The tour's titular album, released in April this year, sees the six-piece deliberately breaking free of the formulas that brought them success on previous releases. "We recorded our first three albums at Sonic Ranch in Texas, and those sessions were incredible but very intense," recalls lead singer Gregorio "Goyo" Degano. "You're under pressure; Arcade Fire recorded there the week before us. It was very professional, but also a little rigid. For Vándalos we wanted to go back to something more like a playground, with friends and family around, where we could experiment and make mistakes."
Beyond the shift in setting, as a conscious way to further break free from their old routines, the band also shook things up with their production team, bringing on 27-year-old producer Fermín Ugarte, best known for his work with Dillom."Fermín likes to 'do things wrong,'" Degano says with a laugh. "We needed that. We had become too predictable, even for ourselves. Working with him was risky, because he was younger and less experienced, but it was refreshing and paid off."
Not all of the risks were intentional though. The album ended up being recorded with three different drummers due to scheduling and personal challenges, a move that could have easily fractured the record's cohesion. "It was a big risk," Goyo admits. "But in the end, it added a different vibe to some songs without losing the overall spirit."
For the musicians, experimentation hasn't just been about their sound but also about how to thrive as a team. Since the pandemic, the band has strategically used group therapy as a crucial part of their process. "We're a band of friends, with two pairs of brothers. That closeness can be a strength, but it can also mean crossing lines when you argue," says the singer. "Therapy gave us the tools to work through those moments and stay healthy as a group."
The idea was sparked after they watched a Metallica documentary, which showed the legendary rockers touring with a therapist. At first, the concept felt foreign. "We laughed about it, like, 'imagine us doing that?' But then one of our members decided to stop drinking, and it was really hard to tour in an environment where every venue hands you beer with your water," Degano explains. "Therapy became essential. At first, it felt taboo to talk about. But soon other bands were asking for our therapist's number or telling us how they'd been doing it for years. It showed us that being open about this can actually save careers and friendships."
That self-awareness is evident in many aspects of how they operate, including decisions on when to slow down on the touring and make room for mental health. Even their name came from an accident that they learned to embrace: When a soundman misheard "los chicos" as "los chinos" during an early gig, what started as a joke became their permanent identity. "We argued about it at first," Degano recalls. "But eventually we recognized that it added a bit of curiosity when people first encountered us, and maybe sucked them in more than they would have been otherwise."
This philosophy of taking things as they come helped them navigate their first U.S. tour in 2023, which ended up exceeding expectations. "We thought we'd only see Argentinians at our shows, but in every city we found Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, kids whose parents grew up listening to Gustavo Cerati. It showed us the music was reaching people beyond borders," says Degano."Therapy gave us the tools to work through those moments and stay healthy as a group."
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When asked about starting this new tour in Miami, Goyo highlights the city's natural connection to Argentina. "Miami has such a big Argentinian community, and people here sing every word to our songs," he says. "It feels like the right place to begin, with the energy of our people giving us a strong start."
Fans can also expect a show that feels darker and more nocturnal compared to their past tours. With Ugarte now on stage as a guitarist and synth player joining the core members (Goyo Degano (vocals), Iñaki Colombo (guitar), Matías Verduga (drums), Nicolás Rodríguez del Pozo (bass), Salvador Colombo (keyboard), Tomas Verduga (guitar)), every song has been rearranged, giving their live set a new tone. "If our old show felt like sunset, this one feels like the night," Degano says. "But it's still Bandalos, it still has our brightness and energy underneath everything."
For Bandalos Chinos, the road continues upward, one risk, one reinvention, and one accomplishment at a time. On September 18, Miami Beach gets the first glimpse of where that road leads next.
Bandalos Chinos. 7 p.m.Thursday, September 18, at the Miami Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 786-453-2897; miamibeachbandshell.com.Tickets cost $54.98 via eventim.us.
