Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero struggled for their place in Mexico City, hoping to break out in what is one of the toughest and most influential music markets in the Spanish-speaking world. It's never an easy sell, so the heavy metal musicians decide to try their luck busking...in Dublin, Ireland of all places. On the streets, they perfected those intricate and multi-layered passionate sounds they are now famous for.
Their most recent album, "9 Dead Alive", and their other albums, have a distinct flamenco influence. While a traditional Hispanic genre and heavy metal may seem disparate, it turns out this is not the case. The intensity accompanying flamenco, including striking the body of the guitar for a rhythm and the fast paced strumming, can easily meld into the intensities found in heavy metal, such as hard riffs and strong beats. Basically, this duo is just a lovely and slightly head turning combination of the music that allows them to enjoy what they do.
When I first heard Rodrigo y Gabriela, I was blown away. It's not often that I am, but these two were able to do so. The guitar is such a widely heard instrument that I feel as if perhaps it's hard to be surprised by its sounds. But Rodrigo y Gabriela have spectacular talent, turning a deeply emotional and provocative genre (flamenco) and elevating it to a fresh level, relatable to the ear with the heavy metal/rock influence. Give them a listen while working, in the car, or hosting your future summer late night card games and backyard dinner parties. People still have those, right? Or better yet, if you're lucky enough, check out Rodrigo y Gabriela on tour!
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