PHOTO STORY

Los Amigos Invisibles Bring the Funk to 9:30 Club

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town

The seemingly tireless Los Amigos Invisibles are constantly touring the globe. Venezuelan band Los Amigos Invisibles play a blend of disco, acid jazz and funk mixed with Latin rhythms.Their 2003 masterpiece, “The Venezuelan Zinga Son, Vol. 1,” was nominated for the Latin Grammy for best Alternative Latin Album.Their album “Superpop Venezuela” was also nominated for a Grammy in 2007. Los Amigos Invisibles' new album, “Commercial” is their first non-independently released album in their nearly 20-year career. “Commercial” features the hit single “Mentiras,” a track in which the band members try to convince their wives it wasn't them in racy pictures of SOMEONE getting drunk with fans after a show.

ARTS & EVENTS

Conscious In the Club: Common

Written by Washington Post Express contributor Alfredo Flores

YOU'D THINK THAT that playing a heroic futuristic soldier in the "Terminator: Salvation" blockbuster would be the highlight of Common's summer. But mention the upcoming Rock the Bells hip-hop festival he's about to be part of, and the calm and cool rapper becomes super geeked-out. "Oh, man! It's funny, every year they have Rock the Bells, I wish I was on tour [with it] because I've always felt it was such a great ticket," said Common during a break from filming the Steve Carell-Tina Fey comedy "Date Night." Rock the Bells — named after the LL Cool J classic — started out as a West Coast festival in 2004. But after its impressive debut, and a documentary that captured the chaotic efforts to get all of the Wu-Tang Clan onstage, filmed months before the untimely death of Ol' Dirty Bastard, the festival went global. Acts ranging from established superstars to reunited bands of hip-hop's past to new artists bring messages as diverse as they are: some hardcore, some pop and many who share Common's belief that hip-hop be used as an avenue to discuss socially relevant issues. In this "socially conscious" rap, artists sometimes sacrifice commercial success to speak their minds. "Guys like the Roots or Busta Rhymes — those are all people I really respect and love," said Common. "I can definitely relate, and I dig a lot of what they bring — uplifting and inspired tunes. Rock the Bells keeps the tradition of what we know hip-hop to be." For his latest creation, he pays homage to the "Planet Rock"-type funk music from the likes of Afrika Bambaataa in arguably his most club-banging track to date, "Universal Mind Control" (UMC) from the album of the same name. He enlisted the help of groovemasters and producers the Neptunes to create this futuristic reinvention of a party jam. "During a time when there's so much trouble, you want people to just let go, feel better about themselves," said Common. "That's what the goal was. It's paying homage to the early days of hip-hop." Common has never been shy to show his dexterity and take on different genres. This is apparent in his fascination with jazz, soul and R&B. "I'm a seeker; I go out and seek and learn as much music as I can," Common said. "Whether it's Earth, Wind and Fire, Pink Floyd, I go out and dig into the music and get inspired by new things." » Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, Md.; Sun., July 12, noon, $51-$101; 800-551-7328.

PHOTO STORY

Tego Calderon brings Latin Hip-Hop to Fur

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town

Puerto Rican rapper Tego Calderón is nicknamed "El Abayarde," referring to a ghetto on the island of Dominican Republic. Calderón's 2003 album "El Abayarde" made him a major Latin star. In addition to Latin rap, Calderón's also made songs that are considered "pure" reggae, like his hit 2006 single "Chillin'." Calderón has received a Source Award from The Source Magazine for International Artist of the Year, as well as a Tu Música award. The artist has also received several awards nomination, including a Latin Grammy, Billboard Award, Premios Lo Nuestro and Premios La Gente.

Photos: Anthony Hamilton and Musiq @ Constitution Hall

Posted by Alfredo Flores, Washington City Paper on Jun. 23, 2009, at 10:46 am

Anthony Hamilton is a trooper. While many performers have canceled performances because of illness or fatigue, Hamilton hobbled on one leg for the majority of his soulful 45-minute set played to a sold-out crowd at D.A.R. Constitution Hall on Friday evening.

The R&B singer injured his left knee recently, but barely took advantage of the cane or crutches his stagehands implored him to use. Instead, he favored his right leg, danced as gracefully as a one-legged person could, and even got a dozen or so females to join in on stage for a rendition of “Sista Big Bones” set to the theme from TV’s “Fat Albert”. The North Carolina native made the song his own by ad-libbing and asking a few of the plus-sized ladies in attendance to join him on stage. Hamilton showed them his appreciation by coyly singing “Sista thickness/Get down wit the quickness/Hope you won’t forget this/Put me on ya gift list.”

