Despite what the title of their latest record, Commercial, might lead you to believe, Los Amigos Invisibles have built their career on going against the grain. In an era when the musical landscape of their hometown of Caracas was ruled by rockers and salseros, a pack of homies (Catire, Mamel, Cheo, Maurimix, Armando, and Chulius) sought out the real underground and subverted the scene at large. Thus was born an honest interpretation of what they believed a Venezuelan dance band should sound like. It was the first of its kind.
The band blended sounds as diverse and far-flung as samba, acid jazz, disco, and funk with sharp and intelligent lyrics laced with a streak of wit bordering on hilarity, and layered it all over a foundation of electronica meant to keep fans moving. As for the title of their latest: a tongue-in-cheek poke at themselves for crafting uncommonly catchy tunes.
Fri., Feb. 26, 10 p.m., 2010