We Miami residents are damned lucky. We have a killer local music scene just bursting at the seams with ultra-talented groups that draw on the wellspring of myriad influences that come from being a melting pot.
There's a whole movement of bands here in Miami that meld sounds as far-reaching as reggae, cumbia, jazz, funk, hip-hop, R&B, rock and so much more, resulting in syntheses as unique as the individuals making up these acts.
Case in point: Bachaco.
We've made it no secret that we're big fans of their Latin-reggae hodgepodge. And if you've ever caught them live, you know how these guys can get a crowd going. Which is exactly why you're not going to miss tonight's show at Transit Lounge.
Crossfade recently got a chance to catch up with Bachaco frontman Eddy Morillo.
Crossfade: So, what's Bachaco been up to lately?
Eddy Morillo: These past few months, as you may already know, we've been working the release of our first single "Cumbia pa' la nena", making connections with DJs, connecting with radio stations that love independent music, promoters, all around the US. In December, we shot the video for "Cumbia pa' la nena" at Bougainvillea's with Cesar Rodriguez who is a Latin Grammy winner. The video is almost ready to be released any time soon. Although, we don't have a date yet. December also brought us a great opportunity, which will take us to our first West Coast Tour, we competed along with Elastic Bond, Xperimento and Arboles Libres on the Red Bull's Versiones contest. And on March 21 we'll be recording more music at the Red Bull Studio in Santa Monica, California.
All of these efforts have been very productive. We already got a busy year lined up ahead of us! In February we're going to Texas to prepare ourselves for SXSW, although we haven't been confirmed to the official lineup we are on a "maybe" list, and it's very possible that we end up with a showcase, so we are actually going in February 19th to Austin's favorite reggae venue, Flamingo Cantina, so we can connect with the local music community there and make sure our March promo tour through SXSW is even more productive.
In Miami, we have already confirmed a few very interesting shows like Jazid on February 26, Rhythm in the Park in Doral on March 4th and Carnival in the Mile on March 6th, UM Patio Jams and Bougainvillea on March 12th.
Are there any plans to put out an album?
We have for a while wanted to put out our first album, which is ready, but we're also waiting for the right opportunity to do so. There's no rush, although our more recent efforts seem to align right with that moment, so it's very possible we come up with our first album's official release soon. If you just can't wait, then you can come out to our shows. That's the only place you can get a copy of the full album. Otherwise, just download "Cumbia pa' la nena" from iTunes.
Tell us about some of the dates you guys are working on outside of the 305.
February 19th we have a date confirmed at Austin's favorite reggae club Flamingo Cantina, and that's just the beginning of what could be our biggest touring year. Last year, we did about 60 shows combined with our Argentina Tour, Miami and an East Coast tour. This year we're aiming at 150 dates minimum, including the west coast. The response outside so far has been amazing, so that's why we have already confirmed Fiesta Atlanta, a 50,000 person festival, on May 1st, and Hardee's Latin Festival at Virginia Beach on June 10. We may be doing the Austin Reggae Festival on April 16-17, and a very historical event on March 5th in Selma Alabama, that's the Selma Jubilee 2011, which is celebrated the first full weekend of every March to commemorate the right to vote and remember historic Bloody Sunday.
The last time you guys played Transit was absolutely nuts. What are you expecting this time around?
Well, it's been a long year and that was a very interesting show for us coming back from Argentina. We were very excited about what we experienced there. This time around we are expecting an even more energetic audience. The show is going to be indoors, so that will definitely allow us to connect with old and new fans on a more "intimate" level! On top of that the audience can expect more! The same director for our video, Cesar Rodriguez, will be VJing the entire show on a screen right behind us. Expect the show to be more visual!!
What do you think it is about your shows that gets the crowd going so much?
It's just the chemistry between all of us on stage. I read today somewhere online about how the vibe sometimes is more important than doing something right. You could be doing something so sharp and perfect but not feeling it--it happens often that I see bands or other musicians that make everything so perfect it's almost robotic--in our case there's room for error. That's life, there's room for improvisation, there's room for letting the vibe drive us, and that's what lets our audience connect with us. We truly connect with each other on stage, we enjoy it and at the same time, we feedback from the audience's response. We vibe along with our audience. I think that's key; it's that secret ingredient in a recipe only moms know.
Bachaco. Friday, February 4. Transit Lounge, 729 SW First Ave., Miami. The show starts at 9 p.m. and there's no cover. Call 305-377-4628 or visit transitlounge.us.
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