Music News aka Houston Music News - November 2023

Vol. 43 - No. 2 • NOVEMBER 2023 • www.houstonmusicnews.net • FREE

Peter Frampton

Also In This Issue The Struts Pitbull Ricky Martin Enrique Iglesias Pierce The Veil The National Mammoth WVH and More!

https://www.facebook.com/theHOLE19TH/

GRILL & SPORTS BAR 202 Sawdust Rd. (The Woodlands) • 281-363-2574 • http://www.19th.cc

NOVEMBER Friday, November 3 Zach of Safer Alternative Big Noyzz Saturday, November 4 Crosswind Friday, November 17 To Be Announced Saturday, November 18 S/J Drifters And Grifters Hugh Harris and the Coyote Moon Friday, November 24 Bullethead and friends Saturday, November 25 Violawilde

Every Thursday Night

Live Jam Session! @ 8:00 PM

All Musicians Welcome!

Special Events at The 19th Hole Tuesdays Karaoke Wednesdays Bingo Fridays 10 oz. Steak Lunch Special Only $13.99

The 19th Hole Grill & Bar is celebrating our 32nd Year Anniversary of being a live music venue

DART TOURNAMENT EVERY MONDAY NIGHT!!

Take I-45 to the Rayford/Sawdust exit in Spring • Go west on Rayford/Sawdust • Make a right turn at the first red light We’re at the end of the strip center on your left!

2

Music News • November 2023

November 2023

Hi Folks,

Hello Music News readers. I hope you had a great October.

Our cover story for this month is Peter Frampton. Peter Frampton is bringing his Never Say Never Concert Touir to Houston this month at Smart Financial Centre on November 15th. This concert is scheduled to feature almost all of his major hits. It will be definitely one concert you won’t want to miss.

Now, on to the new issue. In this issue, as usual, we have some great stories and information to pass on to you.

Check out stories in this month’s issue on The Trilogy Tour featuring Enriques Iglesias, Ricky Martin, and Pitbull. Also in this issue are stories on The National, Pierce The Veil, Kim Petras, The Struts, Miserable Faith, Mammoth WVH, Intocable, and more, as well as another installment of the original story, THE BIKER! Also in this issue are a ton of great pictures of bands performing around the Houston area. I’m sure you’re going to be familiar with a lot of these bands. Those bands include Bad Habits, Eric Korb Band, Josh Garrett Band, Keeshea Pratt, Kimmi Bitter, Kory Quinn, Lightning Rob, Ozz, Phantom Eye, Stoneside, The After Dark Society, and The Repeat Offenders.

We’d also like to invite you to check out our Spanish music section. This month we feature stories on The Trilogy Tour featuring Ricky Martin, Pitbull, and Enrique Iglesias. There are also stories on Intocable, Maria Jose, Yahritza Y Su Esencia, and Mora. Check these stories out in English and Spanish.

I sincerely hope that everybody reading this new publication finds something here that they like and I would like to encourage you to let your friends and colleagues know about us. Just look for us every month at http://www.houstonmusicnews.net. I would also like to encourage you to email us for a free subscription to Rock And Blues International as well. Just email us at musicnew@airmail.net and in the subject line simply put “Sign Me Up” and we’ll email you a copy each month when it is published. Remember, for your convenience, Music News is also now downloadable. You can download the issue into your computer or storage device and save it and read it at your convenience without having to get logged on to the internet every time.

Try it now and save every issue. It will make things a lot easier for you.

Kevin Wildman Kevin Wildman Editor and Publisher

Kevin Wildman Editor and Publisher Web Address http://www.houstonmusicnews.net Mailing Address Box 1162, League City, TX 77573 Phone 281-650-1953

For Advertising email us at musicnew@airmail.net or call 281-650-1953 For A Free Subscription email us at musicnew@airmail.net and in the subject line put “Sign Me Up Now” November 2023 • Music News

3

Contents

VOL. 43 NO. 2

Page 6 Peter Frampton Peter Frampton Performs At Smart Financial Centre November 15th

Page 12 Tom Craig Tom Craig Performs In Houston

Page 14 Trilogy Arena Tour featuring Pitbull, Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias 4

Music News • November 2023

NOVEMBER 2023

Page 20 Faith Evans Faith Evans Performs At The Arena Theatre November 25th

ISSUE NO. 529

Page 30 Pierce The Veil Pierce The Veil Perform At The 713 Music Hall November 12th

Page 22 Kim Petras

Page 32 Chris Stapleton

Performs At Houston’s 713 Music Hall On November 14

Chris Stapleton Performs At The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion November 17th

Page 28 The Struts The Struts Perform At The House Of Blues On November 17th

Page 34 Miserable Faith Miserable Faith Perform On The Lawn at White Oak Music Hall On November 22

Contents

VOL. 43 NO. 2

NOVEMBER 2023

Page 36 The National

Page 48 Crank Up The Silence

ISSUE NO. 529

Page 58 Intocable

The National Bring Their Intocable Perform At The U.S. Tour To The Lawn A Conversation With The Arena Theater For Two At White Oak Music Hall Nights, November 11 Professionals on November 18th And 12

Page 42 Mammoth WVH Mammoth WVH Perform At Warehouse Live On November 24

Page 44 Wyatt Flores Wyatt Flores Performs At Warehouse Live On December 1

Page 52 Carolyn Wonderland and Marcia Ball

Carolyn Wonderland and Marcia Ball Bring Their “Home For The Holidays” Show To The Heights Theater November 28th

Page 54 The Biker The Continuing Saga Of A Lone Biker On The Road To Explore The Freedoms Of America.

Page 60 Maria Jose Maria Jose Performs At The Arena Theatre November 18 Also In This Issue Page 62 Yahritza Y Su Esencia Page 63 Mora Page 66 (Todo en Espanol) Trilogy Tour Page 71 Maria Jose Page 72 Intocable Page 74 Mora Page 75 Yahritza Y Su Esencia Page 76 and On Random Shots November 2023 • Music News

5

Peter Frampton Performs At Smart Financial Centre November 15th Following his nationwide run of summer tour dates, Grammy Award-winning guitarist Peter Frampton will continue the “Never Say Never” tour with a string of November shows. The tour kicks off in Louisville, Kentucky at The Louisville Palace and will hit Sugar Land’s Smart Financial Centre on November 15th.

“I wanted to thank all who came to the ‘Never Say Never’ tour this summer. I can’t thank you enough for your love and encouragement at every show!” says Frampton. “*Breaking news* I am going to be continuing the tour in November. I’m just a glutton for enjoyment and hope you can come see us.”

Fans were exihilirated to see Peter Frampton back on the road again and his early 2023 tour proved to be a landmark year for Frampton, and the unexpected November tour proved to be a further enllightenment for fans. Especially since Frampton announced a farewell tour four years ago after a diagnosis of the degenerative disease inclusion-body myositis. However, with the “Never Say Never” tour, Frampton is back, as though he had never disappeared from the stages in the

6

Music News • April November 20232023

past four years.

Frampton says: “At the end of every ‘Finale’ tour show, I did say ‘never say never’ and I am always full of hope for the impossible. I’m very pleased to let you know that I am feeling strong and my fingers are still roaming the fretboard. Every note I play now has more meaning and soul. I love playing live and this fighter wants to stay in the ring for as long as he can. Much love, Peter.”

In addition to this news, Frampton’s historic performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall was released as a live album in September through UMe. The album spotlights nine live performances along with Frampton’s longtime band of Rob Arthur, Adam Lester, Dan Wojciechowski and Steve Mackey. Peter Frampton Live At The Royal Albert Hall features the songs “Show Me the Way”, “Baby, I Love Your Way”, “Do You Feel Like We Do?” and many more.

Frampton is one of the most celebrated artists and guitarists in rock history. In 2007, Frampton won a Grammy for “Best Pop Instrumental Album” for “Fingerprints” and in 2014 was inducted into the Musicians Hall

Of Fame. He received the prestigious Les Paul Innovation Award from NAMM’s TEC Awards in 2019 and his album “All Blues” was No. 1 for fifteen weeks on Billboard’s Blues chart. In 2020 Frampton was inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame, his autobiography “Do You Feel Like I Do?: A Memoir” debuted on The New York Times Bestsellers list, and his 2021 album “Frampton Forgets The Words” was released to widespread critical acclaim.

Most recently, Frampton announced that on July 28 Intervention Records will release “Frampton@50”, a numbered limitededition vinyl box set featuring Frampton’s essential 1972-1975 studio releases “Wind Of Change”, “Frampton’s Camel” and “Frampton”.

This month Frampton will also appear on Dolly Parton’s new album, “Rockstar” which is set for a November 17th release, just two days after his appearance at Smart Financial Centre. Peter is the only artist featured on two tracks of her new album. continued on next page

Peter Frampton (continued from previous page) Peter Frampton rocketed to fame in 1976 with Frampton Comes Alive!, a double LP that reshaped songs from his first four albums into versions that became eradefining hits. In their live incarnations, “Show Me the Way,” “Baby, I Love Your Way,’’ and “Do You Feel Like We Do” all became Top 40 smashes that captured the arena-filling glory of album rock in the days prior to punk. The success of Frampton Comes Alive! was so great that it overshadowed his early days as a hotshot guitarist in the Herd and Humble Pie, and it also shaped the impression of the music he made in its immediate aftermath. Over the ensuing decades, Frampton proved that he was a survivor, working steadily on his own and as a sideman, notably playing on David Bowie’s 1987 album Never Let Me Down. By the early 2000s, he settled into a regular circuit of touring and recording, maintaining a faithful fan base and once again earning attention for his guitar prowess: his 2006 LP Fingerprints took home the Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album. Frampton announced a farewell tour in 2019 after receiving a diagnosis of inclusion body myositis but his health stabilized, allowing him to release Frampton Forgets the Words in 2021 and return to the stage in the 2022 homecoming concert released in 2023 as Peter Frampton at Royal Albert Hall.

Peter Frampton was born April 22, 1950, in the town of Beckenham in Kent. He started playing guitar at age eight, and took several years of classical lessons. In his early teens, he played with rock & roll combos like the Little Ravens, the Trubeats, and the Preachers, the latter of which were managed by the Rolling Stones’ Bill Wyman and appeared on the TV show Ready, Steady, Go. In 1966, Frampton dropped out of school to join the mod-pop group the Herd, where he got his first taste of success. The Herd scored several British hits over 1967-1968, and Frampton became something of a teen idol, earning the tag the “Face of 1968” from the music press. In 1969, Frampton left the Herd to form the harder-rocking Humble Pie with former Small Faces frontman Steve Marriott.

Although Humble Pie was poised for a breakthrough after two years of touring, Frampton departed in 1971 over differences in musical direction, and decided to start a solo career.

Having already performed on George

Harrison’s landmark All Things Must Pass, Frampton contributed guitar work to Nilsson’s Son of Schmilsson, and released his debut solo album, Wind of Change, in 1972 with help from the likes of Ringo Starr and Billy Preston. He next formed an official backing band dubbed Frampton’s Camel, which included keyboardist Mickey Gallagher (Cochise), bassist Rick Wills (Bell & Arc), and drummer Mike Kellie (Spooky Tooth). After the release of the 1973 album, Frampton’s Camel, Frampton began to build a following through near-constant touring over the next few years. Despite this, he

broke up Frampton’s Camel prior to the release of his next album, 1974’s Somethin’s Happening. The title would prove prophetic: the follow-up, Frampton, became his first hit LP in America, climbing into the Top 40 in 1975 and going gold.

By this point, Frampton had amassed a considerable catalog of underexposed songs, the best of which were tightly constructed and laden with hooks. He’d also developed into a top concert draw, since he was able to continued on next page November 2023 • Music News

7

Relativity in 1994. The following year, he issued the newly recorded live album Frampton Comes Alive II on I.R.S. During the late ’90s, he recorded and toured with Bill Wyman & the Rhythm Kings and Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band. Frampton’s first DVD, Live in Detroit, was released in 2000; a newly recorded concert also issued on CD by CMC International, it was eventually certified gold. The generally well-received Now, his first studio album in nine years, arrived in 2004, followed in 2006 by Fingerprints, the latter of which earned him a 2007 Grammy Award for Pop Instrumental Album of the year. His 14th studio long-player, 2010’s Thank You Mr. Churchill, was supported by a North American stadium tour with Yes. Hummingbird in a Box: Songs for a Ballet

Peter Frampton (continued from previous page) inject those songs with an energy that was sometimes missing from his studio outings. Plus, in concert, he often expanded the songs into vehicles for his economical, tasteful guitar playing, and his pioneering use of the talk-box guitar effect became a trademark part of his performances. All those elements came together on Frampton Comes Alive!, a double-LP set recorded at San Francisco’s Winterland in 1975. The album was a surprise smash, rocketing to the top of the charts (where it stayed for ten weeks) and selling over 16 million copies worldwide to become the most popular live album yet released. It stayed on the charts for nearly two years, and spawned Frampton’s first three hit singles: “Baby, I Love Your Way” and the Top Tens “Do You Feel Like We Do” and “Show Me the Way.” Naturally, his supporting tour was a multimillion-dollar blockbuster as well. When the dust settled, Frampton was a star, and Rolling Stone named him its Artist of the Year.

Under pressure from A&M to deliver a quick follow-up, Frampton fought his better judgment and went back to the studio, instead of taking a break to rest and let his success sink in. The result was I’m in You, which rose to the number two spot on the album charts soon after its release in 1977. Its title track did the same on the singles charts, giving Frampton the biggest hit of his career. In the wake of the Frampton Comes Alive! phenomenon, it was perhaps inevitable that many fans would regard I’m in You as a disappointment; even though it sold over three million copies, its hasty writing process showed through in spots.