After all of that hopping around, Hamilton, nattily dressed in a gray suit, sat down and busted out the love ballads “Her Heart” and “Prayin’ for You.” He then rose to his feet (or rather, his foot) to close the set with “Charlene,” a slow jam about heartbreak, and the uplifting “Cool.”

Headliner Musiq stuck to the fun, groovy tracks that have made him a star. He was backed by an all-female five piece band—which included scene-stealing drummer J Latoiya—and two female dancers. The deviation from the predominately male backup bands that dominate R&B provided the sort of funky ’70s feel that Musiq favors.

Musiq’s set was loaded with feel-good tracks like “Whoknows” and “Girlnextdoor,” and ended with his song about friendship leading to romance, “B.U.D.D.Y. Its chorus showed the singers playfulness: “I can’t lie/It would be fly/If you were my B-U-D-D-Y/Don’t be shy/Give it a try/I could be yours if you could be mine.”

Tags: Anthony Hamilton, Constitution Hall, DAR, Musiq

PHOTO STORY

Amadou and Mariam Bring Afro-Pop Fun to Birchmere

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town

Amadou (right) and Mariam -- who met at an institute for the blind -- infuse traditional Malian sounds with rock guitars, violins, trumpets, trombones, tablas and various percussion instruments. They have been dubbed “the blind couple of Mali.” They met at Mali’s Institute for the Young Blind, where they found they shared the same passion for music.

ARTS & EVENTS

Human Cartoon: Comedian Gabriel Iglesias

Written by Washington Post Express contributor Alfredo Flores

GABRIEL IGLESIAS IS like a human cartoon. He switches among characters he's met at a breakneck speed — anyone from racist Southern cops, mean Irish bartenders, his lively Mexican-American friends and family, California Valley Girls near his hometown of Long Beach, and suave D.C. tour guides. He also sports loud Hawaiian shirts and even has nicknames like Picachu and Fluffy. Oh, and he's easily excitable, letting out his trademark high-pitched squeal at the sight of a dozen Krispy Kremes, and sensually discusses chocolate cake over the phone with his girl (disturbingly similar to phone sex). The 2006 Comedy Central comedian of the year has made the late-night television circuit (appearances on "The Tonight Show," "The Late Late Show" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live"), was infamously booted off NBC's "Last Comic Standing" that year (he jokes, "I was the first Mexican deported on national TV"), and his one-hour special "2 Hot 2 Fluffy," debuts on Comedy Central in October. » EXPRESS: Why "fluffy"? » IGLESIAS: My mom called me that; sure beats the hell out of "fat." I then created the five levels of fatness and I've adapted that for my online clothing store for plus-sized people [fluffyshop.com]. There, you can get the big, the "healthy," the "husky," the "fluffy" and the "Damn!" I've recently added a sixth level called the "Oh, hell, no!" [size 6XL]. I've lost a few pounds, so I'm between a husky and a fluffy. » EXPRESS: You open up the floor after your shows for audience questions. What do they ask? » IGLESIAS: I sometimes feel like a comedy mariachi, because instead of people asking me something personal about my life, I usually get joke requests. "Talk about chocolate cake; do corn on the cob; do Donkey [from 'Shrek']!" It's cool, because some people want to hear old jokes, but my new tour will feature 100 percent new jokes. » EXPRESS: What's up with the Hawaiian shirts? » IGLESIAS: Well, regular shirts get uncomfortable when you sweat a lot, and since I get pretty animated during the shows, it's kind of a workout. That, and I couldn't find clothes my size, so I always ended up wearing this, or some messed up T-shirt from some band I don't like, a Budweiser shirt I didn't want to wear just because Big and Tall carried it. Plus, when I went to Hawaii, everyone looked like swollen Mexicans. I felt at home. » EXPRESS: Now, with another TV special, are you too hot or too fluffy? » IGLESIAS: Both! A sense of humor is the way to go, and it's definitely worked out for me. Nowadays, if I'm in a room with two guys that just left the gym and have been going there for a long time, I'll still get more attention, which I think is pretty cool. » Warner Theatre, 513 13th St. NW; with Martin Moreno, Noe Gonzalez; Fri., June 12, 8 p.m., $32.50; 800-551-7328. (Metro Center)

PHOTO STORY

Washington Humane Society’s Bark Ball

Photo Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix

The Washington Humane Society’s 22nd Annual Bark Ball was held on Saturday, June 6 2009 at the Washington Hilton. The Bark Ball drew many of the D.C. area's most illustrious residents...and their human owners too. Dogs that attended the Bark Ball dined in style and enjoyed gourmet dog treats provided by Barkley Square Gourmet Dog Bakery & Boutique. The event included a VIP reception, dinner and an extensive silent auction featuring jewelry, luxury items, hotel stays, restaurant gift certificates and travel packages. The Washington Humane Society is the only open-access shelter in the nation’s capital and provides comfort and care to more than 20,000 animals each year through its broad range of programs and services.

