On Friday, opening up The Night Running Tour was none other than L.A. based rock-band, Starcrawler. For those of you who don't know, it is fronted by Arrow de Wilde, who is truly an embodiment of "rock n' roll", Henri Cash (guitar), Tim Franco (bass), and Austin Smith (drums).  

As soon as she took the stage, she had all eyes on her. For people that have seen Starcrawler before, they know about Arrow's rock antics while first timers are like "what is going on?" At one point a concert-goer turned to me and asked, "does she always do the blood thing?" "You, know, its kind of her thing", I replied. As someone that has seen Starcrawler before, watching them is always a treat. It's so refreshing to see a band like them in today's music world. It was also nice to see that the lamb on the speaker still follows them on tour. 

The band really got the crowd started for what was an incredible night. They played their hits: "Pet Cemetery", "Chicken Woman", "I Love LA" and more. For such a young band, they truly seem like they have been in the "game" for years. It's fantastic to see how much Henri and Arrow play off of each other's energy and truly make the audiences engage whether they are familiar with their music or not. The set was so good, that it felt so short. 

If you are reading this and haven't listened to them, I really recommend that you check them out. Links are:
www.starcrawlermusic.com
www.instagram.com/starcrawler/?hl=en

Cayey Cicada is a bilingual indie-pop artist that magically blends different genres in his music. The name itself is an homage to Puerto Rico (his birthplace). That helps him represents himself in the music industry, especially in the culture mix of L.A. Cayey Cicada is getting ready to release his second EP in the wintertime, but in the meantime he released his latest single: Vuelo. This brings me to the lovely conversation I had with him last week where we talked about his music and musical influences.

"Vuelo comes from a poem my brother wrote." He said that he asked his brother for permission and modified a few things, added music to it, and it became Vuelo. It truly is a trans/indie/electronic-type song that is chill, but also leaves you feeling good. The process behind it is evident.  

"Lots of beats. The new EP will have a lot of Lo-fi, rock, and synths." He also mentioned that for the EP, other genres present  like salsa, reggae, and jazz amongst others. What fun! 

I asked him what motivated him to become a musician and at what point he felt that it was a necessity. "I discovered music so late. I was in my second year of college. I was 21 when I truly discovered music. A friend of mine was playing "Vagabundo" by Draco Rosa on the guitar and I felt it. My dad, my parents in general, were not too happy with this decision at first."  It's amazing that even though discovering music "late" , it has lead him in this wonderful music journey.  

We also talked about the impact of music and the impact his he hopes his music will have. He mentioned that he wants to transcend, which also happens to be his favorite word. "My music will be a message of transcendence." He also feels like he has grown with this musical process and with that in mind, I also asked him what his biggest musical influences have been. He responded with people like Bob Marley and Gustavo Cerati amongst other music legends. Such good musical influences. 

If you are reading this, don't under estimate the power of music. Please go check out Cayey Cicada! 

Last week I got an opportunity to have a phone interview with the sweet Macaco and we talked a bout his latest album, "Civilizado Como Los Animales," which includes features by Monsieur Periné, Jorge Drexler, and Visitante amongst others. The album is great both musically and lyrically! Macaco is an artist that is very in tune with what is going on.

As he mentioned during our conversation, these are all collaborations that came about naturally whether it was agreed upon or via friendship or because it's someone he admires. He made a point of saying that he likes collaborating with people that are "open-minded". Everything about this album seems genuine and very in the style of Macaco (yes, he has been making music for a long time and it is definitely Desert of My Eye approved). Macaco also mentioned that this 13-song album has been some time in the making. "It's the mixing of many genres." Like he said, it includes elements of flamenco, folklore and so much more. He really makes a point of why it's important to experiment with different genres. 

I asked Macaco what his biggest lesson has been regarding music, considering he has been in the game since 1997. "Us musicians can make a change. It's a lesson that never stops." Despite the light-heartedness of the conversation, Macaco is serious when it comes to his music and the impact he can have on people.