8

Music News • November 2023

Unfortunately, 1978 was a disastrous year for Frampton. He made a high-profile acting debut playing Billy Shears in the bigbudget film version of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, a tremendous critical and commercial flop. In June, he was involved in a near-fatal car accident in the Bahamas, sustaining a concussion, multiple broken bones, and muscle damage; to make matters worse, he and his longtime girlfriend also ended their relationship. Frampton recovered fully from his accident, only to endure a brief slide into drug abuse. His 1979 album Where I Should Be went gold, and its biggest hit was the Top 20 “I Can’t Stand It No More” — respectable, but nonetheless a startling dropoff from the success Frampton had just recently enjoyed.

Frampton seemed increasingly directionless as the ’80s dawned. After two albums, 1981’s Breaking All the Rules and 1982’s The Art of Control, that failed to return him to the top of the charts, Frampton retreated from the music business for several years. He returned in 1986 with Premonition, and gained substantial rock radio airplay for the cut “Lying.” The following year, Frampton played on onetime schoolmate David Bowie’s Never Let Me Down album and accompanying tour. He recorded another new album, When All the Pieces Fit, for Atlantic in 1989, and had been planning a reunion with Steve Marriott not long before Marriott’s tragic death in a 1991 house fire.

Frampton subsequently started touring again, and cut an eponymous album for

The following year, Frampton embarked on “The Frampton Comes Alive 35th Anniversary Tour,” playing the original concert album set list in sequence. His 2013 “Frampton’s Guitar Circus” tour featured a rotating cast of guest performers including Kenny Wayne Shepherd, B.B. King, Rick Derringer, Robert Cray, Roger McGuinn, David Hidalgo, Dean DeLeo, and many others. Early the following year, Frampton was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame. Later in 2014, he released Hummingbird in a Box: Songs for a Ballet, an EP of seven new original guitar pieces that were inspired by the Cincinnati Ballet. He revisited his catalog the following year on Acoustic Classics.

In February 2019, Frampton announced he was suffering from the progressive muscle disorder inclusion body myositis.

This diagnosis instigated a farewell tour in 2019 called “Peter Frampton Finale,” concerts that coincided with the June release of All Blues, a record where Frampton dedicated himself to covers of classic blues songs. Two years later, he released Frampton Forgets the Words, a collection of instrumentals, which was followed in 2020

by Do You Feel Like I Do?, a memoir he cowrote with Alan Light.

Frampton returned to the stage in August of 2022, playing Buddy Holly’s 85th Birthday Celebration in the early rocker’s hometown of Lubbock, Texas. A few months later, he had a triumphant homecoming at London’s Royal Albert Hall, playing a concert in November 2022 that was released as an album in September 2023. Peter Frampton at Royal Albert Hall appeared at the conclusion of a tour called Never Say Never, concerts he played after realizing that he was healthy enough to for another round of shows.

The

Meltdown is coming!

MELTDOWN 2023 Thursday, November 9

RONNIE’S HOG HEAVEN (Dickinson) HipWaders, Grifters and Shills Friday, November 10

THE MOON (La Porte) BURGER AND BIKE NIGHT (&Country Night) Mitch Jacobs, Bad Bob Rohan (fiddle), HipWaders, The Mighty Orq, BERT WILLS Saturday, November 11

THE MOON (La Porte) Good Train, Von Hindenburg, Donny Taylor, David Hargraves, Ryan Beard, The Letter 3, Sean Deskin, DOSE, Last Stand Band CW Ayon (Las Cruces, NM), David Schwope, Erik Dongel, Pierce, Emily Glazener, Joe Borrego, Benny Brasket, HipWaders Sunday, November 12

SHADY ACRES (Houston) mom-DOSE, CW Ayon, HipWaders, Mike Barfield More acts to be added • Camping • VIP Packages Available November 2023 • Music News

9

Shady Acres Saloon www,shadyacressaloon.com 1115 W. 19th Street, Houston 713-534-1112

10

Music News • November 2023

Shady Acres Saloon www,shadyacressaloon.com 1115 W. 19th Street, Houston 713-534-1112 Dog Friendly

Special Thursday Show November 16 featuring The Tom Craig Band From Philadelphia

November 2 - Smokestack Lightning November 9 - Goodtrain November 16 - The Tom Craig Band From Philadelphia November 30 - Nathan Quick

Nov. 3 Opie Hendrix

Nov. 4 Nick Gaitan

Nov. 17 Mitch Jacobs

Nov. 24 Robert Taylor

Nov. 25 Johnny Falstaff

Nov. 30 Nathan Quick

Sundays - Bingo @ 3 - 6 pm November 2023 Entertainment Schedule 11/2 - Smokestack Lightning 11/3 - Opie Hendrix 11/4 - Nick Gaitan 11/9 - Goodtrain 11/10 - The Texas Turbines 11/11 - Gus Clarke

Sunday, November 12

Meltdown Fest 2023 featuring mom-DOSE, CW Ayon, HipWaders, Mike Barfield

11/16 - The Tom Craig Band from Philadelphia 11/17 - Mitch Jacobs 11/18 - TBA 11/24 - Robert Nathan Taylor 11/25 - Johnny Falstaff 11/30 - Nathan Quick November 2023 • Music News

11

Tom Craig Performs In Houston Shady Acres Saloon - Nov. 16 • Big Easy - Nov. 17 Green Oaks Tavern - Nov. 18 From Miami to Maine, Tom Craig has shared his brand of original Blues, Soul and R&B, impressing critics and fans along the way.

Tom got his first guitar for his eleventh birthday. With over 40 years of guitar playing, formal training as a jazz vocalist and his passion for the Blues, he gives you all the ingredients for a memorable live performance.

Tom’s debut CD of all original songs, ‘Get Ready for Me’, received worldwide radio airplay and critical acclaim.

In January 2017 he represented the Central Delaware Blues Society in Memphis, Tennessee at the 33rd International Blues Challenge. His song, ‘She 12

Music News • November 2023 October 2023

Did It to Me (She’ll Do It to You)’ was a semi-finalist in the 2017 International Songwriting Competition.

Tom’s second CD, ‘Good Man Gone Bad’ consists of 13 original songs and was released on April 20, 2021. It has received rave reviews and continual radio airplay, debuting at #19 on the Roots Music Report Radio Chart!

Go Bad’ and Best Contemporary Blues Band.

Currently, Tom has teamed up with Mikey Junior and Dave Gross again along with a group of top notch musicians for what promises to be his best collection of original songs. Look for a release in early 2024.

Since 2021 Tom has toured extensively through Florida, New England and Texas impressing audiences with each performance.

Tom has adapted his body of work to produce a dynamic live show that still captures the spirit of both CD’s. He is in the beginning stages of his third CD of all original material.

In May of 2022 Tom received three Independent Blues Awards nominations, Best Contemporary Blues CD of ‘Good Man Gone Bad’, Best Contemporary Blues song for ‘You Made a Good Man

His high energy live performances impress even the most critical fans of blues and roots music. Don’t pass up the opportunity to catch him at your local venue or blues festival.

Green Oaks Tavern

211 E. Main St. • Humble, TX • 281.570.4344 • www.greenoakstavern.com Thursdays Shawn Allen’s Cigar’s & Soul Jam

Friday, Saturday, November 3 November 4 Sparky Gino V Trio Parker Band

Sunday, November 5 Big Al Bettis

Tuesday,November 7 Igor & The Red Elvises

Friday, November 17 Mathias Lattin

Saturday, Nov. 18 Tom Craig

Friday,November 10 Ruby Dice

Sunday, November 19 Goodtrain Sessions

Saturday,November 11 Jamie Entenza

Friday, Oct. 28 Mark May Band

NOVEMBER 2023

RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED (call, email or FB message us) • Happy Hour Tues-Sat @ 4-7pm November 2023 • Music News

13

Bailamos! Ricky Martin, Pitbull, and Enrique Iglesias Join Forces For Trilogy Arena Tour November 18 In Toyota Center The three hitmakers announced dates for their North America Trilogy Tour, which is set to kick off Oct. 14 in Washington, D.C. The 19-date arena trek — produced by Live Nation — will make stops in major cities such as New York, Miami, Houston and Las Vegas before wrapping up Dec. 16 in Vancouver, B.C. “Fans can expect an unforgettable night of music as the megastars deliver an electrifying mix of their biggest career-spanning hits with influences of reggaeton, salsa pop, dance, and electronic music, backed by world-class production and state-of-the-art visuals,” concert promoter Live Nation announced.

“It’s a true honor to tour with Enrique and Ricky, 2 music icons who broke global music barriers for our culture and open doors for someone like myself,” Pitbull (born Armando Christian Perez) said in a statement.

“We’re excited to take The Trilogy tour around the world and give our fans the time of their Trilogy lives, Dale!”

14

Music News • November 2023

“I am incredibly excited to be going on tour with my friends Pitbull and Ricky,” added Iglesias. “The Trilogy Tour will be an amazing experience for ALL of our fans. It’s going to be a once in a lifetime tour.”

Ricky Martin echoed his tour mates excitement: “Going back on the road with not only Enrique, but now with Pitbull, it’s very exciting. This tour will be a wild party from beginning to end so get ready, it’s going to be epic!”

Iglesias and Pitbull are no strangers to co-headlining tours as they previously shared the stage in the late 2010s and most recently, Iglesias joined Ricky Martin — and Sebastián Yatra — for 15 dates across the U.S. in 2021. continued on next page

Trilogy Arena Tour (continued from previous page)

Enrique Iglesias A globally recognized singer, Enrique Iglesias is one of the most successful Latin recording artists ever, known for his cross-pollinated brand of Spanish and English-language pop. There was no bigger star in Latin music in the first part of the 21st century than Iglesias, who scored his first number one on Billboard’s Latin charts in 1995. He soared to crossover stardom at the dawn of the new millennium thanks to the hits “Bailamos” (off 1999’s Enrique) and “Hero” (off 2001’s Escape), a pair of blockbusters that established his ease with modern dance and classic pop balladry, respectively.

Although he’d see the pop Top Ten again — “I Like It,” his 2010 duet with Pitbull, went to number four, as did 2011’s “Tonight (I’m Lovin’ You)” featuring Ludacris and DJ Frank E (both off 2010’s Euphoria) — he was an institution in Latin music, racking up over 25 number one singles on Billboard’s Latin Songs chart, along with 14 number one hits on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart, all while selling over 150 million albums worldwide by the end of the 2010s. Iglesias began the next decade with once again hitting the top of the Latin Pop Albums chart with 2021’s The Final (Vol. 1), his 11th album.

As the youngest child of Julio Iglesias, Enrique may have been born into Latin music royalty and, consequently, his fame may seem preordained, but that isn’t the case. Born in Madrid, Spain on May 8, 1975, Iglesias stayed with his mother, Isabel Preysler, following the 1979 divorce of his parents. He and his two older siblings were sent to live with their father in 1986, where his nanny, Elvira Olivares, played a pivotal role in his parenting. Initially, he planned to major in business at the University of Miami, but he felt the pull of a musical career, so he borrowed money from Olivares to record a demo tape. He took steps to distance himself from his father, shopping the demo under the name “Enrique

Martinez,” borrowing the surname from Fernan Martinez, who’d previously worked as a publicist for Julio. The tape landed the singer a deal with Fonovisa Records, which convinced him to return to his birth name.

Dropping out of school, Enrique Iglesias headed to Toronto to record the album that became his eponymous 1995 debut. A hit right out of the box, Enrique Iglesias moved a million copies within its first three months.

Arriving in 1997, Vivir consolidated his success, snagging him the 1996 Grammy for Best Latin Performer along with a host of Billboard awards, all paving the way for his first headlining international tour. Iglesias released one more album on Fonovisa — 1998’s Cosas del Amor — before making the leap to Interscope Records.

Interscope helped Iglesias cross into the pop mainstream via the 1999 album Enrique. The hit that brought Iglesias fame and helped turn Enrique into a platinum hit was “Bailamos,” a song originally released on a limitededition version of Cosas del Amor and reworked for the soundtrack of Will Smith’s comedy-adventure Wild Wild West. “Bailamos” reached number one not just on Billboard’s Latin charts but also the Hot 100 as it entered the Top Ten in countries all around the world. “Be with You” was a number one hit early in 2000, buying Iglesias a little time as he worked on the album that turned out to be his biggest hit, Escape. Released in 2001 and consisting entirely of English-language songs (three were reprised at the end in Spanish), Escape turned into a blockbuster on the back of the soaring ballad “Hero,” which went to number one in five countries and peaked at three in the U.S. Its title track was also a major hit, boosting the album’s sales and helping to set the stage for an international tour that ran into 2002. That same year, he released the all-Spanish-language Quizás on Interscope’s sister company Universal Music Latino; it would go gold in the U.S. In 2003, Iglesias returned to crossover dance-pop on 7 — only his third pop-oriented album but his seventh record overall. While it didn’t generate any hits on the Hot 100, its first single, “Addicted,” reached nine on Billboard’s Latin charts. Following the supporting tour for 7, Iglesias spent two years quietly, returning in the summer of 2007 with the album Insomniac. Preceded by the hit single “Do You Know? (The Ping Pong Song),” Insomniac found Iglesias dabbling with modern dance club music — he brought Lil Wayne in for a verse on “Push” — but its second Latin hit was “Somebody’s Me,” a ballad. Two compilations followed in 2008 — the Latin market-oriented 95/08 Exitos in March, the popfocused Greatest Hits in November — and Iglesias returned to the studio to record his ninth studio album, which would appear on Universal Republic due to corporate restructuring. Released in July 2010, Euphoria continued on next page November 2023 • Music News

15

Trilogy Arena Tour (continued from previous page) was divided between English and Spanish songs and he scored big in both markets: “I Like It,” featuring Pitbull, went to four on the Hot 100, the same position achieved by “Tonight (I’m Lovin’ You),” while “No Me Digas Que No” reached number one on the Latin charts.

