AT THE DRIVE IN Headline Coachella Music Fest TONIGHT!

AT THE DRIVE IN, completed a Texas city mini tour starting in Austin, then on to Dallas and Marfa, and ending in El Paso, selling out the Austin show in 11 minutes and every other show within an hour (that is cool rock-n-roll kind of stuff).  Their show in El Paso, at Tricky Falls was jammed packed, predominately a 20-30 something crowd (yes, those of us in my age bracket were either music junkies, in the El Paso music scene, just curious, or parents taking their teenage kids), and the fire department's quick venue check, didn't put out the fire burning return of ATDI.

After cautiously deciding to stay near the back where the merchandise was being sold, when ATDI took stage, I took a brave step going toward the middle and found myself skirted through the crowd by the force of a mob like crowd, with my feet moving without my control so that I wouldn't be trampled (no one was trampled) but that experience and all the shoes and boots that stepped on my ANKLES, was enough to voluntarily send me to the back of the bus again.

ATDI is the El Paso great American story, music story. how a local garage band of boys from El Paso High make it big in the music industry. On the premier of Border Talk's radio program (that will focus on the arts, music, film, creative arts on Fridays), I learned from Joe Dorgan how the band used to horse around at the KXCR studio while Joe did his live "Stepping Out" radio show. Joe was genuinely proud of the band's early days and anxious for the concert, explaining how back-in-the-day, even in the recent 90's, there was no twitter, or Facebook to immediately get out the word of a band performance like what was done for this mini tour which sold out the Austin show in 11 minutes.  Social media has impacted the music industry in a big way too!

I have to admit, I never saw AT THE DRIVE IN (ATDI) in the 90's but I remember a good friend Casey Monahan (Texas Music Office Director who I know from back in the Austin music scene days - mid 80's) telling me about the great music that El Paso was busting out and how this band "At the Drive In" was breaking records and was the big buz around town.  I've always known the name, but I too was mesmerized by the hype, and having met Omar Rodriguez Lopez in Austin and co-producing the "Los Chidos" movie premier after party with Frontera Bugalu, I am now a middle aged Omar fan and wanted to see the roots of this young El Paso creative arts genius.

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez is not just a founding member of ATDI and their spin off Mars Volta, (two very successful bands in a "difficult to make it" music industry), he's a proud Puerto Rican born El Pasoan, with family roots here, and he is a multi-instrumental musician, recognized guitarist, songwriter, producer, writer, actor and film director. Rolling Stone Magazine (10/6/09) listed Rodriguez-Lopez as one of the "Greatest Guitarist of all time".

From what I witnessed, lead vocalist Cedrix Bixler Zavala blasted out song after song with ease and a solid band performance.  Loved the sing-alongs by hard core fans (and they were everywhere), but some of the reviews I have read about the bands return after an 11 year sit out, was that the band was more sedate? Nothing sedate to me, it was a pretty rowdy but contained crowd relating to a pretty high energy band from El Paso. They are no longer in their 20's they are in their 30's and musically maturing.  I personally loved the energy of the audience and the band.  I wish I were a fly on the PA system,  where they will blast out their official 11 year reunion on stage to 65,000 people (read that somewhere) at the Cochella Valley Music and Arts Festival tonight and next Sunday.

The Rodriguez-Lopez musician influence was heard in the band opener, Zechs Marquise with Marcel, Marfred and Riko Rodriguez-Lopez playing. The improv musical rock band is pretty good, I enjoyed it.  I kept an eye on their merchandise table (which they maned themselves), until they finished their set, when they returned to happily great fans and friends and sell their "Getting Paid" CD, cool t-shirts and silk screen collector poster.  Good karma!

From their debut album "Hell Paso", to their successful home band "making it big" in the music industry, to their 11 year break up, to their other successful musical ventures, to coming home to play "El Paso", to their return as a band at the Coachella Music Fest, AT THE DRIVE IN has come full circle. They have done it their way. Played their hearts desire. Been successful. How many people can say that?  And their only in their 30's!

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“Los Mas Chidos de la Frontera” hit SXSW Film Fest! Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Frontera Bugalu!

"Los Chidos" Film Premier with Musical Guests "Frontera Bugalu"

El Paso will showcase a group of “frontereňos” this weekend, when film director Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, holds the SXSW world premiere of “LOS CHIDOS” at the Paramount Theater, on Sunday March 11^th, 1:45-3:19 pm.  The official World Premiere “After Party” (Fiesta) will be held that evening at Sol y La Luna (600 E. 6^th Street) starting at 8pm where El Paso’s “FRONTERA BUGALU” will showcase their incredibly unique “border bugalu” sound.  Bring your dancing shoes!  This band will get the entire house rocking to the old sounds of rumbia, cumbia, ballads, and “bugalu”. And if you aren't in Austin, but know someone who is, tell them about this free El Paso showcase!

Mars Volta guitarist Omar Rodriguez Lopez of El Paso, debuts his satirical dark comedy in a narrative feature competition. "Los Chidos" his 5^th film, is set in a nameless (but familiar) roadside tire repair shop. The film has already been listed by IFC Films Jordan Hoffman, as one of the top 20 movies to see, and the Criterion Collection, has listed it in the top 10 movies to see during the world renowned pop culture film, music, and interactive festival. Hoffman says of Rodriguez-Lopez  “you may know him better as one of the two mad geniuses behind the psychedelic jam/doom-rock band The Mars Volta”.