That same impact is what lead me to ask him about his "MOVING" environmental project that he has with National Geographic. I asked him about what inspired him to make that project and what small changes can one make regarding their own habits. He answered in such a wise manner, "It's urgent. Any change is good whether small or big. It's about changing habits and creating a dialogue. Recycle. Separate trash. Talk about it. It's important to pressure politicians. It's very real. We are a plague to this Earth. It's our only home and we need to take care of it. We are fragile and so is Earth. Just remember the dinosaurs are gone too and it was once their home." I got chills. It's true. Climate change is very real and it's amazing when musicians use their platform to speak about it. I really urge people to take a time and reflect on those Earth-damaging habits. Not only that, but I urge dialogue as well. 

Macaco was such a delight to talk to as much as it is to listen to his music. I added his latest video release to date below. Check it out! Enjoy and reflect. 'Til next time. 

Although the title is meant to be ironic, it is not far from the truth! Last time I wrote on here was to say that the Huevos Revueltos Tour was coming to Las Vegas. As you may guess, it already did. It was fantastic, it was marvelous and I'm here to tell you all about it. Enanitos Verdes and Hombres G prove time after time why they are legends. 

The venue was packed and it made me excited to see people of all ages. Everything about the start was great, even the pre-show music! Shortly after 8:30 the lights dimmed only to shine brightly and reveal both bands on stage starting to sing "Voy A Pasarmela Bien" and everyone got up and started singing. If that does not indicate "this is going to be a fun night" then I don't know what does. 

After such an uplifting start, the bands slipped into a number of ballads in which the crowd swayed back and forth in a sing-along fashion. It's funny because at one point the lady in front of me said, "what year are these from?" 80's and 90's of course! 

Soon after that the bands (switching on and off and/or singing each others songs) they amped up the energy again by singing hits like "Cordillera", "Te Quiero" and "Marta Tiene Un Marcapasos" "Marta Tiene Un Marcapasos" even had the lyrics displayed on the screen behind the band so the crowd could literally chant it only to have the band sing it back! It was so much fun. The best part, however (for me), was seeing older generations singing and reminiscing on their youths. It just shows how impactful both bands were! 

All that was topped with two incredible encores filled with their biggest hits including "Lamento Boliviano", "Devuelveme Mi Chica", and "Tu Carcel". It was the cherry on top. I definitely recommend people check it out! 

This Friday the legendary Enanitos Verdes and Hombres G are coming to the Hard Rock in Las Vegas! Both these bands are legends of Rock en Español and if you have not heard them by now, I definitely recommend that you give them a listen! If you are not sure whether you have listened to either band and they seem familiar, I can almost guarantee that you've heard them at a bar or a house party (at least this is the case for many living in the Southwest.)

Enanitos Verdes is an award-winning Argentinian band and is one of the most influential rock-pop bands of LatinoAmerica. Their music strikes a chord with anyone regardless of their age. They were a classic while growing up for many people, especially their song "Lamento Boliviano". They are a band that continue inspire countless other bands and definitely continue to be relevant in pop-rock culture. Hombres G, on the other hand, is a Spanish band that was very prominent in the 80s and 90s. And also like Enanitos Verdes, they continue to be very influential and just fantastic! 

Last year, I had the opportunity of seeing the Huevos Revueltos tour  in Ciudad Juárez and it was so much fun. It is a show for all ages and both bands play all their classic hits including: "Devuelveme Mi Chica" and "Luz  De Dia".  It was both nostalgic for me and my mother whom I took with me. I remember turning to her and singing all the songs and seeing her so happy because Hombres G (in particular) was a band that she grew up listening to. It is thanks to her that I grew up listening to Enanitos Verdes and Hombres G. The crowd was just great and so engaged. Also, the transition from one band to the other was just delightful. It's the collaboration you didn't know that you needed.  

​Upcoming dates: 
Friday, June 7, 2019 - LAS VEGAS, NV- The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel
Saturday, June 8, 2019 - SAN DIEGO, CA - Viejas Arena
Tuesday June 11, 2019 - SAN ANTONIO, TX - Majestic Theatre
Wednesday, June 12, 2019 - DENVER, CO - Paramount Theatre
Friday, June 14, 2019 - LOS ANGELES, CA - STAPLES Center
Saturday, June 15, 2019 - SAN JOSE, CA - SAP Center at San Jose
Tuesday, June 18, 2019 - ATLANTA, GA - Coca-Cola Roxy
Wednesday, June 19, 2019 - SILVER SPRING, MD - The Fillmore Silver Spring