Iglesias released “Finally Found You” in 2012, taking the single to 24 on the Hot 100. It was the first in a long march of pre-release singles for 2014’s Sex and Love, a record that contained two Latin number one hits from 2013 (“Loco,” “El Perdedor”). Just after Sex and Love’s March 2014 release, “Bailando” was issued as a single and it became a smash hit, reaching 12 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and number one on the Latin charts on its way to sales of triple platinum and earning three Latin Grammys (Song of the Year, Best Urban Song, Best Urban Performance). Iglesias stayed on the Latin charts in 2015 via “El Perdon,” a duet with Nicky Jam. In April 2016, Iglesias released “Duele el Corazon,” the first single in his new deal with Sony Latin. Iglesias roared back the following year. Another single, “Subeme la Radio” — featuring vocals by Descemer Bueno and Zion & Lennox — arrived in February 2017, and Iglesias launched a co-headlining tour with Pitbull that summer.

In early 2018, Iglesias issued the reggaeton-informed collaborative single “El Bano” with Bad Bunny. It reached number two on the singles chart in Spain. He followed it midyear with “Move to Miami” with Pitbull.

Universal released a Greatest Hits collection in late 2019 that charted in Spain. Iglesias returned in 2020 with a featured spot on Puerto Rican rapper Anuel AA’s “Fútbol y Rumba,” a song that reached the Spanish and Billboard Latin Top Ten. His own “Me Pasé,” featuring Farruko, appeared in July 2021 and was featured on The Final (Vol. 1), his 11th studio album and first in seven years. Released in September of that year, it reached number 12 on the Billboard Latin chart and he soon set out on a major joint tour with Ricky Martin. 2022 began with “Espacio en Tu Corazón,” which was used as the theme song to the telenovela Corazón Guerrero. September 2023 saw the release of “Asi es la Vida,” a duet with Argentinian singer María Becerra and the first single from Iglesias’ forthcoming LP Final (Vol. 2).

Pitbull With his trademark shout of “Dale!” and reggaetoninfused party pop, bilingual rapper and producer Pitbull made a steady ascent through the Miami hip-hop scene before dominating the mainstream charts in the late 2000s and 2010s with dancefloor-filling hits including 16

Music News • November 2023

U.S. Top Ten singles “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho),” “I Like It,” “Give Me Everything,” “Timber,” “Feel This Moment,” and “Time of Our Lives.” Early2010s efforts Planet Pit, Global Warming, and Globalization were all certified platinum, while his 2015 Spanishlanguage LP Dale earned Pitbull his first Grammy Award.

The remainder of the 2010s was spent churning out Spanish-language hits, such as the multi-platinum single “Dame Tu Cosita,” as well as “No Lo Trates” and “Me Quedare Contigo” from 2019’s Libertad 548, and 2022’s “Café Con Leche.” In 2023, he paired with Lil John for “Jumpin.”

Born Armando Christian Perez, the future “Mr. 305” was raised by first-generation Cuban immigrant parents who didn’t let their son forget about his culture.

They required him to memorize the works of Cuban poet José Martí, and Pitbull understood the power of words right away. Southern acts like Poison Clan and Luther Campbell were early influences, but as he grew up, the young rapper got turned on to the G-funk sound of the West Coast and the New York City point of view Nas brought to the game. When the Southern-flavored party rap called crunk took over urban radio, he decided it was time to seek stardom and began appearing on Miami mixtapes. A meeting with Irv Gotti resulted in nothing, but soon Luther Campbell called on the rapper to appear on his “Lollipop” single. It brought Pitbull to the attention of the Diaz Brothers management team, who introduced the rapper to the king of crunk, Lil Jon. A Pitbull freestyle landed on Lil Jon’s platinum-selling Kings of Crunk album in 2002, and the rapper’s “Oye” track appeared on the 2 Fast 2 Furious soundtrack in 2003.

Ready to take it all the way to the top, Pitbull unleashed his debut full-length, M.I.A.M.I., in 2004 on the TVT label, with the Lil Jon-produced single “Culo” leading the way.

Soon Pitbull was making guest appearances on tracks by everyone from the Ying Yang Twins to Elephant continued on next page

Trilogy Arena Tour (continued from previous page) Man. The 2005 compilation Money Is Still a Major Issue collected the best of these collaborations along with some remixes and unreleased tracks. In 2006, the single “Bojangles” prepared fans for his next effort, El Mariel.

As the album landed on the shelves it was announced that his next release would be entirely in Spanish and titled The Boatlift. When the end product arrived in 2007, it was an album mostly in English, introduced by the single “Go Girl.”

Two years later he released Rebelution, a full-length filled with slick club cuts including the hits “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)” and “Hotel Room Service.”

Featuring the hit single “Bon Bon,” his all-Spanishlanguage album Armando followed in 2010. In 2011, his Planet Pit album arrived, featuring the singles “Hey Baby (Drop It to the Floor)” and “Give Me Everything.” Both the singles collection Original Hits and I Am Armando — a “reloaded” version of Armando — arrived in 2012 along with his seventh studio effort, Global Warming.

The latter album featured the hits “Back in Time” and “Feel This Moment,” and when a deluxe reissue appeared in 2013, the single “Timber,” with special guest Kesha, was added to the track list.

In early 2014, Pitbull released the single “Wild Wild Love,” which featured vocals from the girl group G.R.L. and debuted at number 30 on the Billboard pop chart. A few months later, he announced the release of an eighth studio album, Globalization, which appeared near the end of 2014 and featured Chris Brown, Sean Paul, Dr. Luke, and other guests. No less than four singles reached the Top 40, including “Wild Wild Love,” “Fireball,” “Time of Our Lives,” and “Fun.” Dale, his second Spanishlanguage album, followed in 2015, the same year that he launched his satellite radio station, Pitbull’s Globalization, on the Sirius XM network. The effort was extremely successful, scooping up the Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards. It was Pitbull’s first Grammy Award win, and unsurprisingly, it reached number one on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart.

The following year saw a return to the English language for the rapper with his tenth studio release, Climate Change. It featured high-profile collaborators like Robin Thicke, Joe Perry, Flo Rida, Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez, Jason Derulo, Stephen Marley, Leona Lewis, and R. Kelly, among others. The single “Messin’ Around,” featuring Iglesias, hit the pop charts leading up to the album’s release in March 2017. Later that year,

Pitbull issued his second compilation of solo hits from 2009’s Rebelution to 2014’s Globalization on the aptly titled Greatest Hits. The collection featured two new songs: “Jungle” with Stereotypes, E-40, and Abraham Mateo, and “Locas” with longtime collaborator Lil Jon. In 2018, Pitbull contributed a pair of tracks to the Gotti soundtrack: “So Sorry” and “Amore” with Leona Lewis. That year, he also recruited Theron Theron for “Free Free Free” and appeared on Claudia Leitte’s “Carnaval,” Enrique Iglesias’ “Move to Miami,” and Arash’s “Goalie Goalie.” In 2019, he collaborated with Papayo and Ky-Mani Marley for “Yayo,” along with “No Lo Trates” with Daddy Yankee and Natti Natasha. In early December, Pitbull issued the full-length studio outing Libertad 548. Co-produced by the artist, IAmChino, and Jorge Gomez with Jimmy Joker, the set was inspired by the memory of Pitbull’s late father. In a social media post he wrote: “The ...album title represents the number of people my father, Armando Sr., led to freedom during the Mariel boatlift in Cuba in 1980. The album cover is a photo of him taken during this time; I was born just a few months later. The best gift Armando Sr. and my mother ever gave me was freedom.” Libertad 548 included the collaborative single with Natasha, “Tell Me Again” featuring Prince Royce and Ludacris, and “Get Ready” with country star Blake Shelton. It peaked at number 12 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart.

More tracks followed in 2021, including “Cantare” featuring Lenier and “Ten Cuidado” with Farruko, IAmChino, El Alfa, and Omar Courtz. Pitbull kicked off 2022 with the party-starting Latin single “Café con Leche” and started 2023 with the AYYBO- and Ero808assisted “Right or Wrong (Hypnosis).” More singles arrived in 2023, including “Mami,” “Jumpin” with Lil John, and “Freak 54 (Freak Out)” with Nile Rodgers, all of which heralded Pitbull’s 12th album release Trackhouse.

Ricky Martin One of the biggest Latin artists of all time, Ricky Martin is a globally recognized singer and actor known for his sophisticated, high-energy brand of pop. Martin initially gained fame in his teens as the lead singer of the popular boy band Menudo. He also became an actor, earning praise from the Mexican motion picture industry and starring as bartender Miguel Morez on the American soap opera General Hospital. While he won a Grammy for his 1998 solo album Vuelve, it was his 1999 Englishlanguage album Ricky Martin that propelled him to stardom. Buoyed by the hits “Livin’ la Vida Loca” and “She’s All I Ever Had,” the record proved an international sensation, topping the Billboard 200 and selling over 15 million copies worldwide. Along with founding the nonprofit charity the Ricky Martin Foundation, Martin has remained a star, releasing a number of plati continued on next page November 2023 • Music News

17

Trilogy Arena Tour (continued from previous page)

num albums, including 2000’s Sound Loaded, 2005’s Life, and 2015’s Grammy-winning A Quien Quiera Escuchar. In 2020 and 2021, he was back on the Billboard Latin charts with the Pausa and Play EPs. Martin was born on December 24, 1971, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

As a child, he sang in the choir and performed in school plays. When he was six, he began acting in television commercials. Shortly afterward, he took professional singing and acting lessons, which paved the way for his auditions for Menudo. In 1984, when he was 12 years old, he became a member of Menudo, debuting on the album Evolución. For the next five years, Martin was the lead singer of the group, helping them to become an international sensation. Once he outgrew Menudo in 1989, he went back home to Puerto Rico, where he completed high school.

After graduating high school, Martin spent several months living in New York before deciding to work his way back into the entertainment industry. He returned to Mexico, where he acted on-stage for a year and then returned to the music 18

Music News • November 2023

industry. In 1991, he released his self-titled debut album, which he co-wrote with his fellow Menudo alumnus Robi Rosa, who would become a regular collaborator over the course of Martin’s career (often credited as Ian Blake). The album became a sizable hit on the Latin charts. Two years later, he followed it with the Juan Carlos Calderon-produced Me Amarás, which was an even bigger hit, launching him to superstar status in Latin America.

In January 1994, Martin joined the cast of the soap opera General Hospital, playing Miguel Morez. His recurring role was so successful that it landed him a role on Broadway, where he played Marius in Les Misérables. He left General Hospital to perform in the production and stayed with the play for about a year.

In 1995, he released his third album, A Medio Vivir, a record that had a harder rock edge yet also featured such Latin styles as flamenco and Cumbia. It peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Latin Pop Albums chart. Martin returned in early 1998 with his fourth album, Vuelve, which fared even better, landing at number one on the Latin charts and cracking the Top 40 of the Billboard 200.

Produced by K.C. Porter, with coproduction by Draco Rosa and Desmond Child, the record spawned several hit singles, including “Perdido Sin Tí” and “La Copa de la Vida,” the latter of which was also adopted as the official song of the 1998 FIFA World Cup as “The Cup of Life.” Martin performed “The Cup

of Life” at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, where Vuelve also took home the Award for Best Latin Pop Performance.

In the spring of 1999, still riding the success of his wellreceived Grammy performance, Martin returned with his first English-language pop album — which like his first long-player also happened to be titled Ricky Martin. The album topped the Billboard 200 chart and made him an international superstar thanks to the blockbuster singles “Livin’ la Vida Loca” and “She’s All I Ever Had.” A year later, Martin sizzled again with the release of Sound Loaded. His biggest Spanish-language hits were collected on 2001’s La Historia, while 2003’s Almas del Silencio was an album of new Spanish material. Life, from 2005, was a return to Englishlanguage pop. Martin then released MTV Unplugged in 2006 in both CD and DVD formats.

After the success of his MTV Unplugged concert, Martin embarked on a worldwide tour in 2007, and a live CD and DVD of the Black and White Tour appeared later that year.

Following his final show in Madison Square Garden, Martin took a career break from music to focus on his private life, although a collection of his Spanish-language hits, entitled 17, appeared in 2008. In March 2010, Martin publicly came out as gay with a message posted on his official website. Also that November, he published a tell-all autobiography.

The following year, he returned with his ninth studio album, Música + Alma + Sexo, which featured guest appearances by Joss Stone, Natalia Jiménez, Claudia Leitte, and reggaeton duo Wisin & Yandel. The album landed at number three on the Billboard 200 and topped the Latin charts.

Martin spent the next couple of years focusing his energy on his charitable Ricky Martin Foundation.

He announced a new collection of continued on next page

Trilogy Arena Tour (continued from previous page)

romantic songs inspired by the end of a long-term relationship. The set’s first pre-release single, “Adios,” was released in October 2014. In January 2015, “Disparo al Corazon,” the second pre-release single, hit the charts. The same month, a somewhat elaborate Internet hoax was perpetrated stating that Martin had passed away. He responded via Instagram, putting the rumor to rest. His tenth studio album, A Quien Quiera Escuchar, was released a month later.

The album not only charted in the Top Five but, as a result of its strong singles and videos, landed in the top spot on Latin albums charts during the first week of 2016. Later that September, Martin dropped the hit single “Vente Pa’ Ca,” which featured Colombian singer Maluma.