Joshua Brunsting for Criterion Collection says of the film, “the premise is described as looking into the family’s “beautiful Latino traditions of misogyny and homophobia,” so the social satire/discussion should be absolutely brimming here”.  To have been listed by IFC Film and Criterion Collection’s as a “movie to see” is a big “sombrero off” to Omar Rodriguez-Lopez.

The “Playlist” review by Katie Walsh on blogs.indiewire.com states “the film was shot with a micro-budget and micro-crew in a Guadalajaran whorehouse and we've heard it bears a bit of an early John Waters-esque edge.”  (El Paso Times, maybe you can give Zahira Torres a creative assignment - this is big for El Pasoans to be honored like this). 

What I have learned from working on this movie "after party", is the brotherhood between Rodriguez-Lopez and Frontera Bugalu bassist Ramon Villa-Hernandez. The band’s next CD will be produced by Rodriguez-Lopez and his inclusion of the band in his movie premier, demonstrates the successful border hand of one brother pulling the other brothers (and sister) UP the creative ladder! Bien CHIDO! Looking forward to seeing the movie!

FRONTERA BUGALU  

At the request of Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Frontera Bugalu will be the featured musical group to perform at the official World Premiere film “after party”.  The “fiesta” will be at Sol y La Luna restaurant, owned by the amazing Nilda De La Llata, who will also be hosting the “Launch Party for Viva Latino” later in the week (with special performance by Patricia Vonne – sister of filmmaker Robert Rodriguez).  If you are in Austin, you just gotta be there to grasp all the energy this band produces.  You will find yourself toe tapping, hips swaying from left to right in a rumbia motion, then “cha, cha, cha”  and before you know it you are “boogaloo dancing” the night away!! You won’t regret going!

Frontera Bugalu will be doing the “making the band” musicians circuit (a “frontera Diddy” version) driving from El Paso to perform Friday night in Marfa, Texas playing at “Padres Marfa”  starting at 9 pm, then driving to San Antonio on Saturday for a four band “Boneshakers Baile” with “Los De Esta Noche”, “Jinete”, “Minimal” and “FRONTERA BUGALU”, then heading to Austin for a nap and then to support the film premier of fellow hermano Paseno Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, before heading out to their own showcase at Sol y La Luna starting at 8 pm to midnight (and then an after party ”menudo” in an undisclosed place on the Eastside wink, wink).

This is not the first time Frontera Bugalu plays in Austin.  They found themselves a gig off SXSW 2011 Music festival playing in the East Side of town, the neighborhood known as the Barrio of Austin. But much like when the “Punks” crossed over “Los Lobos from East LA” to the other side of the tracks, “Frontera Bugalu” will be crossing IH-35 and playing on the West Side of 6^th Street this year!

Their musical influences draw from “todo frontera” including the pioneers of Latino music in Texas: Fito Olivares, Flaco Jimenez, Rigo Tovar, Selena, Freddy Fender, Don Tostis, Esteban Jordan, Narciso Martinez, Sunny and the Sunliners, Lydia Mendoza, y otros.

Frontera Bugalu forming in 2009, consists of a group of talented and dedicated border musicians: Kiko Rodriguez Accordionist/vocals - Grisel Rodriguez Vocals- Fabio López Percussion - Mykoy Nelson Drums - Joel Osvaldo Piano - Adrian Perez Harp - Ramón Villa Bass.

Kiko Rodriguez, a dedicated musician and social justice activist fronts the band mastering the accordion and song writing, vocalist Grisel Rodriguez brings great vocals and incredible stage presence “boogaloo sassy”, harpest Adrian Perez is going to knock people over and the rest of the band deserve your attendance and attention!

Dr. Roberto Avant-Mier, University of Texas–El Paso provided this review of their self-titled CD:   “Frontera Bugalú stands to redefine El Paso’s music… and why not Ciudad Juárez and elsewhere? As music fans know, music doesn’t respect borders very much. “Bugalú,” or Boogaloo in English, is a reference to a late 1960s/early 1970s music scene in New York City in which Puerto Ricans, Cubans and other Latinos blended Latin music (cha cha chá, mambo and son specifically) with mainstream R&B, soul music, and even a little bit of rock ‘n’ roll. And although “Bugalú” has virtually disappeared as a music style, Frontera Bugalú declares what their music is, where it comes from, and that they’re very much in tune with music history.

Listen to Frontera Bugalú and you’ll hear a generation that was raised on rock music and rock en español, but who were also listening to the Latin music of their parents and grandparents. When I listen to it, I imagine young people from El Paso (Kiko Rodríguez, Louie Sarellano, Ramón Villa-Hernández, Jesús Güereca, Mykol Nelson, Joel Osvaldo) and New Mexico (Amalia “Te” Castro) who were rocking out with their friends and cousins back in the day, but who were also probably singing and dancing to cumbias and Mexican music at their family parties – you know, the ones where Span-glish is everywhere, that have beer at kids’ birthday parties to go with the huge brinca brinca in the yard, and where tíos and tías end up dancing until late. Yes, that kind of party!”  http://www.fronterabugalu.com/Discos.html

And it’s going to be that kind of party!!

Celebramos "Los Mas Chidos de la Frontera” en Austin!  

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez y FRONTERA BUGALU! 

(DJ (B-DFX) from El Chuco will be on hand to spin classic Latin music from Mexico and Latin America before and after their sets.)

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http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_7951310