CD Review

Jim Gaffigan
King Baby

On Tap magazine June 2009
http://www.jimgaffigan.com

Jim Gaffigan is the epitome of the lazy man, and to a certain extent, we can all be guilty of following in his footsteps. We’ve all had times when we were just too lazy to do anything, sleeping in late on the weekends, but Georgetown grad Gaffigan takes it one step further. In his latest comedy CD — "King Baby," which also debuted recently on Comedy Central — he jokes that he can’t be bothered to clean bottles before recycling them, quipping at his wife, "I haven’t showered yet. Maybe I should wash myself before I wash the garbage?" Another ode to laziness—he hires a legal team to read his lengthy legal documents. "How much do you charge? $500. An hour. That seems reasonable. Just make sure I’m not giving away a kid or anything." -- Alfredo Flores

ARTS & EVENTS
Boys Will Be Boys: Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna in 'Rudo Y Cursi'
Written by Washington Post Express contributor Alfredo Flores
Photo by Ivonne Venegas

ARE YOU RUDO or Cursi? Are you the stern, serious type, or the carefree one who falls in love with every woman he meets? "Rudo y Cursi" is the latest project by Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Carlos Cuaron. The film reunites him with his producer brother Alfonso Cuaron and film stars Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna for the first time since "Y Tu Mama Tambien," a 2001 global phenomenon. Here, the Cuaron hermanos have made a film by brothers for brothers, about a sibling rivalry between two humble soccer-playing banana-plantation workers from rural Mexico who rise to futbol fame in the big city, and a hilarious journey along the way. We talked to Carlos Cuaron, 33, about the film in a one-on-one interview in Spanish. » EXPRESS The characters in this film are opposite of the roles Gael and Diego played in "Mama." Why? » CUARON During the press tour of "Mama," I told Diego and Gael, separately, about my concept, and they both wanted to play Cursi. The only problem was that originally there was just one character and two actors, so I created Rudo. Their initial reaction was Gael saying he was a Rudo, and Diego, Cursi. But I told them I don't want make "Y Tu Mama Tambien 2." I wanted something distinct, something new that was different from their natural personae. » EXPRESS Could you have done this movie without them? » CUARON No, because there's a unique chemistry between those two that you can see on the big screen. They've known each other since they were infants, and something very crazy and special happens when they're together.» EXPRESS How did you come up with the character names? » CUARON Alfonso and I were on a family vacation at the Grand Canyon. I was wearing this blue Australian-type hat, and, looking out at the canyon when two little gringo brothers, one about 12, the other 11, said to each other — "Hey, do you think that guy looks tough?" The other, "Nah, he looks corny." And I was like, "Oh, my God. Here I am at 20 years old trying to figure out who I am, and these two little punks define me to perfection in one instance in the Grand Canyon." When I was deciding on names for this project, this was a perfect fit, like a ring on a finger. Posted By Express at 12:00 AM on May 14, 2009. Tagged in Arts & Events , Film , Weekend Pass

PHOTO STORY

Ball on the Mall

Photo Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix

The L’Enfant Society hosted its inaugural Ball on the Mall Friday, May 8 and raised $150,000 for the Trust for the National Mall’s efforts to restore the National Mall. The Ball was held in the heart of the Mall, offering spectacular nighttime views of both the Washington Monument and the Capitol. The Trust for the National Mall was established in 2007 as a public-private partnership and is the official fundraising partner to the National Park Service. The Mall has over 25 million annual visitors and over 30 years of neglect have left a deferred maintenance budget of $350 million. The Trust estimates that the park needs an additional $100 million in visitor improvements.

PHOTO STORY

Southern Rockers Kings of Leon Perform at Patriot Center

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town

Southern rock outfit Kings of Leon performs at the Patriot Center. The southern rock outfit Kings of Leon is comprised of the brothers Caleb (guitar), Nathan (drums), and Jared Followill (bass). While traveling across America's heartland during the late '80s and '90s with their evangelist father, the Kings of Leon boys listened to the Rolling Stones and Neil Young. Taking Leon from the names of their father and paternal grandfather, the Followill family formed the Kings of Leon band in 2000 and added cousin Matthew to the group. Kings of Leon have toured across North America and the United Kingdom coinciding with the release of Youth and Young Manhood in summer 2003.In 2004 the Kings of Leon reunited with producer Ethan Johns and began work on their follow-up. Aha Shake Heartbreak was released in Europe later that year, and in the United States in February 2005. Kings of Leon followed in 2007 with the darker, more expansive Because Of The Times.Kings of Leon gave thanks to the opening band The Walkmen -- whose members all, but one, attended St. Albans School in D.C., calling them “one of our favorite bands.”