The single “Fiebre,” featuring reggaeton duo Wisin & Yandel, appeared in 2018. That same year, Martin portrayed model and fashion designer Antonio D’Amico in the miniseries The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, for which he earned an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. Martin returned to music in 2020 with two EPs, the balladoriented Pausa and the more danceoriented Play. Released first in May 2020, Pausa featured the tracks “Cántalo” with Residente and Bad Bunny, “Tiburones,” and “Simple” with Sting, and brought home the Latin Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album. Early 2021 saw Martin team up with Chilean-American singer Paloma Mami for “Qué Rico Fuera,” the first single from Play, which arrived later that year. Another Play single, “Otra Noche en L.A.,” arrived in January 2022.

Possible Setlist for Trilogy Tour” Ricky Martin: Pégate María Adrenalina Shake Your Bon-Bon Lola, Lola She Bangs Tu recuerdo Vuelve Por arriba, por abajo Vente pa’ ca Livin’ la Vida Loca The Cup of Life Pitbull: Don’t Stop the Party Hey Baby (Drop It to the Floor) Hotel Room Service International Love

I Feel Good Gasolina On the Floor DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love Feel This Moment JUMPIN Timber Fireball Time of Our Lives 14. Give Me Everything Enrique Iglesias: Tonight (I’m Lovin’ You) Heartbeat Duele el corazón Bailamos Cuando me enamoro Loco / Me pasé Súbeme la radio Escape I Like It El perdón Bailando

November 2023 • Music News

17

hip-hop number one “Never Gonna Let You Go.” In the meantime, she worked with Aaron Hall, Tevin Campbell, and DMX, among others, and also made guest appearances on two 1999 hits, Whitney Houston’s “Heartbreak Hotel” and Eric Benét’s cover of Toto and Cheryl Lynn’s “Georgy Porgy.” She eventually married record executive Todd Russaw, who took an active role in helping manage her career.

Faith Evans Performs At The Arena Theatre November 25th A distinctively graceful voice in contemporary R&B, Faith Evans worked behind the scenes as a background vocalist and songwriter prior to breaking through as an artist in 1995. During that year, she released Faith, her first of three platinum or gold albums for the Bad Boy label, and hit the upper reaches of the pop and R&B/hiphop charts with the plush trifecta of “One More Chance,” “You Used to Love Me,” and “Soon as I Get Home,” the first of which was a collaboration with husband the Notorious B.I.G. Evans’ run with Bad Boy also included the Biggie tribute “I’ll Be Missing You,” a number one pop hit in 1997 and subsequent Grammy winner in the category of Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Recordings from Evans became less frequent after she scored a fourth hit with the 2005 Capitol release The First Lady, which topped the R&B/ hip-hop chart and was another gold-seller.

Every few years through the next decade, she added to her discography with another set of rich, adult-oriented R&B, including Something About Faith, released in 2010 on her own Prolific label, and the 2017 album The King & I, consisting of duets with Biggie.

Born in Lakeland, Florida, Faith Evans grew up in Newark, New Jersey, where she began singing in church at the age of two. A high-school honor student, she performed in her school’s musical productions and earned a scholarship to Fordham University. After one year, she left the Bronx campus to put her jazz and classical training to use in the field of contemporary R&B. From 1992 through 1994, she wrote songs and/or sang backup for Al B. Sure!, Hi-Five, Christopher

20

Music News • November 2023

Williams, Usher, and Mary J. Blige. While working on Usher, for which she co-wrote six tracks and sang backup, Evans was offered a Bad Boy contract by Sean “Puffy” Combs. She hadn’t aspired to become an artist, but struck a deal, and in 1995 was behind some of Bad Boy’s biggest hits. First was the “Stay with Me” remix of “One More Chance,” a number two pop, number one R&B/hip-hop hit headlined by the Notorious B.I.G., who Evans married the previous year. Next came the Top 25 pop, Top Five R&B/hiphop singles “You Used to Love Me” and “Soon as I Get Home,” which propelled Faith, Evans’ debut album, to platinum status.

As Evans’ solo career was in ascent across 1995 and 1996, her work appeared on numerous high-profile projects, including material from Teddy Thompson, Pebbles, Total, Monifah, Color Me Badd, Horace Brown, A Tribe Called Quest, Case, 112, and Soul for Real. She also contributed to the soundtracks for Waiting to Exhale, High School High, and The Preacher’s Wife. In 1997, following the murder of Biggie, the grief-stricken Evans co-wrote and was featured on the tribute single “I’ll Be Missing You,” which became one of that year’s biggest hits, topping the pop and R&B/hip-hop charts and eventually winning a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.

Evans’ sophomore effort, Keep the Faith, followed in 1998 and spun off several R&B hits over the next year, including “Love Like This,” “All Night Long,” and the Babyface-produced R&B/

In 2001, Evans released her third album, Faithfully, a more uptempo recording that received some of her strongest reviews. It also produced hit singles in “You Gets No Love” and “I Love You,” and her duet with Carl Thomas on “Can’t Believe” was nominated for a Grammy. It would be her last Bad Boy album, ending a fruitful association, yet her next move with Capitol, The First Lady, missed the top spot of the Billboard 200 by one position in 2005. After a five-year hiatus from recording, during which she penned the African American Literary Award-winning memoir Keep the Faith, Evans released Something About Faith on her own Prolific label, with distribution from eOne. It topped Billboard’s Independent Albums chart, went Top Five R&B/ hip-hop, and debuted at number 15 on the Billboard 200. Its first single, “Gone Already,” was nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Evans and Russaw divorced in 2011.

After Evans appeared on El DeBarge’s “Lay with You” and Rahsaan Patterson’s “Crazy (Baby)” in 2012, she starred on the TV One reality series R&B Divas beside Nicci Gilbert, Monifah, Syleena Johnson, and Keke Wyatt. A tie-in compilation for the show was released on Prolific that October, with proceeds directed to the Whitney E. Houston Academy. In September 2014, “I Deserve It,” featuring Missy Elliott, was released as the first single from the stylistically broad Incomparable, which followed two months later. The King & I, a set of duets with the Notorious B.I.G., followed on Rhino in May 2017. It included a mix of familiar and previously unreleased vocals from Evans’ late partner, as well as appearances from Snoop Dogg and Jadakiss. In July 2018, Evans married Stevie J, a songwriter and producer who had worked on and off with her dating back to the Bad Boy era. A duet from the newlyweds, “A Minute,” was out that month.

In 2021, Faith Evans competed in season six of The Masked Singer as “Skunk”. She was unmasked during the Group A Finals where she made references to the loss of The Notorious B.I.G. and her son being autistic.

September 2023 • Music News

23

Kim Petras Performs At Houston’s 713 Music Hall On November 14 22 Music News • November 2023

Adding to the excitement ahead of her Feed the Beast World Tour, GRAMMY winning international pop sensation and critically acclaimed songwriter Kim Petras has unexpectedly released her long-awaited album Problematique as a surprise for her fans via Republic Records/ Amigo Records.

LISTEN HERE to stream / download.

Previously shelved after partially leaking and leaving fans clamoring for more, Problematique has been unearthed from the vault as 10 tracks of euphoric escapist pop inspired by French house music and Parisian soundscapes. Shimmering with magnetic, laissez-faire confidence and giving Kim even more new music to perform on her upcoming global tour, Problematique features stand out track “Treat Me Like A Ho,” a bratty flex that brims with untouchable, sugar baby confidence. The album also features starry-eyed, funk banger “Born Again,” a defiant, selfassured burst of fun in title track “Problematique,” sultry, smooth bop “Deeper,” and “All She Wants” – a materialistic, tongue-in-cheek anthem featuring the iconic Paris Hilton.

Kim also recently shared reimagined, symphonic, 7-piece string ensemble performances of fan favorites from her acclaimed debut album Feed The Beast – a declaration about being willing to be consumed by pop music, her biggest passion in life, that was inspired by the euphoric Eurodance hits that she would lose herself in growing up.

The North American leg of Kim’s upcoming Feed The Beast World Tour, produced by Live Nation, kicks off September 27 in Austin, TX, bringing her largerthan-life live show to major cities coast to coast, including Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Nashville, Houston and San Diego, as well as Canadian stops in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.

Kim will then embark on a UK/European run of shows beginning February 13 in Birmingham, UK which will bring her to cities overseas including Manchester, London, Brussels, Paris, Cologne, Amsterdam and Milan. The tour also offers a variety of different VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. Packages vary but include Meet & Greet and photo op with Kim, early entry into the venue, and limited-edition merchandise. Please visit KimPetras.com for tickets, VIP packages, and tour info, and watch the tour announcement video here at https://youtu.be/OwKJRNsi0r0.

Having recently performed at festivals around the world including Governor’s Ball in NYC, Osheaga in Montreal, and The Town in São Paulo, Brazil, Kim also performed at Life is Beautiful in Las Vegas on September 24 and is scheduled to perform

Kim Petras Surprise Drops Problematique Album By Fan Demand Kim Petra’s Also Performs At Houston’s 713 Music Hall On November 14 at Corona Capital in Mexico City on November 18.

Kim is continuing a milestone year that has included winning her first (and LGBTQ history making) GRAMMY Award (for “Unholy”) alongside Sam Smith – who she just jumped on stage with at The Forum in Los Angeles for a surprise live performance – attending the Met Gala as a guest of Marc Jacobs, receiving the Billboard Women in Music Chartbreaker Award, and gracing the cover of the iconic Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

Problematique tracklist: Side A Problematique Je T’Adore All She Wants (featuring Paris Hilton) Born Again Something About U Side B Treat Me Like A Ho Confession Deeper Dirty Things Love Ya Leave Ya November 2023 • Music News

23

Check us out at http://www.rockandbluesinternational.com

Also available on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Index, Amazon Music, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Pocket Casts, Deezer, Listen Notes & More!

624 6 Music Music Music Music News News News News•••November •November December December November2020 2020 2023

https://www.thebigeasyblues.com

November 12 - Blues For Food 1pm - 9pm November 23 - Thankfully Closed November 26 - John Calderon’s Sunday Sessions 6pm - 10pm

Thursday, November 30

Houston Blues Society Jam hosted by Jonn Del Toro Richardson

November 2023 • Music News

25

6 Music Music News News December 28 Music News•• •November September 2020 2023

Daily Specials & Events

http://www.acadiabarandgrill.com 3939 Cypress Creek Parkway Houston, TX 77068 281-893-2860

COME CHECK OUT OUR NEWLY REMODELED PATIO!

Happy Hour Every Day from 12pm to 7 pm $3.75 Domestics and $1 Off All Imports from 7pm till close Monday POOL LEAGUE ($3 WashingtonApple and $4 Jaeger all day) Tuesday POKER (happy hour open to close) Wednesday OPEN MIC ($5 Dom Pitcher’s 7pm to close) FREE POOL! Friday $4 fireball open to close Sunday $3Jaeger 12pm to 7pm (ladies night 7pm to close ladies get discounted drinks) Buy an Acadia cup for $5 and bring it back every Thursday and Sunday and get $1 Domestic and $2 imports draft beer

Check Out The New Improved Acadia Bar & Grill Under New Ownership • We Now Have Hookah!

20% Off All Drinks For All Veterans The First Monday of Every Month!

Live Music Schedule Thursday, November 2 - SPIT, The Shroons, Katey Mae Friday, November 3 - Omero+more!, Detective Libertina, Elevator Days, Subpenguin Saturday, November 4 - Downfall 2012, False Gods, Throat Piss, Beneath The Kudzu, SURGE, Eastgate Sunday, November 5 - Benefit for Dahlia’s Quinceañera Thursday, November 9 - Edge of Destiny, Awaken The Giant, Transmission Lost, Kenton Place Friday, November 10 - Ralph Mendez And His All Star Band, Shining Force, Death Rattle Saturday, November 11th - Veterans Benefit Show Sunday, November 12 - Drifters & Grifters, Proverbial Cool Aid Wednesday, November 15 - Bury Mia Thursday, November 16 - Shane Sharp, Michael Koby Friday, November 17th-Atomic Motor Queen, Swinging Bottles, Pretty Vacant Saturday, November 18 - Fallout Over Houston Sunday, November 19 - Trapt, 307 Departure, Lucid Illusions Friday, November 24 - Black out Friday Saturday, November 25 - TBA Sunday, November 26 - TBA Thursday, November 30 - Hippie Jim, Tres Leches November 2023 • Music News

27

The Struts Perform At The House Of Blues On November 17th The Struts have officially announced their tour for 2023 entitled Remember The Name - with supporting act from Michiganders, Mac Saturn. The tour will stop in Houston at The House Of Blues On November 17th The Struts recently released a new EP, Unplugged at EastWest, which is both a live album and video set recorded with Taylor Guitars. The four-song EP includes unplugged versions of their hit single “Fallin’ With Me,” as well as covers of Michael Jackson’s “Stranger In Moscow” and Oasis’ “Supersonic,” plus a full-length version of “Pretty Vicious.”

The latter was uploaded to TikTok in 2021 and garnered 14 million views, making it a viral sensation.

Named from an offhand comment about their unbridled stage presence, The Struts have earned a global reputation as a must-see live act. The group, comprised of lead vocalist Luke Spiller, guitarist Adam Slack, bassist Jed Elliott, and drummer Gethin Davies, was formed in Derby, England in 2012. Bursting onto the scene with their hit single “Could 28

Music News • November 2023

Have Been Me,” they have since released three albums, including collaborations with heavy hitters like Robbie Williams, Kesha, Tom Morello, and Def Leppard‘s Joe Elliott and Phil Collen.

A band with a big sound and swagger to spare, the Struts are a British rock group who deliver a pop-infused brand of hard rock that owes a debt of influence to the glory days of U.K. glam.

