Outside Lands Festival Part II

As promised, here is some additional video from the festival, including more Aterciopelados (I mean, really, is there ever enough?) and Social Distortion!



I have a very soft spot in my punkera heart for Social Distortion, who like Bad Religion, have made it through so many obstacles as a band, including drugs, fame, more drugs, and the introduction of Hot Topic/suburbia faux punk such as Good Charlotte (only The Cure can pull off that much eyeliner, and they have earned it!). It was such a treat to get to see them at Outside Lands!



I loved sitting in the room I shared with my three sisters and listening to this song full blast. I realized later that our ball and chains that each dragged were very different and made of totally different issues and problems.



Social Distortion's version of "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash is one of the best covers ever.

Outside Lands Festival Part I

After much negotiating with myself, I decided to go to the Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco. The compromise that I made with myself was that I would only go to one day. I am so glad for the times that I can bring myself to agreement!

This year's Sunday line-up did not disappoint, on the contrary, it rocked so much, I felt it on the Richter Scale!

Here is some of the video I shot from that day of Aterciopelados and Al Green. I will post part II later today with more Aterciopelados and Social Distortion.



One main highlight from the festival is that I got to meet the amazing Andrea Echeverria, lead singer of Aterciopelados! She stayed for a while after their set greeting people, giving hugs (including to me!), signing autographs, kissing babies (literally), and just being her ephemeral and chill self. She also signed my favorite Deporten a la Migra shirt, which I can now never wear again, but its a sacrifice I am more than happy to make. This gives me a chance to support Liberation Ink, who print the Deporten a la Migra shirt!



I was so excited to see Al Green on the line-up. Come on, its Al Green! That man's music is probably responsible for so many children being conceived over the last 40 or so years.



His songs are sexy, timeless, and have so much energy. Also, the man can still move!

Aterciopelados keeps it flowing with Río

I finally got around to downloading the new Aterciopelados album Rio. The album contains thirteen songs that feature familiar Atercios sounds (a mixture of rock, electronic, and folk beats) as well as the predictable Atercios themes of peace, love, and Mother Earth. But lest one forget what it takes for peace and love to flourish on the planet, the eighth track, entitled “Bandera,” offers a reminder that the world’s social and spiritual ills exist within a political context.

"Bandera" - Los Aterciopelados

Quién dice cuál es la bandera que sobre un pedazo de tierra ondea
Quién decide quien tiene el poder de limitar mi caminar, dime quién

Quién dijo que un trozo de tela encierra las puertas y las fronteras
Quién me limita este mi planeta si soy tercermundista y empaco mis maletas

Cómo te vas a aprovechar de que no tengo papeles, de que soy ilegal
Mi trabajo humilde y tenaz vale lo mismo que el tuyo o quizá mas

(Who says which flag will wave over a piece of earth
Who decides who has the power to limit my path, tell me who
Who said that a piece of cloth closes the doors and the borders
Who limits this, my planet, if I’m from the third world and I pack my bags
How are you going to take advantage of the fact that I don’t have papers, that I’m illegal
My humble and tenacious work is worth the same as yours or perhaps more...)

Instead of being just another anti-border song (can there ever be enough?), "Bandera" is characterized by los Atercios’ global perspective. It’s refreshing to hear an anti-border song in a woman’s voice and in Andrea Echeverri’s root-deep tones no-less. It’s also a grounding listen in the face of this disturbing bit of news.

In case you haven’t seen it yet, here is the video from the album’s title song. The images of Echeverrí pregnant, the swimming baby, and the flow of city traffic give the impression that this song is not just about clean water but is a metaphor for larger-scale enfermedades both social and spiritual as well as structural. Rezos para el río indeed.

So many albums, so little wireless access

Yes, folks, I am currently in a limited wireless access situation, which means that I have totally L-A-G-G-G-E-D on downloading the slew of new albums by some of my favorite artists. Some of these albums I know I need to have (Julieta’s Unplugged) and others I am curious about (Beto Cuevas) and others are yet to be released (Aterciopelados). But the bottom line is, if you can get to them before me, you should. Here they are, my wishlist:

Julieta Venegas - MTV Unplugged (released in June)
Jaguares - 45 (released Sept 2)
Enrique Bunbury - Hellville De Luxe (released Sept 30 in Spain)
Beto Cuevas - Miedo Escénico (released Sept 30)
Volumen Cero - I Can See the Brite spot (released Oct 7)
Aterciopelados - Río (release date Oct 21)

In the meantime, check out Café Tacvba’s collaboration with Calle 13 on “No Hay Nadie Como Tú.” Like the song, enjoy the video, LOVE the Tacubos plunking and strumming away on their acoustic instruments as they groove!