As the sun fell and the night took over, Superfónicos lit up the outside stage at Mohawk on Saturday, April 13th.
The Austin-based Colombian Funk, Caríbe-Soul, and Cumbia-Rock outfit wasted no time in bringing the energy, with their seven members busting out all kinds of dance moves as they unleashed a brilliant show filled with melodic and percussive color. Lead vocalist Jaime Ospina expressed his gratitude to be performing, exclaiming how he felt comfortable speaking Spanish with the crowd as he shouted out his native Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia.
Photo by Abraham Vidal.
Later into their set, they played a cover of the Armando Hernández and Combo Caribe anthem “Loquito Por Ti,” which was dedicated to Ospina's wife, who was celebrating her birthday that day. They performed this classic with as much passion as their original material, and the crowd loved every minute of their 40-minute set, all the way to their stunning closer “Suelta.”
Superfónicos plan to release their upcoming album on July 19th with a show at The Continental Club the following day.
Photo by Abraham Vidal.
During the changeover, the stage became covered in colorful decorations, a sign of what was to come.
As the clock hit about 9:10, Aterciopelados came out in all their glory, with iconic lead vocalist Andrea Echeverri wearing one of her vibrant outfits that she is so widely known for. Anticipating their performance following the recently-released live rendition of their 1995 album “El Dorado,” the crowd immediately felt their power, with people of all ages jumping to the beat of “Cosita Seria” and belting the lyrics to “Baracunatana.”
Photo by Abraham Vidal.
My parents grew up with this band in Colombia, and as I was texting them in excitement to be a part of this cultural moment, it was very clear to see why they are among the most respected and influential acts in Latin Rock music. They even touched on some of their history, including Echeverri’s experience meeting fellow founding member Héctor Buitrago through his hardcore punk band La Pestilencia. One of my favorite moments was their cover of “En la Ciudad de la Furia,” a track by famed Argentine band Soda Stereo, which Echeverri once sang alongside them and their late frontman Gustavo Cerati. Wrapping up a set that had people on FaceTime with their family members as the band showed love to all of Latin America, they played their legendary song “Bolero Falaz,” and in that moment, I felt Colombia in Austin, Texas.
Closing with a well-deserved encore in which they expressed their gratitude to Austin, Aterciopelados were a must-see for all generations of Latin Rock music fans.
Photo by Abraham Vidal.
Photos by DJ Clandestino.
Shoutout to DJ Grafiter and DJ Natothee for joining us.
Lastly, a warm thank you to our friends at Resound Presents for having us.