A number of writers have compared lead singer Luke Spiller’s sound and style to that of the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, and their eager embrace of hooky melodies and singalong choruses suggests a modern-day variation on the approach of Slade or Sweet in their glory days. The Struts sounded polished, confident, and playfully decadent on their debut album, 2014’s Everybody Wants, while 2018’s Young & Dangerous added the sheen of contemporary pop and dance music to their starry-eyed rock & roll attack. They kicked off the next decade with 2020’s Strange Days, and singles like “Low Key in Love” with Paris Jackson.

The Struts were founded by songwriter and lead vocalist Luke Spiller and guitarist Adam Slack. Spiller had grown up in a Christian household, with little exposure to secular music before discovering Michael Jackson’s album Off the Wall at an early age. His tastes evolved and by age 11 he was a serious fan of AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, and Queen.

At 16, Spiller started singing in local rock bands, and in 2009, he met Slack; both were working with groups that were on their last legs, and they agreed to join forces. The two were living in Derby, and they started writing songs together.

After three years of woodshedding, Spiller and Slack decided it was time to take their project to the stage, and with bassist Jamie Binns and drummer Rafe Thomas, they debuted the first edition of the Struts. Binns and Thomas didn’t last long, however, and in 2012 they were replaced by Jed Elliott on bass and Gethin Davies behind the drums. The group won an audience through steady live work, and in 2012, they released their first single, “I Just Know,” via continued on next page

The Struts (continued from previous page) Future Records. It wasn’t long before Future went out of business and VirginEMI signed the Struts; their first single for the label, “Could Have Been Me,” was issued in October 13, while an EP, Kiss This, arrived in April 2014; their debut album, Everybody Wants, came out three months later. The LP was a moderate success, and Spiller’s rock star vibe won him a guest appearance on Mike Oldfield’s 2014 album Man on the Rocks, with Oldfield quipping, “He did a much better job of sounding like a rock star than me.” That same year, the Struts were tapped to open a show for the Rolling Stones in Paris, where they played for a crowd of 80,000 people.

In 2015, the band landed a U.S. record deal with Interscope, and their American debut, the EP Have You Heard …, was given a digital release in August of that year. The EP included the twoyear-old tune “Could Have Been Me,” and it became a hit stateside, rising to the Top Ten on the Rock Airplay and Top Five on the Alternative Songs charts, while it made the Top 20 in the Mainstream Rock and Hot Rock Songs surveys. “Kiss This” enjoyed similar

success, and in 2015 the Struts left England for Los Angeles. In 2016, Interscope released an American edition of Everybody Wants with many tracks re-recorded and five bonus tracks swapped in. It promptly topped out at number 15 on the Rock Albums chart.

Touring dominated the Struts’ schedule for the rest of 2016 and much of 2017, with the group warming up shows for the likes of the Who, Guns N’ Roses, Mötley Crüe, and the Foo Fighters. (Foo Fighters’ leader Dave Grohl praised the Struts as the best band to ever open for them.) A semi-acoustic EP, Live and Unplugged, was also released in 2017.

The Struts returned to the studio to work on their second album, and October 2018’s Young & Dangerous included a guest appearance by Kesha on the song “Body Talk,” which charted in the United States in Hot Rock Songs at number 15), Mainstream Rock (number 33), and Alternative Songs (number 12) categories. The band closed out the 2018 Victoria’s Secret Fashion show with the track, and headed out on tour, headlining dates and also sharing bills with the Foo Fighters. The group’s third album, Strange Days, arrived in October 2020

and included the tracks “Another Hit of Showmanship” with the Strokes’ Albert Hammond, Jr. and “Strange Days” with Robbie Williams. In early 2021, the Struts issued “Low Key in Love,” a collaboration with Paris Jackson.

Another non-album track, “Fallin’ with Me,” arrived in 2022.

On 11 July 2023, The Struts released a new single called “Too Good at Raising Hell” complete with a music video uploaded onto YouTube, ahead of their previously unannounced fourth studio album.

On 10 August 2023, The Struts announced their fourth album, titled Pretty Vicious, would release on 3 November 2023.

The group has also gone on to earn the No. 1 spot on Spotify’s Viral Top 50, appear on shows like The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, garner more than 850M ondemand streams, and sell out shows across the globe. Praised for their onstage swagger and musicianship, they have opened for The Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters, and Guns N’ Roses, played major festivals like Lollapalooza and Governors Ball, and even headlined their own world-wide tours.

November 2023 • Music News

29

The heart of San Diego emo-inflected post-hardcore outfit Pierce the Veil lies in two brothers, vocalist/guitarist Vic Fuentes and drummer Mike Fuentes. They first started playing together as the band Before Today while students in high school. The two formed the group in December 1998, and it was soon turned into a quintet by guitarist Joe Tancil and bassist Mitchell Ballatore. Before Today played as a unit for several years, and after signing to Equal Vision Records, released the album A Celebration of an Ending in September 2004. In time, Tancil and Ballatore quit the band, leaving Victor and Mike to start over and rebuild. In the fall of 2006, they switched their name to Pierce the Veil, which was the title of a track on the previous Before Today album, and brought on board bassist Jaime Preciado and guitarist Tony Perry.

Pierce The Veil Perform At The 713 Music Hall November 12th Pierce The Veil debuted atop Billboard’s Top Rock Albums, Alternative Albums, and Hard Rock Albums charts twice – first with Collide with the Sky (2012) and its follow-up, Misadventures (2016). A decade after its release, the already platinum “King for a Day” shot to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hard Rock Streaming chart, driven by the viral #KingForADay hashtag on TikTok. Even with two gold singles; a gold album; 2022 could be their biggest year. Because this is the year of The Jaws of Life.

The band Rolling Stone once described as “hyperactive, progressive post-hardcore,” returns with album number five, full of fuzzy guitars, massive melodic hooks, and PTV’s distinct emotional heart. The Jaws of Life is Pierce The Veil at their most raw, crackling with urgency and immediacy. Never predictable, always engaging, Pierce The Veil continues to soar on the strength of highly potent energy, rich musicality, and a scrappy sense of authentic exuberant ambition that’s frankly unrivaled. Vic Fuentes, Tony Perry, and Jaime Precadio put volatile, angsty, confessional emotions into the music, which is why their songs resonant with so many.

“No matter where the band performs, fans will show up,” wrote Loudwire. “When you see Pierce The Veil live, you’ll understand why.”

PTV’s evolution from album to album is nothing less than stunning. The early buzz generated by A Flair for the Dramatic (2007) made its follow-up one of the most anticipated albums of 2010. Selfish Machines shot

30

Music News • November 2023

to No. 1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart.

The Chicago Tribune saluted Collide with the Sky for its “post-hardcore punk with more than a few nods to Queen.” They became a true arena act on Misadventures, selling out huge venues without losing the intimate connection with their fans.

The Jaws of Life was produced by Paul Meany (Twenty One Pilots, Mutemath, The Blue Stones), and mixed by Adam Hawkins (Machine Gun Kelly, Turnstile, Twenty One Pilots). Deadly serious subject matter abounds, but Pierce The Veil enduringly navigates it all with grace. The lyrics continue the Fuentes tradition of painstaking honesty and clever twists of phrase. Pierce The Veil performs at the biggest festivals and is counted among the biggest and brightest of a younger generation of bands. But it all starts with the songs. The Jaws of Life is filled with the kind to keep the PTV fire burning forever.

Combining elements of post-hardcore, emo-punk, and progressive rock, Pierce the Veil burst onto the scene in the late 2000s.

They slowly built a following with 2010’s Selfish Machines before achieving mainstream success in 2012 with the release of their gold-selling third studio album, Collide with the Sky, which included the hit “King for a Day.” The band topped the U.S. alternative rock charts again in 2016 with Misadventures before an extended hiatus.

Seven years later, they returned, calmer and more reflective, with their mature fifth album, The Jaws of Life.

The brothers wrote Pierce the Veil’s debut album, A Flair for the Dramatic, in their San Diego home studio, and later recorded it in Seattle with producer Casey Bates (Gatsbys American Dream, Fear Before the March of Flames). Their original affiliation with Equal Vision continued, and in early summer 2007, A Flair for the Dramatic appeared via the Albany-based label. The fall was then spent on opening dates for rockers From First to Last. A second album, Selfish Machines, arrived on the label in 2010 and reached number one on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart. The band parted ways with Equal Vision, eventually signing with Fearless Records the following year. Their third album, Collide with the Sky, arrived on their new label in 2012, with production from Dan Korneff. The LP became their most commercially successful effort to date, topping multiple Billboard charts and spawning the hit single “King for a Day.” A tour documentary titled This Is a Wasteland was released at the end of 2013, capturing the band hard at work across Southeast Asia, Europe, North America, and South America.

More touring followed during 2014 and 2015, along with recording for Pierce the Veil’s fourth album, Misadventures, which appeared in the spring of 2016. Like its predecessor, the record soared to the upper echelons of the U.S. alternative rock charts.

In 2017, multiple sexual misconduct allegations against Mike Fuentes forced the drummer to step down from his duties, and the band went on hiatus. The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 further disrupted the group’s plans, forcing them to abandon a scheduled tour.

The now-trio returned in 2022 with the fiery, grunge-kissed single “Pass the Nirvana.” Their comeback album, The Jaws of Life, arrived in 2023. Featuring drumming from Third Eye Blind’s Brad Hargreaves, the set debuted a more mature and midtempo sound for the usually raucous band, as heard on the single “Emergency Contact” and the duet with Chloe Moriondo, “12 Fractures.”

Show Your Tribe!

Order Yours Today!

November 2022 • Music News

31

Despite this success, Stapleton left the SteelDrivers in April 2010 and formed the Jompson Brothers with guitarist Greg McKee, bassist J.T. Cure, and drummer Brad McNamee. By 2013, the Southern rock band was no more, and Stapleton signed with Mercury Nashville, releasing “What Are You Listening To?” in October of that year.

The single didn’t go anywhere, so its accompanying album was scrapped, and he recorded a new album with coproducer Dave Cobb. This is the record that became Traveller, his solo debut that appeared in May 2015 to strong reviews.

Its release coincided with that of the chart-topping “Crash and Burn,” a song Stapleton wrote with Jesse Frasure that was turned into a hit by Thomas Rhett.

Traveller racked up a number of CMA nominations and, in a surprise to most observers, it took home three awards that December: Best Male Vocalist, New Artist of the Year, and Album of the Year.

Chris Stapleton Performs At The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion November 17th Chris Stapleton’s blend of throwback country, classic rock, and soul along with his ability to craft memorable and meaningful songs — both as a behind-the-scenes journeyman and as a solo performer — combine to make him a well-regarded, highly rewarded part of the country music scene. Before his 2015 breakthrough debut album, Traveller, he worked in Nashville for years, leading the progressive bluegrass group the SteelDrivers and working as a professional songwriter, scoring hits with George Strait (“Love’s Gonna Make It Alright”), Luke Bryan (“Drink a Beer”), and Darius Rucker (“Come Back Song”) and providing songs for superstars like Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, and Adele.

These covers signaled a deep reservoir of goodwill within the industry for the songwriter, which bubbled to the surface in the fall of 2015, when he took home three major trophies at the Country Music Association Awards. With his visibility boosted, Stapleton won his first Grammy for second studio album From a Room: Vol. 1. His work proved to be 32

Music News • November 2023

both popular and influential, moving mainstream country in a rootsier direction during the course of the late 2010s.

He continued pursuing his hybrid sound on albums like 2020’s Starting Over, which reached the top of the Country charts once again.

Stapleton’s success was a long time coming. A native of Kentucky — he was born in Lexington and raised in the smaller Staffordsville — he moved to Nashville in 2001 in hopes of making it in country music. He signed a publishing deal with Sea Gayle Music and started to work steadily, writing songs and paying bills through various jobs, and playing music all the while. In 2008, he formed the SteelDrivers, a bluegrass group who received quite a bit of acclaim over the next two years. In 2009, the band was named Emerging Artist of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association, and the following year they received three Grammy nominations, including Best Bluegrass Album, for Reckless.

Suddenly, Stapleton was a hot property, receiving four Grammy nominations a few weeks after the CMAs, and soon all that acclaim turned into sales, with Traveller reaching number one on the U.S. country charts and receiving a gold certification from the RIAA, while “Nobody to Blame” became his first country radio hit.

“Parachute” charted even higher later in 2016, and Stapleton spent the rest of that year working on his second album with producer Dave Cobb. Recorded at Nashville’s RCA Studio A, From a Room was divided into two parts, with the first arriving in May 2017 and the second following later that year. From a Room: Vol. 1 wound up snagging the CMA for Album of the Year prior to the November release of From a Room: Vol. 2. It then won the Grammy for Best Country Album the following spring. Over the next few years, Stapleton remained active in various collaborative projects, co-writing a handful of songs for Justin Timberlake’s Man of the Woods album, guesting alongside Bruno Mars on Ed Sheeran’s song “Blow,” and even appearing as an extra on an episode of HBO’s Game of Thrones.

Stapleton returned in 2020 with Starting Over, an album featuring Benmont Tench and Mike Campbell of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.

Another country chart-topper, it also made a number three showing on the Billboard 200. The following year, Stapleton participated in the Metallica tribute project The Metallica Blacklist with a cover of “Nothing Else Matters.”

November 2022 • Music News

35

Gao recalled that the power went off in the middle of their performance in Urumqi when the band was about to play “Don’t Stop My Music.” So they just did an unplugged version, and everyone joined in because they knew the song so well.

Miserable Faith Perform On The Lawn at White Oak Music Hall On November 22 Chinese veteran rock band Miserable Faith on musical journey and more

By Shen Li Miserable Faith formed in 1999, is one of the most prestigious rock bands in China. The band consists of lead singer Gao Hu, guitar player Song Jie, bass player Zhang Jing, and drummer Chi Gongwei.