PHOTO STORY

Pitbull Brings Miami Crunk to Ibiza Nightclub

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town

Pitbull brought his mix of Miami bass, reggeaton, and crunk to the sold-out crowd at Ibiza nightclub in D.C. "Culo" was the track that received the biggest roar from the crowd, Pitbull proclaiming his love for the female posterior through song and gyrations.The overwhelming majority of Pitbull’s track record involves the booty, and various body parts of the fairer sex, but not that there’s anything wrong with that. During his concert, Pitbull revealed his latest project—the vibrant “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho),” his first with the Ultra dance music record label.Dance music is a natural progression for Pitbull. His dance-friendly grooves have been a staple in the Miami nightclub scenes for well over a decade (not many MC’s—English or Spanish-speaking, and he’s both, can claim that).Pitbull was friendly with the audience—hugging females, high-fiving fellas, and even helping himself to a giant swig from a bottle of Grey Goose from one of the guys in the V.I.P. section to the left of the stage. Pitbull, a.k.a. "Mr. 305," was in good spirits throughout. During the chorus of “Toma” had the crowd sing along to “Oye Loca! Ven pa’ca, come here.”

PHOTO STORY

Fonseca Performs at the Black Cat

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town

Latin Grammy winner Fonseca recently performed at the Black Cat. The Colombian singer's style is a blend of vallenato and cumbia, two traditional and popular forms of Colombian music. Fonseca won a Latin Grammy for his hit song "Te Mando Flores" in 2006 and an MTV Latin America Tongue award for his video "Como me Mira" in the same year. See photos of the show at the Black Cat.

PHOTO STORY

Fall Out Boy and 50 Cent rock the house at Merriweather Post Pavilion

Photo Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix

Bringing together one of the best in alternative rock and many up and coming bands of that genre, as well as one of the biggest hip hop stars on the planet—50 Cent and others opened for Fall Out Boy in the FriendsOrEnemies.com Believers Never Die Part Deux Tour stop at Merriweather Post Pavillion. 50 Cent rose to fame with the release of Get Rich or Die Tryin’ in 2003 and The Massacre in 2005—both albums going multi-platinum, selling over 20 million copies combined. Throughout his set 50 showed off his swagger, walking with a limp, and getting the crowd hyped by raising his arms up in unison with G-Unit’s Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo, who performed with him. The Grammy-nominated pop punk band Fall Out Boy hail from suburban Chicago, as evident by the security guards/drummers dressed in Chicago S.W.A.T. team uniforms—and had their biggest success in 2005 with Under the Cork Tree, which won several awards and has achieved double platinum status after selling more than 2.5 million albums in the United States alone. Cobra Starship dressed in bright neon clothing and with signs that read “Get Awesome”—mix alternative rock and pop punk with electronic sounds (synthesizer and keytar). All Time Low, a local band from Timonium, MD wore all black and were signed to Hopeless Records in 2006 while still in high school! ATL had very strong independent albums in 2006 and 2007, and their highly-anticipated album Nothing Personal comes out in July ’09.

Photos: Ximena Sariñana @ the 9:30 Club

Posted by Alfredo Flores, Washington City Paper on Apr. 24, 2009, at 10:30 am

Ximena Sariñana—a jazz-pop sensation in her native Mexico—performed a soulful set at the 9:30 club earlier this week. She sang exclusively in Spanish, but charmed the crowd between songs, speaking in English and explaining what each upcoming song was about and what it meant to her.

Although the 23-year-old Sariñana has performed in D.C. before-she appeared at a private event in Washington last year-she seemed slightly bashful in front of the 9:30 crowd. She often closed her eyes while performing hits such as “Mediocre,” “La Tina,” and “Normal,” and played the ukulele, kazoo, and tambourine.

Her voice was impressive and wowed the crowd, which was made up of many young fans, many from Latin America, and a few gray-haired folks who seemed to appreciate the new rock music twist on jazz. Xime closed her set with the smash hit “Vidas Paralelas,” which is about two ex-lovers who often think of each other, wondering what the other is up to, while they live separate, yet parallel, lives.

