shorts, and a retro bandana inspired hairstyle. The fans went wild! There was a cluster of people who had been standing in the front of the stage for about two hours, while others chose to take a view in the upstairs part of the venue.

The curiosity was increasing, what song would start off the show? And, the opening song did not disappoint, as Belanova decided to go with "Rosa Pastel" – and, if you are a true Belanova fan, well, you most certainly know the lyrics by heart.

Denisse engaged with the audience, she talked about how certain songs of the repertoire for that night’s show were of significance for the band, and put them on the music map. One of those songs was “Me Pregunto” from their 2006 album Dulce Beat.

The concert at The New Parish was an absolute success, and it did not matter that it was a Monday night. The setlist also had a vast variety from Belanova’s discography. Some of the songs included: “Mariposas," “Cada Que," “Tus Ojos," “Aun Asi Te Vas," “Baila Mi Corazon'" and  “Por Ti.”

Credits: Jaffe Events

Somos - Spain And Oakland Under One Roof

All Photos Courtesy Of: Claudia Guzman

Jarabe De Palo made a triumphant return to Oakland, and there was no better place for the band to introduce their new album Somos than The New Parish.

And with a sold-out crowd, Pau Donés and company made the crowd sing-along to classics such as "Depende", "Lado Oscuro", "Dejame Vivir", "Agua", "La Flaca", "Bonito." And, since the tour is promoting the new album, the fans got a first listen of songs such as "Hoy No Soy Yo", "Tu No Sabes Quien Soy", (my personal favorites), "Bala Perdida", "A Donde Vas", and many more. The concert went on well past midnight, and it was worth staying up late on a workday.

Prior to the show, I had the opportunity to chat with Pau Donés, we talked about the new album, the band’s almost two decades in the music industry, and much more.

My interview (in Spanish) below, for more on Jarabe De Palo, check out the band’s twitter, website, or facebook. The album Somos is out now and you can find it on amazon & itunes.

 

Credits: Nacional Records

Venezuela Represent!

Los Amigos Invisibles, a band from Venezuela that has been together since the early 90’s made a stop in Oakland and graced the stage at The New Parish, and let me tell you, the band brought IT! There is something to be said about musicians who are able to bring down the house, and put everybody in attendance to sing, jump, dance and have a grand ole’ time. 

Candelaria from Oakland was the band in charge of opening the concert – if you like cumbia, then Candelaria is a band you oughta know. The band was formed in Oakland, and with the female vocals of Stephani Garcia Candelaria, the band comes together to put on a terrific performance and make people sing and dance.

Candelaria

I was excited to check out Los Amigos Invisibles, they have play in the Bay Area so many times, and I had missed them every single time. I was so impressed with their music, stage presence and their ability to play non-stop and convey everyone to sing and dance non-stop – their sound is eclectic, a sexy mix of acid jazz, disco, pop and rock. Los Amigos Invisibles were simply incredible! And, I can clearly see why they have been around for over two decades now. Some of the songs that were part of the repertoire for the night were: Ultrafunk, Sexy, Mentiras, Ponerte  En Cuatro, Yo No Se, Cuchi Cuchi among many others – the band played for well over two hours and all of those who were at The New Parish did not want them to stop playing, that is how incredibly sensational their set was – Venezuela was in the house!

Once the show was over, a lot of the fans continue partying next door at Rock Steady, the new-up and coming bar/gallery adjacent to The New Parish. If you happen to visit Oakland, The New Parish and Rock Steady have to be two of the places on your list.

In all, both Candelaria & Los Amigos Invisibles played a phenomenal show, Oakland, Venezuela and Latin music were well represented.

It Was A Hip-Hop Wednesday

There is something about attending a concert on a weekday; these are the type of concerts where you know hardcore fans will be in attendance. And, since I’m one of those hardcore-crazy fans; I was ready to head over to The New Parish, to check out my girl Raw-G and Chilean sensation Anita Tijoux, as well as the other bands on the bill. The crowd started gathering, some people outside the venue, others on the dance floor, by the bar and even by the patio. Some of the performers were even walking around and mingling with the crowd. I spotted Raw G, Steelo and DJ Julicio. There were different DJ’s spinning in between sets (DJ Ethos, DJ Julicio, DJ Nima Fadavi.) If you like hip-hop, then this night was the night to be at The New Parish.