Over the course of 24 years, they have constantly broken boundaries in their creativity, exploring and seeking new paths. They have released several classic albums and expanded their presence in cities big and small across China, proudly waving the flag of rock music. They have performed hundreds of shows, including tours and music festival performances, attracting a massive fan base that spans different age groups and backgrounds.

Chinese indie rock band Miserable Faith is about to release a charity music video to raise awareness about village doctors. The band’s popularity has endured since its inception over two decades ago.

We caught up with them during one of their recent tours in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, where they talked about their 34

Music News • November 2023

musical journey and more.

As one of China’s leading rock bands, Miserable Faith has been inspiring generations of Chinese rock fans since its inception in 1999. The band adopted the symbol of Nezha, the rebellious boy god from Chinese mythology. The image has stayed with them from the hard rock of their youthful days to their more mellow, world-music-infused tracks in later years.

For the band’s frontman Gao Hu, he discovered not just rebellion in the spirit of rock music but also love. He told CGTN that when he first listened to rock music, he liked the power and resistance it brought about.

“But gradually, especially when I was at an all-time low, I could feel the warmth, love and that all-embracing element that rock music has,” Gao said.

The band has spent a lot of time on the road, touring cities big and small across the country. Gao said nothing compares to the feeling when playing for a live audience and the unpredictable situation that allows them to improvise a little bit.

“Right when we finished the song, the power went back on. If you didn’t know the backstory, you would have thought that it was planned that way,” he said.

From their metal-hardcore rock origins, the four-piece band has evolved, integrating new literary and musical elements into their brand of rock. The 2008 album “Don’t Stop My Music” was inspired by American novelist Jack Kerouac’s novel “On the Road.” Their 2014 album “May Love Be Without Worries” combined world music and reggae.

The band has always risen to new challenges. In 2018, they wrote a song for the English football club Wolverhampton Wanderers, commonly known as Wolves, on its rise to the super-rich English Premier League.

“In a way, music and football are the same. They require teamwork and the spirit of persistence,” Zhang Jing, the band’s bassist, said.

Gao joked that it’s strange that people who like rock also watch football and those who like hip hop dig basketball.

While other rock bands break up or re-group, why has Miserable Faith endured? For Gao, the answer is that they complement each other.

“Through the years, our characters and the way we do music are all in line. And that’s what sets us apart from commercial bands.”

Gao says as long as the four of them stay together, the future holds infinite possibilities.

November May 2022 2023 • Music News 27 29

The National Bring Their U.S. Tour To The Lawn At White Oak Music Hall on November 18th The National are just back from a European tour which saw them playing to 20,000 fans in London where they were called, “An era-defining band at the peak of their powers,” by The Guardian. The i review declared, “Rock’s Sad Dads are finally one of the biggest bands in the world.” The National will be back on tour starting Nov. 10 in San Francisco and will play White Oak Music Hall 8 days later in Houston, Tx. Additionally, extra Sydney and Melbourne, Australia dates have just been announced. Tickets are on sale now. See all tour dates below and visit www.americanmary.com for more information.

The group stunned fans last month with the digital release of Laugh Track. The 12-song album is a companion to and features material originally started in the same sessions as First Two Pages of Frankenstein, which was released by 4AD in April. Laugh Track features guest appearances by Phoebe Bridgers and Rosanne Cash, as well as the

36

Music News • November 2023

Bon Iver collaboration “Weird Goodbyes,” which was released as a standalone track in August 2022.

The Atlantic proclaimed, “The National’s second album of 2023 is a doozy,” while Paste raved, “the National remain as bold as they’ve ever been — plugging the sounds of a 20-year catalog into a 12-chapter show and calling upon some friends to fill out the party.” Esquire called Laugh Track “a sprawling and cathartic record — a return to the intricate, yet anthemic rock ‘n’ roll that helped The National carve a unique lane for themselves within the crowded indie-rock scene of the early aughts.”

Its predecessor, First Two Pages of Frankenstein, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Rock and Alternative Album charts, while “Tropic Morning News” spent five weeks atop its Adult Alternative Airplay tally, marking The National’s first song to hit that peak since 2017. NME

Once the National finished soundchecking for their show in Vancouver on June 5, 2023, the band kept playing.

Something was coming together: Aaron and Bryce Dessner’s terse, serrated guitar parts, and a lethally efficient drum beat by Bryan Devendorf. As bassist Scott Devendorf dug in, Matt Berninger started to sing some lines he’d kept for a couple of years. “Smoke detector, smoke detector / All you need to do is protect her,” he intoned. Their sound engineer was recording, so they continued on, stretching out for 12 minutes as Matt freestyled more lyrics about blackbirds, pharmacy slippers, a dog in the driver’s seat wearing a red helmet, and “this run of episodes of my time on the floor.”

They knew they had something, and soon after took the live recording to Aaron’s studio, Long Pond, in upstate New York. Matt continued on next page

The National (continued from previous page) asked him if he should structure his words, but Aaron said no: let them stay wild. Aaron admits it was a lesson to himself, to let go of his sketching process and let things feel risky, unfinished. “We had to let our guard down to let that song through.” They trimmed a few minutes, but otherwise preserved what happened onstage in Vancouver. “I’m falling off the rhythm a little bit, and everybody was sliding in and out of sync here and there,” says Matt. “It felt really genuine. Suddenly a weed sprouted up and it was full of flowers and weird snakes.”

That song, “Smoke Detector,” closes Laugh Track, the surprise second half of a double album which began with First Two Pages of Frankenstein in April. It proved to be the final chapter to a body of work otherwise written alongside its sibling record, and the track’s extraordinary sense of catharsis plots the complete metamorphosis the National has undergone in the last three years.

Two years ago, the “smoke detector” line was one of just a few scraps Matt had eked out while experiencing a debilitating depression that would leave the National wondering whether they would ever make another record — a period of disconnect well-documented in the interviews around Frankenstein. Post-pandemic, their renewed faith in each other revived his creative faculties. “Weird Goodbyes,” released as a one-off in August 2022, was their first breakthrough and the first taste of this new era. “We released it really quickly because it was like, a baby is born in the darkness, or something,” laughs Matt. “We had to show the town.”

But once they finally made headway with a vast body of work, they chose to keep “Weird Goodbyes” off Frankenstein, the first batch of songs they completed and released.

“It felt like the story had already been told. It was its own thing,” says Aaron. “But it also felt related to what we were doing. That was part of the logic for making another record — let’s give ‘Weird Goodbyes’ its own home.”

There was another side of the story in the songs left uncompleted, which ranged far beyond the gentleness of Frankenstein. Over the years, Aaron admits they’ve often bailed on grand ideas of making a rock record. “It’s not because we don’t enjoy sitting in a room banging around ideas. It’s just that it wasn’t that productive, so we developed a fairly elaborate way of building songs in which Bryan had a very important but compartmentalized role,” he says. “This time we had the

desire to make something that was more alive so that Bryan’s playing would drive more.”

On tour during the summer of 2022, the band allowed the unreleased material to evolve onstage. In May 2023, just a month post-Frankenstein, they booked a stint at Tucker Martine’s studio in Portland, Oregon, and re-recorded nine of the new songs.

Making Laugh Track amid the release cycle for Frankenstein was “intense, so it wasn’t super easy to refocus on ‘what are we doing with this?’,” he says, “but it came about in a fairly organic way. We were working intensely on all of it up until very late – moments before mastering. It benefitted us to give it a little more time to capture the live energy of it. It’s what the band sounds like right now.”

Laugh Track is the most reckless album the National have made in years. It’s mutinous and lightheaded, yet there is as much rare, untrammeled beauty as there is desolation. “We’re realizing that this is the fourth quarter,” says Bryan, who takes a pivotal role as a live drummer after largely playing electronic drums on Frankenstein.

“We have to leave it all on the field, as it were.”

Thematically, there’s no intentional split between Frankenstein and Laugh Track.

But if the former found Matt more in search of sanctuary, here there is a newly clear-eyed assessment of what matters. His fierce need for intimacy is heightened by an ever-greater fear of modern life’s unreality. The characters on this album (no first names, other than a tour manager named Alice – just “I” and “you”) cover for one another, dream for one another, and help maintain appearances – living up to the promise of absolute care that Matt made on Frankenstein closer “Send for Me.”

ries Matt took on “Weird Goodbyes” and Frankenstein’s “Eucalyptus,” a desolate surrender to leaving everything behind. “Tell them that you’ve gone to see / If you can find out what it means / When your mind leaves your body,” Matt sings. His recent struggle still lingers, but there’s acceptance in it.

“Let’s just turn everything off and walk away,” he says. “Bail out of your head, of all the things you’re worried about, your career, your whole identity, how strong you thought you were.” Then, of course, there’s album closer “Smoke Detector.” “It felt like the epitaph,” says Matt. “Burn it all down at the end.”

If Frankenstein represented a rebuilding of trust between the National, the vibrant, exploratory Laugh Track is the confident product of that faith, and a new statement of intent. The live show has become as crucial as those early days when they were fighting for ears at New York’s tiny Mercury Lounge.

Every night on tour, they’re switching around a dozen different songs, even forsaking staples like “I Need My Girl.” “We use our entire soundcheck to rehearse,” says Bryce.

“Public humiliation is a real possibility. But we’re just going for it, and being aware that it’s really important to the people coming.”

These catalytic moments “don’t happen unless you really gather,” Matt concludes. They’re closer in every sense than they have been in years, but holding each other loosely, allowing for the possibility of transformation. For Matt, “Laugh Track represents us coming out of this long mutation period,” he says. “I have no idea what’s going to happen next but it feels like the shedding of a skin, an exoskeleton. We all feel out of the chrysalis and ready to figure out what kind of creature we are now.”

As for what doesn’t matter? “Turn Off the House” concludes the emotional inventoNovember 2023 • Music News

37

42

Music News • October 2023

Check Us Out Online at katiesbar.com

Open 6 Days A Week Tuesday thru Sunday

Wednesday’s @ 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm Thursday, Fridays & Saturdays @ 8:00 pm - 12:00 am • Sundays @ 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm Friday, November 3 - Lightning Rob Saturday, November 4 - Wake Zone Sunday, November 5 - Katie’s Sunday Jam with guest host Pierce Wednesday, November 8 - Katie’s Jam with guest host Bob Emmons Thursday, November 9 - Hugo Jamz Trio Friday, November 10 - Hugo Jamz Trio Saturday, November 11 - Snit’s Dog And Pony Show Sunday, November 12 - Katie’s Sunday Jam with guest host Lightning Rob Wednesday, November 15 - Katie’s Jam with guest host Keith Vivens Thursday, November 16 - Static Blues Friday, November 17 - Chris Castaneda Saturday, November 18 - Mark May Sunday, November 19 - Katie’s Sunday Jam with guest host Mark May Wednesday, November 22 - Katie’s Jam with guest host Bob Emmons Thursday, November 23 - Closed For Thanksgiving Friday, November 24 - Big Jordan Saturday, November 25 - Scott McGill Sunday, November 26 - Katie’s Sunday Jam with guest host Pierce Wednesday, November 29 - Katie’s Jam with guest host Keith Vivens Thursday, November 30 - Eric Demmer

November 2023 • Music News

39

Friday, November 3, 8:00 pm - 12:00 am Scotty’s Saloon 114 Agnes Rd - Richmond, TX 77469 Saturday, November 4, 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm No Label Brewing 5351 1st St - Katy, TX 77493 Friday, November 10, 9:00 pm - 1:00 am Mac’s Sports Bar 12650 Telge Rd - Cypress, TX 77429 Saturday, November 11, 8:00 pm - 12:00 am 3 Doors Down Bar 102 20th St - Galveston, TX 77550 Friday, November 17, 9:00 pm - 1:00 am The Abbey Pub 2002 N Fry Rd - Houston, TX 77084

Saturday, December 9, 9:00 pm - 1:00 am Jack’s Pub *Christmas Party!!!

11720 S Wilcrest - Houston, TX 77099

Saturday, November 18, 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm *Birthday Party For John Frazier The Concert Pub BOAT 2462 FM 1960 W - Houston, TX 77068

Saturday, December 16, 8:00 pm - 12:00 am 3 Doors Down Bar 102 20th St - Galveston, TX 77550

Friday, November 24, 9:00 pm - 1:00 am Aspens Bar & Grill 817 Clear Lake Rd - Kemah, TX 77565

Sunday, December 31, 9:00 pm - 1:00 am *Happy New Year!!!

Aspens Bar & Grill 817 Clear Lake Rd - Kemah, TX 77565

Saturday. December 2, 8:00 pm - 12:00 am Backwoods Saloon 230 Lexington Ct - Conroe, TX 77385

June 2023 September 2023• •Music MusicNews News 2345

Mammoth WVH Perform At Warehouse Live On November 24 Wolfgang Van Halen will be bringing his critically acclaimed band Mammoth WVH to Houston’s Warehouse Live this month for a ver special show on November 24th. The band is touring in support of their new fullo length album, Mammoth II. The show will be presented

by AEG Presents.

First impressions last a lifetime.

Wolfgang Van Halen has prepared a lifetime to make his first impression with his solo band Mammoth WVH. The songwriter, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist worked tirelessly on material that would become his debut album. Playing every instrument and singing each and every note, his music presents a personal and powerful perspective, balancing memorable hooks and tight technicality. As many times as audiences have experienced his talent alongside the likes of Tremonti, Clint Lowery, and of course, Van Halen, Wolfgang prepares to step into the spotlight with his own brand - Mammoth WVH - for the very first time now.