ARTS & EVENTS

Come Fly With Them: Cobra Starship

Written by Washington Post Express contributor Alfredo Flores

IT'S TOUGH TO take a band seriously when it launches its career by singing the theme for the novelty flick "Snakes on a Plane," and its members wear neon-colored clothes from the '80s and perform before two giant screens that say "Get Awesome." But that's exactly how pop-punk band Cobra Starship likes it. "We like to party a lot, so we like to make music we would party to," said Cobra bassist Alex Suarez. "We don't take it too seriously, because we've all been in bands where they took it very seriously. Music should be fun and be awesome. There you go." The band's new CD, the Patrick Stump (of Fall Out Boy)-produced "Viva La Cobra!," is an ode to all they like (sex, partying, drinking) and like to make fun of (plastic surgery, celebrities' decadent lifestyles). The eclectic, dance-friendly rock track "Smile for the Paparazzi," Cobra's ode to those who do everything they can to get close to celebrities, mocks the celeb-hungry with a snide chorus. "People who are famous for balling, it's just a phenomenon," said Suarez. "We laugh at all of it." The lighthearted fivesome are nothing if not inventive, their lyrics — backed by groovy electro-hooks — are quirky with lines like "Girl, I dig your fanny pack" (in "Damn You Look Good and I'm Drunk [Scandalous]"), "Playtime for the young and rich … designer drugs for designer friends" ("The City Is at War"), and "If the world is ending, I'm throwing the party" ("Guilty Pleasure"). Officially, the band's name came from what was on the back of one of Cobra frontman Gabe Saporta's vintage jackets, but unofficially he was tripping on peyote when a cobra bit him and told him to tell emo kids to stop pouting. He indeed took a drastic turn from the darker, moodier music of his former punk band, Midtown. Cobra's live shows reflect the band members' carefree nature. They put their "fangs up" (index and middle finger curled to form fangs) and dance, and even have a rocking keytarist in Victoria Asher. "What would be more authentic ['80s] than a keyboard you can play like a guitar?" said Suarez of the keytar. "Plus, it looks really sweet and seems to bring the fans closer to the stage, shaking their booty." » Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, Md.; with Fall Out Boy, All Time Low, 50 Cent, Hey Monday; Sat., Apr. 25, doors open 5 p.m., $36; 202-265-0930.

ARTS & EVENTS

Old Soul, New Star: Ximena Sarinana

Written by Washington Post Express contributor Alfredo Flores

DESPITE ITS MISLEADING title, "Mediocre" is the stellar debut from child-actress-turned-pop-jazz phenom Ximena Sariñana.Prior to last year's surprising success of the Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling album -- whose title is a comment on females' pre-women's lib lot in life -- the Guadalajara-born songstress was mostly known as an actress in Spanish-language telenovelas and films, where she grew up before her country's eyes. But Sariñana proved that music was far more than just a hobby by showing she had a knack for writing songs with heart-wrenching choruses that displayed her serious jazz-inflected vocal chops. "A lot of people have told me I have an old soul [for a young person]," said Sariñana, 23.A huge fan of Ella Fitzgerald, Sariñana was just 2 years old when her dad, director Fernando Sariñana, took her to her first jazz concert. She began vocal lessons at 7, took piano at 11 and by 15 entered National Autonomous University of Mexico's school of music and was mentored by her neighbor — famed actress and vocalist Cecilia Toussaint. Later she attended Boston's Berklee College of Music. "Maybe it's how I grew up. I was always working and surrounded by people way older than me," Sariñana said. "When I was a kid my parents would take me to concerts ... and jazz became the musical genre I gravitated toward the most. I probably didn't understand what I was watching at the time, but I was fortunate to see all those people and to be surrounded by parents who are so talented artistically." Sariñana's acting skills — honed in the soap opera "Luz Clarita" and displayed in big movies such as "Niñas Mal" and last year's "Enemigos Intimos" — help her command the stage when singing. She often closes her eyes and enters a swaying, trancelike state as she sings, and at times goes into improvisational Spanish scat singing, as on her hit single "Vidas Paralelas." "That song talks about when you end a relationship and you feel that you've moved on, but a part of your brain thinks about what would have happened if it continued," she said. "It's like living these parallel imaginative lives when you're already past that and you're living your own life now." On "La Tina" (Spanish for "bathtub"), a deep electronic bass groove sets a dark mood, and Sariñana sings about a past love that she tries to win back, but if she fails, she might commit suicide. The translated chorus states, "This bathtub is for you / This bathtub fits two / Red is the color / Red is better." Such vivid imagery isn't that surprising coming from someone who grew up in the arts, but perhaps Sariñana's most memorable visual is her album cover. It's a photo of her dressed in 1950s-type housewife garb -- long, dark-blue polka-dot dress, plus pearls -- while knitting, not a hair out of place. But Sariñana's facial expression shows sadness, a yearning for something more. It's an ironic image considering it's nearly the complete opposite of the performer fans and friends calls Xime — a bubbly, independent young woman who is living out her dreams by doing both cinema and music. "Women were portrayed like this in the media. This was the idea of perfection," she said. "Not like now in our century when we have a huge palette of what a woman can be — single, married, a lesbian, hate kids, whatever you can be. There's a choice for everything. In the '50s you were either like this [album cover image] or you didn't exist. It was a very mediocre portrayal of women." » 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW; Tue., April 21, 7 p.m., $18; 202-265-0930. (U St.-Cardozo)