Hordatoj

There was a Chilean rapper named Hordatoj who had one of the first sets and also came on stage with Anita - there was also 2Mex from LA who blew my mind! This guy freestyles like no one’s business! And, he combined his lyrics with known tunes, like music from Beastie Boys & Weezer.

2Mex

DJ Julicio

Then it was time for Raw G to come on stage, this was my second time seeing her perform (remember when she opened for Ozomatli?) She was on stage with a full band, one which was her son, along with DJ Julicio and Steelo. Raw-G never disappoints, her flow with her lyrics in Spanish is jaw-dropping (I don’t think I could ever be a rapper, I probably wouldn’t know what to say after the first three words.) Raw-G delivered a fantastic performance! The crowd cheered on as she finalized her set.

Raw-G

When Raw-G’s performance was over, people were eager to check out Anita Tijoux. She has become one of the most respected female rappers in the Latino music, there aren’t many like Anita- she is unique in her own way. As soon as she came on stage, I noticed something different, she was glowing, and I couldn’t figure out what was this glow about. I was looking straight at the stage from the back of the venue, and when I finally got a clear glimpse I realized what her glow was about – Anita Tijioux is PREGNANT! And she was glowing, and her stage presence was that much stronger. Anita is not one to be jumping up and down on stage, she expresses her enthusiasm with her lyrics, that’s just how powerful her performance was. 

Anita Tijoux

Anita has always been known for her support towards the undocumented community, her lyrics speak politics, suppression, and rebellion. She introduced songs from her sophomore release titled "La Bala" – she made sure to address the audience in Spanish and also sharpening up her skills speaking in English, as well. She also confirmed that she was “very pregnant” and thanked the audience for being in attendance on that special night. Anita’s tour continued in San Jose, Portland, Seattle and now back in her native Chile. 



Head over to my facebook page to check out more pictures from the show.

From Coachella To The Bay And Back To Coachella – On The Road With Ximena

I have seen Ximena Sariñana what seems to be about a million times (her song "Un Error", was my go-to-break-up-song. I would cry while singing along to all the tracks on the album Mediocre.)  I was lucky enough to have interviewed her once before when she performed at the Red Devil Lounge a few years back. Ever since that performance, Ximena has been busy touring all over the United States.

Fresh off her performance at Coachella (Weekend One), she made her way up to the Bay to perform at The New Parish in Oakland, CA. Although the show took place on a Sunday night, that did not stop her loyal fans from coming to see her perform.

She had an opening act, Diana Gameros, a soulful-Spanish-flare singer from Juarez, Mexico. She was on stage with her guitar and a trumpet player. I could not help but to compare her voice to that of Julieta Venegas. Diana addressed the crowd and one of the songs from her set was one called "SB1070" – a song that she wrote in protest of the tough immigration law that was implemented  in Arizona.

When Ximena came on stage, the fans were ready to sing along, not only to her emotional break-up songs, but also songs from her English debut album Ximena Sariñana. She was wearing the cutest outfit- a flowy floral-print dress, accessorized with tights and combat boots. She addressed the crowd in both English and Spanish, she has slowly opened up more to her fans and is less shy than the first time I saw her perform - towards the end of her performance, she even gave a fan a copy of her set-list.

Ximena performed a lot of the songs from her English album such as "Different", "Shine Down", "Echo Park", "The Bid" and of course she also performed fan favorites like "Mediocre", "Las Huellas" "Normal" and "La Tina".

Ximena is paving her way to becoming a phenomenal artist, her sweet voice, relatable lyrics and humbleness while addressing the audience is quite refreshing. She is heading back to Coachella for (Weekend Two), so if you are heading out to the festival, take the time to check out her set.









Credits: Parish Entertainment Group

Oakland Finally Got Some Ozo Luvin’

Photo: Claudia Guzman

Ozomatli have been together for almost two decades now, and in their 17-year career, they were yet to visit Oakland. But all that changed, when the band played at The New Parish this past March 28th.