“The name Mammoth is really special to me.” says Wolf. “Not only was it the name of Van Halen before it became Van Halen, but my father was also the lead singer. Ever since my dad told me this, I always thought that when I grew up, I’d call my own band Mammoth, because I loved the name so much. I’m so thankful that my father was able to listen to, and enjoy the music I made. Nothing made me happier than seeing how proud he was that I was continuing the family legacy.”

Combining elements of metal, grunge, alternative, and hard rock,

42

Music News • November 20233

Mammoth WVH is the solo project of Wolfgang Van Halen, son of guitar god Eddie Van Halen. Before his father’s death ended Van Halen in 2020, Wolfgang was the band’s bassist from 2006 onward, and he paid loving tribute to his father with his first Mammoth WVH song, “Distance,” which anchored the group’s eponymous full-length debut in 2021. They returned in early 2023 with “Another Celebration” heralding their sophomore set, the aptly named Mammoth II. Wolfgang Van Halen was born in 1991. He was an only child and developed a close relationship with his parents, learning music from his rock star dad and eventually joining his band as a teenager.

In 2012, he also joined Creed guitarist Mark Tremonti’s group Tremonti, first filling in on bass for a tour, but then becoming a full-time member of the band.

Wolfgang was steadily working on songs of his own, but he kept his original material under wraps until his father died in October 2020. He formed Mammoth WVH the next month, repurposing the name Mammoth from the first iterations of Van Halen, which featured his father on lead vocals. A talented singer and multi-instrumentalist, Wolfgang recorded every instrument for his new project himself. His first song, the Grammy-nominated “Distance,” debuted in November 2020, along with an accompanying video montage of home movies of him and his father in different stages of his early life up to 2020. Mammoth WVH released their dynamic self-titled debut the following year. A resounding success, the album topped three different Billboard

charts (Indie, Hard Rock, and Rock) and peaked at number 12 on the pop chart.

In early 2023, the band issued “Another Celebration,” the first single from their second album, Mammoth II. Darker and heavier than its predecessor, the ten-song set saw Van Halen touch on themes of grief, isolation, and resilience.

On August 4, 2023 Mammoth WVH released their new album, Mammoth II. Mammoth II is the second studio album by American rock band Mammoth WVH. Similar to the first album, Mammoth WVH (2021), all writing, vocals, and instruments were all done by Wolfgang Van Halen. The album was released through I Am the Sheriff and BMG Rights Management on August 4, 2023.

Work on the album began in September 2022. Starting the sessions were difficult for Wolfgang; while his father Eddie was not formally credited in the first album, he was still present for the sessions in the 2010s, and music was an area of bonding for the two. However, Eddie’s death in 2020 meant that the sessions would be Wolfgang’s first without him around. Despite this, the sessions were, by design, much quicker than the ones for the first album, as Wolfgang had already established the band’s sound, and knew what worked and what didn’t, making the album more about expanding upon what was already created. Similar to the first album, all writing, vocals and instrumentation - guitar, bass and drums - were performed by Wolfgang. The album was recorded in Eddie’s 5150 Studios with music producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette.

Many of the songs are themed around Wolfgang processing his grief of losing his father, Eddie, who died in 2020.

Wolfgang explained: “Everyone thinks the first album was me working through everything that had been happening, like losing my father. But that’s not true. I finished [the first] album in 2018. This is the album where I’m working through everything that happened in my life since 2019, and that’s a lot. I think that’s why it ended up being a darker, heavier album”.

Another common theme on the album was Wolfgang’s reaction to negativity and toxic behavior he experience online and on social media. Many songs are written from the perspective of him addressing an amalgamation of internet trolls he’s experienced online. The track “I’m Alright” explores his personal reactions to people who attempt to boss him around in regards to how he should approach music. Wolfgang described it as his “anthem for telling people to f#@k off”. The track “Better Than You” is a more general observation about the internet that “everyone on the internet thinks they’re better than everyone else, but they’re really just as miserable as everyone else.

Check us out at http://www.rockandbluesinternational.com Also available on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Index, Amazon Music, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Pocket Casts, Deezer, Listen Notes & More!

November 2023 • Music News

43

Wyatt Flores Performs At Warehouse Live On December 1 Wyatt Flores has unveiled his 2023 Time Are Getting Hard tour, which will feature support from Carter Faith, Kaitlynn Kilian, Dylan Gossett, Evan Honer and More. He will be performing this month in The Ballroom at Warehouse Live on December 1st. Whatt Flores continues to establish himself as one of the most exciting new voices in the alt-country space with the Oklahoma native having released a plethora of singles over the past few months.

Wyatt Flores was raised on the outskirts of a small Oklahoma college town with a rich music history spanning from the likes of Garth Brooks, All American Rejects, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Colour Music and The Great Divide. There’s something unique about growing up in a town riddled with musical giants.

Embracing this musical energy, and further inspired by stories from his father’s stint as a seasoned drummer in the Red Dirt music scene, Wyatt wrote and released his debut acoustic single “Travelin’ Kid” in the Spring of 2021.

Shows around campfires and in small bars throughout Northeast Oklahoma 44

Music News • November 2023

followed soon after.

In the summer of 2022, Wyatt left Stillwater, OK and moved to Nashville, TN to pursue his career full-time. He released fan-favorite “Losing Sleep” in February of 2022, as well as a series of stand-alone singles in the second half of the year, each showcasing new facets of the stories and sounds Flores creates.

Wyatt’s sound is somewhere between Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson and Caamp — he tells his stories in his own way and craves authenticity in his lyrics, collaboration and sound. This wide-ranging field of influences captivates listeners of multiple genres, as his fans have tallied up more than 3-million total streams across platforms.

Having dedicated the past few months to transforming new lived experiences into songs, Wyatt is in the process of recording his first full album, planned for a 2023 release: “This debut album is a time and place in my heart. I learned that sometimes not everyone can be loved. It’s homegrown and Oklahoma made and I

hope folks see the originality behind it. I hope this project helps people get through the rough times in their life” In the meantime, Wyatt has released his new single, “West Of Tulsa”, a heartfelt, and perhaps introspective track about the difficulty of finding purpose in meaningful relationships in life on the road, Flores’ “West of Tulsa” is a cleverly penned track that simultaneously showcases his songwriting ability as well as his band’s ability to throw down. “‘West of Tulsa’ is about becoming the person of your dreams while also dealing with the shortcomings that you sometimes experience when those dreams are coming true,” says Wyatt.

“We all say we want to be somebody but it’s hard to realize that you actually already are somebody. I want fans to understand that I am them, that my feelings are still the same as anyone else.

From a blue-collar worker to working as a musician on the stage, my problems are still the same and I still fight through the struggle of wanting to be somebody every day.”

@ THE BALLROOM AT WAREHOUSE LIVE ALL AGES SHOW!!

DOORS @ 7:00 - SHOW @ 8:00

@ THE STUDIO AT WAREHOUSE LIVE ALL AGES SHOW!!

@ THE STUDIO AT WAREHOUSE LIVE ALL AGES SHOW!!

DOORS @ 7:00 - SHOW @ 8:00

@ THE STUDIO AT WAREHOUSE LIVE ALL AGES SHOW!!

@ THE STUDIO AT WAREHOUSE LIVE ALL AGES SHOW!!

DOORS @ 7:00 - SHOW @ 8:00

DOORS @ 7:00 - SHOW @ 8:00

@ THE BALLROOM AT WAREHOUSE LIVE ALL AGES SHOW!!

DOORS @ 7:00 - SHOW @ 8:00

813 ST. EMANUAL ST. • 713.225.5483 • CALL US TO BOOK YOUR EVENT OR PARTY FOR TICKETS: WAREHOUSELIVE.COM OR CALL 713.225.5483

38

Music News • April 2023

Conversations With The Professionals

by John in Houston

Presenting A Whole New Sound Reminiscent Of The Great Era Of Rock Crank Up The Silence, the soft spoken, laid back intellectual group of creatives off stage that transform into a multi-dimensional mega-rock presence on stage is, simply stated, outstanding! Their original compositions carry a flavor of originality that, on one side, is like a habanero hot sauce that stings with every bite but you love it to the max — and on the other side a presence, overflowing with personal messaging that reaches the heart a completely different way. That is Crank Up the Silence, and this on-stage delivery is by design, well thought out. The design comes through, it communicates, it rocks the house, and on another plane Crank Up The Silence also presents mind-blowing, thought-provoking material.

This combination keeps bringing the crowds back.

Plus, they have captured this presence on high res 4k video as well as in high fidelity audio recordings captured at Sassafras Studios in Houston, Texas, USA. John Edward Ross, Owner/Producer, shares: “Working with Crank Up The Silence is a joy, we share a commitment to musical creativity and quality as well as a way of working together that’s full of fun and good communication.” Currently the band is back in the studio recording a creation that is a vast departure from their norm and therein lies the beauty of this multi-national gathering continued on next page

26 48

October 2020 Music News • November 2023

Page 2 - Conversations With The Professionals of top shelf professionals. A group of seasoned musician from both the USA and abroad. The Nordic, Celtic, Caribbean, and American collaboration blends together exceedingly well, yet does so with distinct ideas constructed from unique experiences and varied cultural back grounds. At the introduction of the era of specialty rock with the Moody Blues melodic trance and then later Jethro Tull’s technicality, no one could have imagined the mind blowing effect their contributions would go on to captivate internationally. Some fifty plus years later enter Crank Up The Silence, the modern embodiment of such creativity can be witnessed first hand on You Tube through videos such as “Stand Up Tall”, a driving rock number that incites participation but does not lose the blend of musicianship that often comes with poor mixing. “Can’t Take That Away” is another example of one of their high quality YouTube listings, only this one reveals the polar opposite of the driving, foot tapping experience just mentioned. This on-screen performance envelopes the viewer, the listener, with dramatic cinematic flair while the music and the lyrics meld with this storyline of love lost. The first video, a live performance gig shot in hi-res format and the second a dramatic story line presented in story-telling lyrical narrative through onscreen portrayal and precision musicianship. Crank Up The Silence is forging a whole new era for innovative rock music, and if you haven’t caught them live, this is one show you will not want to miss. To learn even more about the band and their music: crankupthesilence.com linktr.ee/Crankupthesilence

November 2023 • Music News

49

1006 McGowen

713-650-1006

Leon’s Lounge Is Now Available For Private Parties!

Make Your Reservations Now!!

This November at Leon’s Lounge Wednesday, November 1 - Randy Soffar Hosts Leon’s Open Mic @ 8:00 pm Thursday, November 2 - Thursday Sessions Friday, November 3 - Corny f8ers Saturday, November 4 - Alan Rogers Wednesday, November 8 - Randy Soffar Hosts Leon’s Open Mic @ 8:00 pm Thursday, November 9 - Thursday Sessions Friday, November 10 - Herman Lee Great Gatsby Party Saturday, November 11 - Night Shade Symphony Wednesday, November 15 - Randy Soffar Hosts Leon’s Open Mic @ 8:00 pm Thursday, November 16 - Thursday Sessions Friday, November 17 - Band On The Run Saturday, November 18 - Trashcat (solo), Bug Suckers, Static Slums, Sludge Man Of Houston Wednesday, November 22 - Randy Soffar Hosts Leon’s Open Mic @ 8:00 pm Thursday, November 23 - Thursday Sessions Friday, November 24 - 4th Quarter Band Saturday, November 25 - Los Vertigos Wednesday, November 29 - Randy Soffar Hosts Leon’s Open Mic @ 8:00 pm 38 Music MusicNews News •• November August 2021 50 2023

8:00 - 12 AM

Carolyn Wonderland and Marcia Ball Bring Their “Home For The Holidays” Show To The Heights Theater November 28th legend John Mayall’s Blues Breakers, and has now joined the Alligator Records family as the first female guitar hero in the label’s storied 50-year history. But that’s not all. Her spine-chilling, souldeep singing matches her guitar prowess note for note. And she has a knack for writing songs that sound like instant classics.

Tempting Fate findsWonderland delivering ten riveting songs, including five fiery originals and one co-write. Her vocals range from raw and fierce to subtle and gentle. Her guitar work, on both six-string and lap steel, is often explosive and always melodic. According to Dave Alvin, “Carolyn is unique, strong, soulful and sincere. She can pick and belt out the blues with the best of them, but her powerful, melodic vocals and six-string stylings are truly her own. Traditional yet innovative, tough yet tender, Carolyn always sounds like no one else but herself.”

Carolyn Wonderland Alligator Records artists Carolyn Wonderland and Marcia Ball, along with fellow Austin singer-songwriter Shelley King, will give a special holiday performance at The Heights Theater in Houston on Tuesday, November 28, 2023.

Wonderland’s most recent Alligator Records release, Tempting Fate, was produced by famed master roots musician Dave Alvin, and features Carolyn Wonderland’s signature, blistering sixstring and lap steel playing, her intense vocals and her original songs melding blues, rock and Americana. Wonderland won two top 2021/2022 Austin Music Awards. In addition to winning for Best Blues Artist, she took home the award for Best Guitarist.

52 Music News • November 2023

Marcia Ball’s romping Texas boogies, swampy New Orleans ballads and groove-laden Gulf Coast blues have made her a one-of-a-kind favorite with music lovers all over the world. Her latest album, Shine Bright, produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos, is full of everything music fans love about Marcia—rollicking two-fisted piano, soulful vocals, a top-shelf band of Texas and Louisiana musicians, and Marcia’s magnificent songwriting.