PHOTO STORY

Flight of the Conchords rock the folk at Constitution Hall

Photo Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix

Flight of the Conchords, New Zealand’s fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo a cappella-rap-funk-comedy-folk duo and stars of the hit HBO show of the same name, brought their quirky brand of comedy rock to DAR Constitution Hall on April 13. Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie entered the stage in full robot costumes and began their set with “Too Many Dicks on the Dance Floor”—their techno track about awful girl/guy ratio at nightclubs. Shortly after the overly-rambunctious audience began to yell out song requests, and the band obliged to some including “Business Time” (the ode to married people’s sex, which only happens on Wednesdays because there’s nothing good on TV). It was clear the guys were at times flustered, but played it off with their trademark deadpan humor, with Jemaine quipping, “Shut up drunk lawyers of Washington, D.C. This is not request night.” Bret and Jemaine played rhythm and bass guitars respectively and took turns at the spinet mini-piano in “Hurt Feelings,” as well as drums, steelpan and bongos. Jemaine ad-libbed in “Hiphopopotamus Vs. Rhymenoceros” (“My rhymes are so potent that I made all of the ladies in the first three rows pregnant. Congratulations ladies!”) And the show culminated with a slow-jam version of “Sugalumps”--Bret and Jemaine dropping their guitars and doing a silly dance, trying their best to flaunt their backside and family jewels. Quirky co-star Kirsten Schaal was the opener, and Nigel—apparently the sole member of New Zealand’s philharmonic and symphony orchestras—played cello.

Photos: Los Fabulosos Cadillacs @ Hammerstein Ballroom

Posted by Alfredo Flores, Washington City Paper on Apr. 9, 2009, at 1:43 pm

It was appropriate that Señor Flavio, co-writer of most of Fabulosos Cadillacs’ hits, teased the sold-out crowd at New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom on Sunday night by pretending his bass guitar was a rifle. Near the end of the group’s nearly two hour set, Flavio Cianciaurlo pointed the instrument at the audience, as if to say, “Bang! We just did a great show.”

The nearly 4,000 folks in attendance agreed. Members of the crowd were hoarse after screaming and singing along to the chant-like hooks of the classic songs performed by Fabulosos. “Matador,” “Mal Bicho,” and “Vasos Vacios” got the biggest reactions from the slam-dancing, ska-loving audience.

The crowd lined up several blocks deep hours before the show, eagerly anticipating the reunion of the group, touring in support of its new album La Luz del Ritmo . The disc includes a sprinkling of new songs and fantastic refinements of some of the hits that have placed the Fabulosos Cadillacs among the greats of Latin rock. Hopefully the new material, along with the current tour, will provide fans with a reminder of what makes the group so fabulous. And here’s hoping that LFC makes a return trip to D.C. The last time the band came to town it performed at the Dupont Circle’s Garage club (most recently Club Five), back in the mid-’90s.

Sugalumps & Epileptic Dogs:

