The legendary Bay Area continues to be a power-house of artistic production and a mecca of musical Latin American fusions on the West Coast.
History unveils a unique beauty that each decade by leaving its footprint with its genre or message. 2010 was a difficult year for Latinos regarding issues like immigration and unemployment, but even during these difficult times beautiful streams sprang up out of the labyrinth. There is no doubt that this year was one of the best for lovers of concerts and live music, and satisfied, we say goodbye to 2010, the end of this century’s first decade.
For all those who had the privilege of attending, for those who missed them and for those who did not even realize it, here goes a refresher about the best musical events in the neighborhood captured by CadejoVisión for WebosTV and El Tecolote.
Makrú and LoCura gave us a taste of the rhythms that will continue to set trends for the remainder of the year. Originally from the Mission, Makrú and LoCura combine flamenco, son, reggae and other genres with the diverse sound of the Bay Area. While both bands may share musical influences and even band members, they each have a unique and tasteful sound. For almost twelve consecutive months we had the privilege of seeing them live in several venues around the city including the Great American Music Hall, Slim’s, Independent, Revolution Café and MAPP.
The bands Cumbia Tokeson and Candelatio Dub formed after the separation of La Colectiva and Fuga. The already well-known band members create a distinctive sound as they combine dub, vallenato and son amongst other Latin American rhythms. Each Tokeson concert was well received by the public as audiences danced from begining to end. On various ocassions, we were delighted by Candelaria vocalist Stephani as she performed original songs and classics by Toto la Momposina and Andrés Landero.
Springtime arrived with the same intensity as previous months with Karla Lara. The Honduran singer performed twice in San Francisco to share a message of cultural resistance and raise consciousness through music. We enjoyed an intimate concert in the Salvadoran restaurant Sunrise. Two months later, she gave us a magical night at the Mission Cultural Center.
The year 2010 also gave us the privilege of witnessing two historic concerts with legendary Afro-Peruvian artists Susana Baca and Marina Lavalle. Baca made an appearance at the SF Palace of Fine Arts where she performed songs from her new album before it went on sale. Months later, Lavalle left the audience dancing, singing and wanting more after her performance at the Brava Theatre.
In the electronic music genre, Nortec Collective presented Bostich+Fusible as part of their promotional tour for their upcoming album titled, “Bulevar 2000.” The duo filled The Independent with energy as the audience jumped up and down to the rhythm of their electro-northern beats.
We also enjoyed the eclectic sound of DJ Juan Data throughout the year at venues, bars and during his initial performance at the Fobia and Celso Piña concert. For those familiar with DJ Data, Fobia and Celso Piña it is difficult to imagine them sharing a stage as they did at the Mezzanine. Fobia created a sense of nostalgia with their songs “Hipnotízame” and “Microbito.” Celso Piña reminded us that we must continue to sing and dance.
This was also a good year for Spanish hip-hop and rap. Shows by Reporte Ilegal, Rap-Squad and Wanako King in the Vulcan had a progressive message. Without a doubt we enjoyed ourselves amongst so much talent and diversity.
As for the rest of 2010, we still have several nights to enjoy the artistic diversity San Francisco has to offer. However, no concert will surpass that of Silvio Rodriguez. The significance of his concert is like no other. For the first time in more than thirty years, the Cuban singer stepped on American soil. After three decades of anticipation, Rodriguez delighted us with more than 20 songs over the course of two and a half hours. Amongst the songs played were “Ojalá”, “Unicornio Azul” and new material from his upcoming album, “Segunda Cita.”
The year 2010 arrived with a lot of movement and positive energy. The fact that we have so many cultural events in the city is a reflection of the diversity, and artistic infusion present in a city of only 7×7 miles. We thank the gods of music for bringing us great surprises. We hope that 2011 will be as eclectic and great as the Bay Area weather.
—Translation Gaby Arvizu