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www.alfredoflores.net honored by photography award

www.alfredoflores.net honored by photography award
Named to Washington Life magazine's Hot List September 2010

Monday, February 04, 2008

Explosive!



written by Alfredo Flores

On Tap magazine February 2008



Molotov had separated, or so many were led believe. For much of 2007, the irreverent /rap/political/party/English/Spanish Mexico City band's Web site had little to say to refute or confirm the rumors, and their legions of fans from the Americas and Europe were left wondering if it was true. To add to the mystery, each of the group's four members released their own individual EPs in a self-proclaimed battle of the bands with fans voting for best song. But then in October, in typical sarcastic Molotov fashion, the band released "Eternamiente"—the translation a mix of eternal ("eternamente") and lie ("miente") — an album that combined these EPs."Ha, we were just messing with the industry, man," said bassist Paco Ayala from his Mexico D.F. home. "We really needed to separate so we can become isolated, to really focus on what themes we each wanted to cover. Each of us added our own flavor to the mix, and we're excited about the results of this experiment." Indeed. Molotov has never been afraid to push the envelope and has been one of the most eclectic rock bands ever to come out of Mexico since its 1997 debut "Dónde Jugarán Las Niñas." Lyrics critiquing the oppressive paternalism of the Mexican government, explicit sexual themes and raunchy lyrics (as well as a racy album cover of a Catholic school girl in a hiked up short skirt) almost got them banned from Mexico, and caused them to move to Spain for a short time. Hence the many comparisons to our Rage Against the Machine. They've also been compared to the Beastie Boys and the Red Hot Chili Peppers for their funk rhythms, booming bass rifts and controversial issues. The country has progressed since then and has become more accepting of their native sons, even if one member is originally from the U.S. — Louisiana-born drummer Randy "El Crazy Gringo" Ebright, son of a top-flight DEA agent in Mexico D.F. who is just happy his son is still alive at this point. Tito Fuentes is technically the lead singer/guitarist, but all four members contribute.Although their hits have incredibly catchy, head-bobbing and mosh pit-inducing beats, many are far more than just party songs. "Gimme Tha Power" stands up for the disenfranchised within Mexico ("Gimme all the power, so I can come around mess with someone"). "El Carnal de las Estrellas" protests the giant television network Televisa's refusal to air their music videos. "Frijolero," the band's biggest hit to date, which earned them one of their two Latin Grammys, decries the migratory problems between Mexico and the U.S. The song has the band portraying U.S. Border Patrol agents in a mocking gringo accent and Mexicans trying to make it across the Rio Grande ("Don't call me gringo, you f***in beaner, stay on your side of the goddamn river… Don't call me beaner, Mr. Masturbator, I'll give you a scare for being a racist and a coward.")Their latest hit "Yofo" is best known for its whistle-filled, sing-songy chorus "Yofo zafa fofo… alofo nofo cofo cofo!" a Mexican decoded slang not all too dissimilar to Snoop Dogg's "Fo Shizzle, with "yo" meaning "me," but when used in "yofo nofo" is translated into "me… no." While tough to understand or translate at times, their music has transcended language barriers. Molotov is playing predominantly in the heavily Hispanic-populated Southwest for their U.S. Tour, with DC being one of three stops on the East Coast. "We've always loved the diversity of the people in DC — all the different nationalities," said Ayala. "Whether they're Mexican or not, they can get into our punk music, get a little drunk, and have a great time."Molotov performs at the 9:30 Club Feb. 9, doors open at 9 p.m. General admission tickets are $25 and available at www.tickets.com. Information on Molotov available at http://www.molotov.com.mx/ and www.myspace.com/molotovoficial.

Get the Blues


written by Alfredo Flores

Photo Credit BMP

On Tap magazine February 2008
There's no such thing as an average day for Blue Man Group performer Wes Day. What looks like an extraordinary effort to look the part of a Blue Man is actually quite simple. First, he puts on a blue latex skull cap, some theatrical glue and blue face paint. Then he slips on a black jumpsuit, black shoes and blue gloves, and in 20 minutes he's a Blue Man. You too can be a Blue Man, the point of the Blue Man Group's latest effort, "How To Be A Megastar Tour 2.1," coming to the Patriot Center for two shows starting Feb. 9-10. But while looking the part is simple enough, being a Blue Man ain't easy — just ask some of Day's fellow Blue Men in other cities who have gone down on the job. Injuries range from carpal tunnel syndrome and broken wrists from repeatedly beating gigantic drums; to sprained ankles and knee injuries from lifting heavy backpacks, walking on the back of audience members' seats and performing on slippery surfaces. "It's a dangerous show, man, a lot of pain involved," said Day in an interview for On Tap. "It's pretty physical theater, but we need to do it since it's a very technical show." Indeed. There are many moving parts in a Blue Man show. In addition to playing unique tailor-made Blue Man instruments, like the huge PVC pipes, Airpoles, Piano Smasher mallet, and Aronophonic cymbals, Blue Men make a special effort not to break from their naïve mute characters. They stay focused while stage platforms whiz by their heads, paint flys out of their drums and they toss glow-in-the-dark marshmallows into each other mouths from across the stage. The premise of "How To Be A Megastar Tour 2.1" is simple: Take an audience member's credit card and "charge" $4,000 to order the manual on "how to become a rock star." Then follow steps such as bringing a guest vocalist onstage, perfecting the one-armed first pump, pelvic thrusts, raising the roof and other dance moves to deflect attention away from shortcomings in other areas, such as singing. Once the audience member becomes a "rock star," they must develop an iconic rock persona. One can start by altering their appearance in ways to help them stand out — "like playing around with lots of make up," Day said. You'll also need to work on your personality. If you do not have a lot of natural charisma, you can compensate with a descriptive name such as "The Edge," "Slash" or "Scary Spice." "The group inspires a lot of creativity," Day said. "It's kind of a tribal experience that just about everyone can get into. People have misconceptions of the show, and see it as some weird performance art, but when those same people actually come see us they find themselves laughing really hard."