Flight of the Con

chords’ Top 10 S

ongs from the 2009 Season

Posted by Alfredo Flores, Washington City Paper on Apr. 9, 2009, at 10:37 am

The Flight of the Conchords can barely make ends meet. It must be hard to make rent when your genre’s as obscure as “obscure guitar-based digi-bongo a cappella-rap-funk-comedy-folk” (apparently so popular in New Zealand that FOTC is only fourth best at it there). It certainly doesn’t help when your dimwit of a band manager—Murray Hewitt—refuses to book you nighttime gigs because New York City is too dangerous (“you could be murdered or even ridiculed”); instead the band plays in aquariums, libraries, expos, and as Simon & Garfunkel impersonators in a gig where they compete against Elton John and Bono impersonators... Now that the Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement are about to release a new album and have embarked on a U.S. Tour (including a stop in D.C. on April 13 at DAR Constitution Hall), let’s take a look back at the best songs (open to debate!) of the recently second completed season. Now that the Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement are about to release a new album and have embarked on a U.S. Tour (including a stop in D.C. on April 13 at DAR Constitution Hall), let’s take a look back at the best songs (open to debate!) of the recently second completed season.No. 10: Friends. FOTC has also gotten high comedic value out of their guests stars this season—including comedians Jim Gaffigan and Patton Oswalt, two actresses from 24, Lucy ‘Xena Warrior Princess’ Lawless, and folk maestro Art Garfunkel. In this song, Gaffigan plays Murray’s best (and possibly only) friend Jim, who meets the band only after Muray’s “officially” dubbed them “friends.” Highlight: Bret: If you cross the road and a drunk struck you. I’ll scrape you up and reconstruct you. No. 9: Fashion is Danger. In season one the band made no secret of their fascination with ‘80s music–particularly David Bowie, dedicating an entire episode to him culminating with the track “Bowie in Space” (“Isn’t it cold out in space, Bowie? Do you want to borrow my jumper, Bowie?”) Bret and Jemaine go from being ignored by their own Prime Minister (Brian of New Zealand, Bret reverently calling him “my lord”) to paparazzi-worthy famous once they begin using hair gel—becoming infinitely cool. The video, a parody of “Fade to Grey” by Visage, features classic 80s bad fashion (including Babylon 5 space uniforms) and gives shout-outs to “Pr-Pr-President Reagan. Thatcher. Th-Th-Thatcher. Jazzer-size. L-L-Lipgloss.” No. 8: Demon Woman. In a role totally opposite of the snarky yet demure one she plays on ’24,’ the dolled-up Mary Lynn ‘Chloe’ Rajskub plays Karen, a woman who forces Jemaine to dress up like Garfunkel and have sex with her (Jemaine calls this “Garfunkeling”). But before they do, Jemaine has to get rid of his blocky glasses, New Zealand accent, and do his best Garfunkel impression. The song, spoof of the “Devil Woman” by Cliff Richard is dedicated to Karen’s psychotic behavior. Highlights: Jemaine: You sit on a rock. Looking nice in your frock, but you’re scaring my livestock. No. 7: Song for Epileptic Dogs. Season one had the reoccurring role of Sally (Rachel Blanchard)—Bret’s former girlfriend who dates Jemaine briefly on two separate occasions and the focus of two of the best Conchords songs of that season–“The Most Beautiful Girl (in the Room)” and “Business Time.” “Beautiful” is a soulful ballad about attainable beauty (”You’re so beautiful. You could be a part-time model. But you’d probably still have to keep your normal job.”), while “Business” portrays married people’s sex as only occurring on Wednesdays when there’s nothing good on TV. So it’s no surprise here, in season two, that Bret and Jemaine literally duel over Brahbrah (played by Adventureland’s Kristen Wiig), whose missing terrier has canine epilepsy. Highlights: Bret: This is the remix! Epilep lep lep, Epileptic Epilep lep lep lep Epileptic Ep Ep …” (dogs begin to howl, the flashing lightscausing them to have epileptic seizures). No. 6: Femident Toothpaste. In season two’s opener Murray makes it to the top of the music management chain, wiith a huge Manhattan office and multiple gold records, after riding the coattails of his second—and now favorite—client, the Crazy Dogggz, who reach number one in 24 countries with the song “Doggy Bounce” (as it turns out a completely plagiarized version of a Polish pop song made a decade earlier). Feeling neglected, the Conchords fire Murray and represent themselves after one final band meeting. Looks like things are looking up for the band when they land a gig writing and performing the jingle for Femident—an organic toothpaste made just for women, because women have special [dental] needs. Highlights: Bret and Jemaine in unison: You are a woman, you have women’s wear. You have breasts and long-ish hair.Oh yeah. Your kind is found everywhere, yet you’re still very rare. No. 5 We’re Both In Love With a Sexy Lady. In the ‘Bharbara’ episode, the two realize they’ve both fallen in love with the same lazy-eyed woman while jogging in the park. The song, a hilarious parody of R. Kelly’s “Same Girl,” and has that same sort of cheesy 1990s R&B—Casio keyboard sound-effects, slang and all.Highlights: In unison: We’re both in love with a sexy lady with an eye that’s lazy. The girl that’s fly with a wonky eye. She’s smoking with an eye that’s broken, I think it’s hot. The way she looks left a lot. No. 4: Carol Brown. Jemaine is ridiculed and shunned by his friends for dating an Australian—especially after he starts wearing Crocodile Hunter-esque short shorts. After a one-night stand, Jemaine returns to her apartment to retrieve his missing wallet. Jemaine performs along with a choir of his ex-girlfriends (led by the evil Carol Brown, who took a bus out of town). The choir sings about Jemaine’s deficiencies as a boyfriend in this homage to Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.” No. 3: You Don’t Have To Be A Prostitute. In season one, Jemaine and Bret can’t pay their heating bills, and the song “Inner City Pressure” sums up their financial woes (“You know you’re not in high finance, considering second hand underpants. Check your mind, how’d it get so bad? What happened to those other underpants you had?”). Things are equally as bad in season two when the Conchords are forced to share one tea cup. Jemaine comes up with a cup chart, a schedule of when he can use the cup (7 p.m. to 9 p.m.), and when Bret can use it (9 p.m. to 11 p.m). The plan works until Bret goes on a $2.79 spending spree on a new cup. A $30 penalty occurs after the check for the gas bill bounces, which in turn makes the phone, electricity and rent checks all bounce, forcing Jemaine into male prostitution. Bret thinks prostitution is beneath him; this song, like to the Police’s “Roxanne,” pleads Bret’s case. Highlights: Bret: Its a cold night, beneath the street light, there’s a man whose pants are too tight. Oh no, his pants are too tight. No. 2: Hurt Feelings. Bret disses all the rappers he can think of and starts the first ever New Zealand vs. American rap war. His friend Dave suggests they form a gang to prevent Missy Elliot chopping “his whole body off.” The gang comprises Dave (supposedly an AWOL Navy Seal), senile ex-gangster Johnny Boy, and Mr. and Mrs. Li from the Internet café downstairs. This video has Bret and Jemaine dressed as Bethoven and play tiny spinet pianos (like in Biz Markie’s “Just a Friend”) and the song describes occasions on which they experienced hurt feelings. Highlights: Jemaine: I make a meal for my friends. Try to make it delicious. Try to keep it nutritious. Create wonderful dishes. Not one of them thinks about the way I feel. Nobody compliments the meal. I feel like a prized asshole. No one even mentions my casserole.” No. 1: Sugalumps. In the ‘prostitution’ episode, Jemaine and Bret consider all the options of how to pay their bills. Jemaine (thinking he can be the gigolo version of a Julia Roberts’ “Pretty Woman”) comes up with the solution. And so begins their parody of the Black Eyed Peas’ “My Humps”—the best song ever about the family jewels and arguably one of the funniest songs in the Conchords’ two-year run. Highlights: Jemaine: I see you girls checking out my trunks, I see you girls checkin’ out the front of my trunks. I see you girls looking at my junk then checkin’ out my rump then back to my sugar lumps. While I shake yeah I shake it all up, you probably think that my pants have the mumps. It’s just my sugar lump bump-ba-bump. They look so good that’s why I keep them in the front. Jemaine: Put the ladies in a trance when I wear track pants. My dungarees make them hung-a-ry, send them over the moon when I don pantaloons. Bret: My sugar lumps are two of a kind, sweet and white and highly refined. Honeys try all kinds of tomfoolery to steal a feel of my family jewelry. Flight of the Conchords perform an acoustic concert (i.e. no sketches, but still hilarious), along with cast-mate Kirsten Schaal, at DAR Constitution Hall, 311 18th St. NW. (202) 628-1776.

