Albert Mata 09/05/2009 9:04:00 PM
I saw this article yesterday and I had to go to see this show myself after reading it. Partially because I am a fellow indie artist, waist-deep in the trenches of the local scene. Partially because I am familiar with the band "For The Record." I have seen them perform live (at Tobacco Road, UVA in Gables, South Beach, etc) and I have even done some shows with them. On more than one occassion their lead singer, Miss Maragaux Penichet, has gotten on stage with me and sung cameos with my band. So naturally, after reading this article I just had to go see what the "wear earplugs" reference by Miami New Times S. Pajot was all about.
Result: I am clueless.
Last night I watched For The Record do a set of extremely sexy pop-rock-jazz fusion. They are not hard rock, they are not loud, and they are not "ear-plugs needed." Their original songs had the audience clapping hands and moving in their seats. On occassion the bass player would pick up a horn or trombone and do these incredibly awesome jazz/blues solos that seemed to transport the entire room to another place and time all together. Miss Margaux herself, who looked as if she belonged atop a piano in a smokey jazz club, was swaying to the music with some extremely erotic moves. The guys in the crowd were howling.
Margaux's husky, breathy vocal style is sometimes remeniscent of Laura Branigan (if Laura sang the blues and jazz bit.) Her belted notes can ring out like an old school Dusty Springfield (if Dusty sang pop rock). And her low range, sometimes whispery and purr-like, can be slightly like a non R&B version of Toni Braxton. However, unlike Dusty or Toni, Margaux is from Miami and so she moves on a stage like a cross between Celia Cruz having a tantrum and The Divinyl's Crissy Amphlett touching herself. Sensuality comes in waves from the stage.
So last night the band performed an entire set that is not for the heavy rockers and is not for the collectors of thrash. The sound was more like a mellow, sultry Brazilian pop set that occassionally lifted up with Latin splashes of Rumba and Salsa. Electric guitar solos added a rock element to the overall sound which was similar to that of Santana in some licks. Horn solos by their extremely talented bassist conjured up images of old world blues and jazz. The show ended with a new song with lyrics in Spanish - something that I personally know is new territory for the band.
"Esto no se encuentra en la calle," Margaux purred into the mic, "Esto corre en la sangre!!" A few people got up and danced as the band hit some percussive accents that reminded of the old Lola Flores records that my mother would play while cleaning the house.
The night before (Thursday) I ran into Margaux and For The Record at UVA in Coral Gables. I was performing and I saw a few locals from the indie live music scene in my audience. Members of "Urban Fruit" where there along with members of "Pretty On Paper" and a few others. "For The Record" was there too. After my show, Margaux took the stage with her band. The crowd started dancing instantly. One girl even jumped up on stage with Margaux and the band and she began doing this tribal-looking Kumba-like dance that reminded me of the old Santero Circles of Miami's Little Havanna back in the 80s. Margaux took one look at the girl on stage with her and she immediately joined her in dance. It was actually quite a spectacle and a whole lot of fun. La Lupe would have been proud.
So Margaux and her band performed on both nights back to back, on Thursday and Friday, and I found both performances to be extremely good shows. It just goes to show that you cannot always believe what you read in the papers.
Now, on a personal note... as I said before I have gotten to know this band personally, I have worked with them on a few shows and I would just like to add this: Miss Margaux Penichet is not only a performer and an artist of Miami, but she is also an avid supporter of the local scene. When performing alongside other bands she never just leaves after her set, she always sticks around to watch and support the others. And when she is not performing with her own band, she is often attending an indie concert somewhere in the city, supporting her live music scene in what she calls "this deliciously eclectic city". In fact, Margaux is so enthusiastic about her Miami Music Scene that she recently busted her @$$ at a concert while dancing in front of a band. The fall was so severe that it resulted in her needing surgery and having to go on stage a week later to do a show with her leg in a cast. Now that is a dedicated artist!
I personally tip my hat to Margaux and For The Record. Furthermore, I think it is unfortunate that her very first time being mentioned in a local publication was this New Times piece by S. Pajot. What should have been a wonderful and thrilling moment for a young and striving indie artist in our scene was lessened by comments of "noise" and "earplugs." I encourage everyone out there to go out and see "For The Record" perform at least once and then form their own opinion of this band. If you can't make it out to a show, then allow me to bring the show to you. Below is a link where you will see Margaux and For The Record performing a cameo with me and my band. The performance was completely acoustic and unplugged (no fancy sound effects, no hiding behind reverbs, no auto-fixing pitch controls, just clean talent). Margaux sang lead and played guitar. The show was an effort to raise funds for BestBuddies.org - to help them send two more kids to their 2009 Leadership Conference. Thanks to Margaux and everyone that attended, the show was a success and the goal was met. Best Buddies Staff present at the event were all very grateful to us. The entire show was organized, performed, and run by us: your local indie artists of Miami. Enjoy...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8u5tW1NBAw&feature=channel_page
PS. As per S. Pajot's advice, please don't forget to keep the earplugs close by.....
.