This show was more than being the first show that Ozo would play in Oakland. It was also a show with a truly special cause. The night of the show, a raffle took place, and the donations were all going to Noah Stout. Noah is a cute toddler, son of former Ozo MC – Kanetic. Little Noah was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2010.

We all know how loving & compassionate the guys from Ozo are, not only do they support the arts, are pro-immigration, but they also have love and respect for former members. The show at The New Parish turned out to be beyond remarkable.

Photo: Claudia Guzman

The opening set was in charge of a little firecracker MC who goes by the name of Raw-G. I had never seen her live but have heard terrific things about her set. And boy, was I in awe! Raw-G has swag, flow and unbelievable stage presence. She was spitting lyrics in English and Spanish like no one’s business. I was actually shocked to find out that she was born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico – let me tell you, she represents Oakland big time!

Photo: Claudia Guzman

By the time Ozo hit the stage, The New Parish was to capacity, everywhere you  looked, there were people standing, sitting, hanging by the stage, by the bar. All the fans were ready to see Ozo in action. Their set was by far one of the absolute best that I have witnessed in the past few years. There is something about Ozo and their dynamics on stage that just makes you want to sing and dance – the guys made sure to give the Oakland fans a performance that they would talk about for months to come!

If you missed this phenomenal show, Ozo will be playing at The Catalyst in Santa Cruz on April 19th. Also, the guys continue to take donations for little Noah- if you would like to donate, check out: www.iheartnoah.org.







Credits: Cycle Media

Bay Area Talent + Oakland Venue = Memorable Night!

Have I ever told YOU, my lovely readers, just how much I love Bay Area Venues? I love it even more if it happens to be in my hometown of Oakland. The New Parish holds a distinctive place in my heart, precisely for this very reason.

The New Parish has become the “go-to” place to check out some fabulous and fun-filled shows. San Francisco has some terrific places, but often times, if any given event falls on a weekday... well, the mere thought of paying the bridge toll and that whole shebang just does not seem appealing. And that is when a venue in Oakland is just the place to head over to.

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to attend the Nortec Collective: Bostich + Fussible, Bang Data & La Misa Negra show.  I had never seen La Misa Negra live, but I have heard excellent things about their shows. Bang Data is Bay Area royalty, and they are currently promoting the release of their latest CD titled La Sopa; Nortec Collective has such a unique sound and I have been so curious to check out a live set.

La Misa Negra

The show started getting packed fairly quickl. By 9:15PM  the event-goers were already gathered around the front of the stage for La Misa Negra’s set. I was pleasantly surprised. Stephanie Candelaria led the vocals and belted out unbelievable cumbia songs. The eight-member band made everyone sing and dance throughout their performance.

Bang Data

By the time Bang Data came on stage, the crowd had been anxious to see them perform. It was a special night for the guys, since it marked the release of their latest CD titled La Sopa. Deuce Eclipse rocked the stage along with the rest of the guys, their energy on stage transpired to the crowd, and mostly everybody were singing along with the songs.

Nortec Collective: Bostich + Fussible

Nortec Collective: Bostich+ Fussible, coming straight from Monterrey & Tijuana Mexico, made us all wait a while. I was getting slightly anxious that their set was taking so long to start. At the end, it was well worth it! Perhaps you have heard their music online, but it is nothing like seeing them live. The way that they use musical instruments traditionally used in Mexican music and how they alternate it with the electronic sound (iPad and all), it is simply out of this world.

All of these three bands made my sleep deprivation worth it! The bands all have more shows coming up. La Misa Negra will be playing at Madrone Art Bar in San Francisco, Bang Data is over in Austin, Texas for SXSW and Nortec is wrapping up their tour in California, which will end in LA, this week.

And now you know, next time you want a fun night-out on a weekday, consider The New Parish as an option. Check out their concert calendar to see what other shows are coming up.


Credits: New Parish Entertainment Group

Bomba Estéreo Part Deux!

What can one possibly do on a Monday night to start off the week with a bang? Well, attend an awesome music show at an equally awesome venue.

On Monday, I rushed out of the office to meet up with a friend in Oakland and head to The New Parish to catch  Bomba Estéreo’s second time in the Bay this year. I attended as a mere spectator which happens rarely since every time I go to a show it’s all work no fun.