ARTS & EVENTS

Sound of Conscience: Aterciopelados

Written by Washington Post Express contributor Alfredo Flores

WITH A NAME that literally means "velvety ones," Aterciopelados live up to their moniker by playing feel-good ethereal electronica and funk fused with traditional folk music from their native Colombia. They also manage to take these smile-inducing rhythms and infuse them with powerful messages, denouncing violence and political injustice and standing up for women's rights and the environment. One can imagine the band's socially conscious messages and groovy beats fitting in during the 1970s. "I could see my music being hippie, totally," said Atercios' (as they are known) lead singer, Andrea Echeverri, in Spanish. "I believe in their pacifist philosophy, and their love of nature. My sentiments are with the hippies." And in the spirit of the '70s, Atercios — which also features bass player Hector Buitrago — donated their song "Cancion Protesta" and helped rework the lyrics into the catchy "Price of Silence" song for human rights, sponsored by Amnesty International earlier this year. The song brought together an all-star cast of global musicians — Atercios, Julieta Venegas, Stephen Marley, Natalie Merchant and Cucu Diamantes — and was filmed at the United Nations General Assembly. It also reunited the band with longtime friend Andres Levin of Yerba Buena, who produced Aterciopelados' successful 1998 album, "Caribe Atomico." "The end result was incredible," said Etcheverri. "Working again with Andres was muy chevere, very cool. You truly got the sense of the multiculturalism. You can go from Hindu to African beats to Latin sounds. It's a mix of multiple countries that spreads our message to fight for human rights." Another cause the band has backed is the Destierro y Reparacion project, which aims to bring attention to the forced displacement of native peoples in Colombia (and other parts of Latin America) and proposing a Colombian constitutional referendum declaring that the country's bodies of water deserve basic rights. This particular passion is highlighted in last year's "Rio" — an album dedicated to their beloved Colombia River. "It's like having a coffee everyday: You have to think about the environment all the time," Etcheverri said. "The climate is crazy. There's rain when there should be sun and flooding in all parts. As musicians, what we can do is create awareness and hope to change people's attitudes about Mother Earth. We have to reconnect with her." » The State Theatre, 220 N. Washington St., Falls Church; Thu., April 2, 7 p.m. doors, 8:30 p.m., $26; 703-237-0300.