As part of their 20 years, 20 cities world tour Café Tacuba, my favourite Mexican band, visited this part of the world and we were there (careful with the speakers, sound level is rather high).

As you can imagine, I jumped around like a little kid, sang my heart out and was exhausted after the 2.5 hours were over.  We took some more videos and pictures of the gig.

Como he mencionado antes, me la he pasado escuchando el último disco de Café Tacuba.  Después de chutarme la colección completa y poner el disco en su contexto, el sonido es un poco más 70′s, un poco más pop, pero las letras son francamente el punto fuerte del álbum.  El primer sencillo, que según tengo entendido ya tiene tiempo sonando en la radio en México, se llama “Volver a Comenzar”, y francamente me gusta bastante.

Si hiciera una lista de mis errores
de los menores hasta los peores
que expusiera todas las heridas,
los fracasos, desamores y las mentiras

Ofreceré el aroma del ámbar
ofreceré el cedro y mis lágrimas
con la paciencia del mar esperaré toda una vida
a que sane la confianza
si volviera a comenzar
no tendría tiempo de reparar

Si hiciera un viaje a mis adentros
y sobreviviera a los lamentos
pediría fuerzas para decir cuánto lo siento
si volviera de un viaje a mis adentros

si volviera a comenzar
no tendría tiempo de reparar
el agua derramada está
la sed que siento no saciará

¿Cuántas cosas mas puedo guardar?
¿Cuántas cosas puedo atesorar?
dulce tentación
de dejarlo todo

¿Cuántas espacio mas quiero ocupar?
(hasta los recuerdos ya no caben en este lugar)
¿Cuántas cosas más puedo llevar?
(la última mudanza debe ser la más ligera)
dulce tentación
de dejarlo todo
dulce tentación
regalarlo todo

Si volviera a comenzar
no tendría tiempo de reparar
El agua derramada está
la sed que siento me sanará

El agua derramada está
la sed que siento me sanará

Have meant that my iPod has been doing the rounds with them.  Both of them ("Echoes, silence, patience and grace" and "Si no" are very good and wholeheartedly recommended.

Bought at amazon.co.uk.

Mexico City Rockers take on the World

Originally uploaded by Chiva Congelado.

Another article in the Rock en Español series.

You may remember that I touched this subject before here.

The whole article in the New York Times (and also in my picture in Flickr, if you view it large).

El celebérrimo video censurado de Molotov para Televisa Deportes abajo.

La historia aquí y aquí.
Lo más cómico del asunto es que en el portal de Televisa esmas.com ya le tenían sitio guardado, pero no sé por qué no lo pusieron, ja.

Yo sólo me pregunto, si ya saben cómo son los de Molotov, y la relación previa que han tenido con Televisa (sólo basta recordar “Que no te haga bobo Jacobo” o “El Carnal de las Estrellas”), ¿cómo se les ocurre pedirles una canción?

Another article in the Rock en Español series.

In the last 6 years there has been an explosion of so-called indie rock bands in Mexico, giving it a very active scene. As has been the case before, some bands from other countries have also been performing in festivals such as the Vive Latino or Rock en Exa.

The rock scene in Mexico had been strongly supported in Mexico City with magazines such as Rock and Roll and radio stations such as the defunct Rock 101, Radioactivo and now Reactor. The latter released during the past two years a series of until now 4 EPs with the independent bands they have given airplay to called “¿Cuál es tu Rock? Mi primera caja de música” and they have been warmly received by a young public avid of new music. I have them all and heartily recommend them.

The bands included are (all are links to their Myspace profiles, where you can listen to their music):

• Los Búnkers
• Plastilina Mosh
• Instituto Mexicano del Sonido
• Lady Bombón
• The Cosmetics
• Réplica
• Furland
• De Saloon
• Yokozuna
• Abeja
• Vainilla
• La Live Band
• Subdivisión
• Álbum
• Turbo
• Comando Groovy
• Nortec Collective
• Quiero Club
• Lasser Moderna
• Los Dynamite
• Lost Acapulco
• Niña
• Telefunka
• The John
• Monocordio
• Chikita Violenta
• Fatalist
• Ghaia
• Twin Tones
• Chicote
• Hugo
• El Hombre Bala
• Los Gatos
• Entre Ríos
• Fenómeno Fuzz
• L. Camorra
• Los Abandoned
• Mario
• Los Fancy Free
• Veo Muertos
• Porter
• Pastilla
• Austin TV
• Los Látigos
• María Daniela y su Sonido Lasser
• Columpio Asesino
• Golden Rainbow Kid
• Victoria Mil
• Hummersqueal
• Vaquero
• Phono
• Cahuenga
• Volován
• San Pascualito Rey

Funnily enough, not all of them are Mexican, and neither do they all sing in Spanish, but that’s the kind of music that has been making the rounds there in the past couple of years.

More background on the current indie scene from El Universal.

Another post in the Rock en Español series.

Los Fabulosos Cadillacs is a group of Argentina that became very famous in the 90′s with their eclectic mix of rock, ska, jazz, tango, samba and big band. They had many members, but their singer and co-leader was Vicentico, who has since gone solo, the other leader being Sr. Flavio. They released many albums, but reached continental notoriety through their single Matador (Vasos Vacíos, 1993), whose video is below.

Other videos available in YouTube are:
Strawberry Fields Forever (Rey Azúcar, 1995) A cover on The Beatles.
Mal Bicho (Rey Azúcar, 1995)
Calaveras y Diablitos (Fabulosos Calavera, 1997)
La Vida (La Marcha del Golazo Solitario, 1999) This is a great video, and a great spoof.

More information, as usual, from Wikipedia.

Another post in the Rock en Español series

El Tri (originally known as “Three Souls in my mind”) is a hard rock/blues old school group from Mexico City, that has been active since the 1960′s. They have an active following accross Latin America and many of their songs are considered real classics. Below some videos.

Virgen Morena

Niño sin amor
Chismes de Lavadero & A.D.O.
Las Piedras rodantes
Triste canción de amor (MTV Unplugged)

Another post in the Rock en Español series.

Bersuit Vergarabat is a band from Argentina, famous for their fusion of Rock, cumbia, chacarera and other Latin American rythms with very potent protest lyrics Even though they had released LPs since the beginning of the 90′s, they became famous in Latin America in 1998 with their song Sr. Cobranza, which was a very good reflection of the anti-governmental mood in youth at the time (this was just before the Argentine crisis). A very interesting band.

Yo tomo (Libertinaje, 1998)

Sr. Cobranza (Libertinaje, 1998)
La Argentinidad al Palo (La Argentinidad al Palo, 2004)
Madre hay una sola (Testosterona, 2005)

Another post in the Series of Rock en Español.

Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas was an Argentine duet that mix hip-hop, funk, rock and traditional Latin American rythms. They published 8 albums and enjoyed moderate success throughout the region, before separating in 2001. Some of their songs below:

Coolo (Leche, 1999)

Abarajame (Chaco, 1995)
Jennifer del Estero (Leche, 1999)