It has been about a month since I saw  Bomba Estéreo and this time around I was equally if not more excited than when I saw them in San Francisco. One of the reasons why I was so excited was because I would be stepping foot inside The New Parish for the first time. This venue is very special and dear to my heart because it is located in my beautiful town of Oakland, California - my town gets a bad rep among outsiders but the up-and-coming music scene, nightlife & dining is definitely worth checking out.

As soon as I arrived I was hooked, the ambiance of the place is inviting and although from outside it looks like a very small place, there is ample room to mingle with people, get drinks and even lounge around in the upstairs area surrounded with chairs and comfy couches, heck, even abundant space enough to dance (which is exactly what I did.)

As I was scoping the place, DJ Mexican Dubwiser was behind the turn tables, when his set was done, Oakland’s very own band Tokeson took center stage to pump up the crowd. I’ve heard so many great things about the band but unfortunately I had not been able to check them out live till that night. Tokeson’s set was excellent! The fuse of the accordion, the sax and Colombian cumbia brought me to my feet. They did so many excellent songs, one being a funky rendition of Colombia’s band Aterciopelados called Baracunata. After Monday night I declare myself a fan of Tokeson!

Once they left the stage, the people in attendance had to wait quite a while for  Bomba Estéreo to take the stage. I was getting a bit anxious but I knew that they were worth the wait. The band has been on tour non-stop playing at even the most random places around the Unites States like Iowa where you would not imagine that Spanish music is even being played.

When  Bomba Estéreo finally came on stage, the crowd was ready! You could hear the male fans shouting out Liliana’s name. At one point, Liliana even acknowledged one of them who shouted “Liliana, gracias por existir!” (which roughly translates to “Liliana, thanks for exisiting!” ) Liliana blew a kiss to the fan and I am pretty sure that was quite an epic moment for the lucky fan. Another fan gave him a bouquet of flowers which she happily accepted. Liliana interacted with the audience and addressed us all in English, her shy but powerful voice sounded humble and grateful.

In all, it was a fantastic night and although I only slept for about 4 hours and had to get up bright an early the next morning it was worth it!

If you have not checked out  Bomba Estéreo’s music, stop lagging! Get their album on itunes, just remember that next time they come to town it will be at a much bigger venue – the band is bound for music greatness!

Credits: Parish Entertainment Group

HopPo! Brought Earthy Sounds To The Bay

How many bands do you know that take a sabbatical year and their members decide to embark on independent projects?  They usually do it to fulfill the creativity which they can’t express with the members of their band and that is how HopPo! was born.

Café Tacvba is currently taking some time off which was the perfect timing for one of the members of the band, Ruben Albarran  to start an independent project with fellow musicians Rodrigo Aros Gho,  Juan Pablo Villanueva, Alejandra Flores & k´kame. The result, a project called HopPo which means “let’s go.”

The band stopped by the Bay Area this past weekend and had two very successful shows, one at The New Parish in Oakland & also at the Red Devil Lounge.  I checked out the show at the Red Devil Lounge and I wasn’t very sure what to expect. I think Café Tacvba is one of the greatest Mexican bands ever and I know how creative Ruben Albarran is but I definitely had no idea what was in store for the show.

The opening acts were Cuevo (a musician from LA with a very melodic acoustic vibe) and Torreblanca ( a band from Mexico City whose sarcastic lyrics talk about issues like infidelity, parents relationships and other typical issues from your daily life.)

Once the opening acts were done, the crowd was ready to see Ruben, the expectation was building up since the people in attendance had never seen what this project HoPpo! was all about. The sound had such an earthy quality to it, the mix of sounds and the tone of his voice were different & refreshing, the show turned out to be quite magical.  Ruben interacted with the audience throughout the whole show.

 

He also talked about how a lot of the songs that HoPpo plays are covers of songs that have had many covers done in the past, but Ruben’s take of each song was very different.  My personal favorites were La Llorona and the very different version of Mercedes Sosa’s classic Gracias A La Vida.

Overall I was extremely pleased with the show and Ruben’s decision to do this side project was definitely a fantastic idea.

Credits: Club Mercy