Tempting Fate is the next chapter in Carolyn Wonderland’s remarkable career, one that is already overflowing with countless, colorful, once-in-alifetime experiences. She spent the last three years as lead guitarist in blues

Wonderland has been performing professionally since the age of 15. Her music is a bold mix of timeless original songs and reinventions of some of her favorites, ranging from blistering electric blues to deep, heartfelt ballads to cosmic country to soulful Tex-Mex. Every song is fueled by Wonderland’s forceful yet melodic Texas-flavored guitar work and her full-throated, heart-on-her-sleeve vocals. She has been a road warrior for over 20 years, and has played all over the U.S. and in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Panama, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, the Canary Islands, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Japan. She just concluded a three-year stint as the lead guitarist in British blues master John Mayall’s iconic Blues Breakers. In addition to his continued on next page

Carolyn Wonderland and Marcia Ball continued from previous page legendary musical skills, Mayall is among the world’s greatest blues-rock guitar talent scouts. He personally chose Carolyn for the role formerly filled by Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor, Peter Green, Walter Trout, Coco Montoya, and more six-string luminaries.

The Boston Herald describes Carolyn as “a dollop of Janis Joplin, a slice of Stevie Ray Vaughan, and a big load of soulful individuality. That’s Wonderland, a seething-hot Texas singer-guitarist. And she can write, too.” Now , with Tempting Fate and a major tour in the works, Carolyn Wonderland is excited to get back out on the road and reconnect with her fans and friends. “We will play dang near anywhere that’ll have us,” she says.

Of her chosen profession, the effervescent Wonderland told NPR Music’s Mountain Stage, “I wouldn’t recommend it for the faint of heart, but it sure is a good time.”

Marcia Ball has won worldwide fame and countless fans for her ability to ignite a full-scale roadhouse rhythm and blues party every time she takes the stage. Ball’s romping Texas boogies, swampy New Orleans ballads and groove-laden Gulf Coast blues have made her a one-of-a-kind favorite with music lovers all over the world. Her latest album, Shine Bright, produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos, is full of everything music fans love about Marcia—rollicking two-fisted piano, soulful vocals, a top-shelf band of Texas and Louisiana musicians, and Marcia’s magnificent songwriting.

With Shine Bright, Ball set out to, in her words, “Make the best Marcia Ball record I could make.” In doing so, she has put together the most musically substantial, hopeful and uplifting set of songs of her five-decade career. Produced by Steve Berlin (Los Lobos) and recorded in Texas and Louisiana, Shine Bright contains twelve songs (including nine originals), ranging from the title track’s rousing appeal for public and private acts of courage to the upbeat call

Marcia Ball to action of Pots And Pans, a song inspired by renowned Texas political writer and humorist Molly Ivins. From the humorous advice of Life Of The Party to the poignantly optimistic World Full Of Love , the intensity of Ball’s conviction never wavers while, simultaneously, the fun never stops. Shine Bright is exactly the album Ball set out to make. “It is a ridiculously hopeful, cheerful record,” she says, in light of some of the album’s more serious subject matter. The secret, according to Ball “is to set the political songs to a good dance beat.”

Now, with Shine Bright, Ball’s aggressively hopeful songs are energized

by Steve Berlin’s inventive and exciting production, creating electrifying music that is daring, inspired, poignant and timely. The Boston Globe calls Ball “a compelling storyteller” who plays “an irresistible, celebratory blend of rollicking New Orleans piano, Louisiana swamp rock and smoldering Texas blues.” The New York Times says, “Marcia Ball plays two-fisted New Orleans barrelhouse piano and sings in a husky, knowing voice about all the trouble men and women can get into on the way to a good time.” The Houston Chronicle says simply, “She’s as perfect as an artist can be.”

November 2023 • Music News

53

The Biker, The Blues and Military Bikers Celebrating Veteran’s Day If you can read thank a teacher, if your health is fine thank a doctor but if your rolling free thank a Vet

My best friend growing up, Wayne P. Howe, went off to war when we were in our senior year in high school in 1969. He came back but only after his jeep was blown up by a road mine in Vietnam. He was never the same, mentally or so I thought he was ok, but his knees had been injured so severely that he would never walk right again nor hold his kids on his lap. Years later, after I visited with him after not seeing him for years he took his life that very same night. I still cannot believe it and it’s been decades now. I was with him and then he was gone, never said a word to me. I still think about it to this day wondering if I missed a tell tale sign because we were so close that we told each other every thing at least up until that point. This month and rightfully so our nation celebrates our military.

Today allow me to take you inside the workings of military bike associations and what they do for their fellow men and women wearing the uniform. The unifying component of what you are about to read is about vets with bikes that have a strong desire to care and ride.

It was an unseasonably warm fall day in October and I had scooted from Albuquerque New Mexico on in to Phoenix. There’s a blues club there named The Rhythm Room which is owned by the internationally famous blues harp player Bob Corritore. If you know blues then you know both names and this is the place to go when in town. That night the place lit up as usual and I was not disappointed at all. The next morning I sat outside my motel room in the fall weather at the No Tell Vamp Inn. It seemed appropriate to stay there as Halloween had just passed and with a name like that well one never knows what you will find on the road. The previous night when I was just about to go to sleep I could hear a woman in the next room eating candy bars. Yep she kept screaming Oh Henry! Oh Henry! The woman really like candy bars is all I can guess. When I got up in the morning I decided to grab a stogie (a Macanudo Orange fifty ring to be exact) and took a chair outside with me. Got situated, put my headphones on and fired up iTunes. La Grange seemed like a nice way to set the morning groove and so that was the choice. As I cut off the end of the cigar and looked around the parking lot and that is when I noticed about maybe ten to twelve motorcycles. I never even heard them come in the previous night, how interesting, guess I was focused continued on next page

54

Music News • November 2023

The Biker, The Blues and Military Bikers Celebrating Veteran’s Day

page 2 -

the candy bar lady but no matter what there were the scooters. So there I was a nice morning, a good smoke and I was listening to ZZ Top, what could be better? Well for one thing the door to the room next to mine opened and there were the two shall we say close friends. I didn’t pay much attention to him but she was a knock out and I could fully understand the excitement in that room the previous night. Now I am not some ordinary kind of pervert I guess unless you include sheep in your definition but I mean they were making the noise, no I take that back she was making all the noise. Well they put her pink night bag in the car, they got in and away they went. A nice breeze was blowing out of the west, it was a warm breeze and coupled with the sunshine plus the cigar and the music well you just don’t get much closer to heaven on earth. It wasn’t long after that a big ass biker came my way, smiled and said you the guy that put that chopper in the motel room? I said yep and he said I get it and smiled broadly. He saw my hat and asked if I was military and I said no and he said cool hat. Then he told me that he belonged to a military bike association and they were on their way to a run. The run would celebrate brothers and sisters of the uniform and raise cash and goods for those that need someone to look in on them. I had never heard of such a thing and he invited me to ride along. He told me that the growth of military bike associations has been huge over the last nine or ten years. Since leaving the service he joined the association because of what he saw in Iraq. He left to go get two cups of coffee up in the front office. When he came back he had three cups of coffee and gave one to me. That was cool. He asked about my scooter and I told him the engine and transmission were a 1975 Shovelhead completely rebuilt going ten over on the cylinders with an Andrews cam. The rest of the bike was either hand made such as the frame, gas tank and fenders. Running a two forty rear tire, 45 degrees on the neck and fourteen over glide like front tubes. He said the tubes looked like military shells and I said yes they do then he asked where the oil tank was and I told him inside the frame itself, he thought that was way cool. After that short conversation he needed to get going as the coffee was getting cold. He said not to forget the offer and I shook my head in agreement. As I sat there I decided to search the internet on my cell while I was continued on next page Novemoer 2023 • Music News

55

The Biker, The Blues and Military Bikers Celebrating Veteran’s Day

page 3 -

smoking. I came across a number of web sites and each one detailed what their members do to keep the health and spirits going for their fellow servicemen and women. With over 100 chapters worldwide The Green Knights definitely stand out. According to the U.S. Air Force’s Air Mobility Command publication The Green Knights: “they serve they ride”. Another one is Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association. These are the people that have over 100 chapters. Completely committed to the welfare of their fellow veterans. I was blown away by how many more exist. Very cool in a world that otherwise as you read or watch the news you tend to think that all is lost, but not so. This bit of online education reinvigorated my faith in my fellow Americans and to learn that all of them are up on two wheels well that’s a bonus. I finished my cigar, picked up my stuff and took the chair inside. Ran the shower and did my three S’s (sh*t, shower, and shave) grabbed the bungees and attached the sleeping bag “personal goods pack” to the front end. Backed the bike out the front door, spoke to it a little bit and she fired right up. I dropped her into first gear and immediately began thinking about Thin Lizzy singing their rowdy “The Boys Are Back In Town”. My hunger alarm had gone off and that told me it was time for some brunch.

Now if you are ever in Phoenix try Joe’s Diner on 7th Avenue. Talk about good and the place is clean. Nice, young perky gal came by to take my order and asked what she could give me today. Well I knew what was on my mind but I just smiled and said I would have their three egg ham and cheese omelet to which she said I think you are blushing. I said no not really change of temperature from being outside I suppose. A Short time later she returned with the order and it was as good as I thought it would be. While I was there I saw a uniformed cop sitting by himself and he was getting ready to leave and asked for the bill. The young lady that had waited on me told him there wasn’t any bill as someone else had picked up the tab. He asked who and she said they already left. They told me that we all need to stand with those who protect our neighborhood. I thought about that for a moment and realized that no one had left since I came in. Hmm. Aha! That might mean that the waitress did it.

So when she came back to check on me I asked her if she was the one who paid for the officer’s breakfast and she said why no not me but boy was she ever blushing.

So I said to her now look at who’s blushing and her face got redder and she left. That made it two good things I continued on next page

56

Music News • November 2023

The Biker, The Blues and Military Bikers Celebrating Veteran’s Day

page 4 -

learned about so far and it was only 11 am, cool. I distinctly remember wanting a Bloody Mary after brunch and thought about this gal named Renee who makes the damn best Bloody Mary I’ve ever had but Renee was in Houston, well actually a suburb of Houston, Spring and I am in Phoenix Arizona. So now I was on a quest for a good Bloody Mary. You see as you may well know you have to your Bloody Mary just spicy enough with the right garnishment including the lime, the olives and of course the celery. Well I found a place and it was named Carly’s in the Roosevelt area. Now you tell me what’s not to like?

The place had class all the way. Plus the Bloody Mary’s were over the top, so another nice thing that happened that day. Now it was after 12 and I was feeling a bit of a light buzz. Well you don’t ever want to waste a good buzz right? So now I wondered where a person might find some blues rock with a cigar store close by. Found the blues bar a place named Bliss/ Rebar and it was open. Now I just needed to load up on cigars. Found that too a place named Magnums plus it’s both a bar and a cigar store, home run baby!

Needless to say I was smiling from ear to ear, I was having an absolutely marvelous day. Now what else could a man think about having on a day like today?

Oh I know what you naughty readers are thinking and

you would be 100% right on the money. So off I went after having that interesting conversation at the motel, a good brunch, a great Bloody Mary and then finding that cigar bar and on to find a venue with blues rock. By the time I arrived at Bliss/Bar (I stayed awhile at Magnums) they were open and already filling up. So “I sat myself down by a tender young maiden” (sorry Mr. Kristofferson just had to steal your lyrics for a few moments) but the silver tongue devil and I were at work on this fine day. I smiled, she smiled but my voice wouldn’t work, what the F? The bar tender furled her eye brows wondering what was wrong and asked me what she could get for me. Now you know when you are having a really great day and the same question comes at you from the second pretty gal in one day well sometimes you just sit there and smile. This was one of those days. However, the lady sitting next to me said nice tat on your arm was that you on the bike that pulled up? Well folks let me tell you that once you ask a biker about their bike well they just cannot shut up. Swear God bikers are all the same…. Later….

November 2023 • Music News

57

Intocable Perform At The Arena Theater For Two Nights, November 11 And 12 Intocable rose to mass popularity in the late ’90s and arguably became the most successful Tejano act of their day. Intocable’s style of Tejano is undeniably norteño in nature, driven by polka rhythms and heavily accented by accordion. The group even fashions itself as norteño (i.e., the cowboy look). However, their Texan roots and frontman Ricky Muñoz’s gift for graceful pop melodies, among other subtleties, differentiate them from more traditional genre acts such as Los Tigres del Norte and Conjunto Primavera. Intocable established themselves as one of the most steadily popular and commercially successful regional Mexican acts of their day with recordings such as 1999’s number one Contigo. Followed by a pair of chart-topping albums in 2003 — Crossroads: Cruce de Caminos, and La Historia, established a pattern for the group.

In all, nine of their albums peaked at either one or two on the Latin Albums chart and ten hit number one at Mexican Regional Albums.

Between 1999’s Contigo and 2016’s Highway, they also placed ten albums in the Top 200. Intocable took pride in their devoted following, which allowed them to sell out

62 58

Music News • September November 2023

massive arenas filled with tens of thousands of fans. They were among the few regional Mexican artists — along with the aforementioned Tigres del Norte and Conjunto Primavera, as well as superstars like Marco Antonio Solís and Ana Bárbara — who rivaled the popularity and cultural impact of Latin pop stars such as Paulina Rubio, Juanes, and Thalía. Granted, those pop stars enjoyed international adoration, whereas a regional Mexican act like Intocable, for reasons of cultural specificity, was geographically limited to Mexico and the United States.

But within Mexican and Mexican-American strongholds, Intocable were as revered as any pop stars, and likely more respected. The band were critically acclaimed as well, with a long list of awards to its credit. For instance, they were regularly nominated for Premio Lo Nuestro and Latin Grammy awards, and they often won — in 2005 they took home Latin Grammys for both Best Norteño Album (Diez) and Best Regional Mexican Song (“Aire”); 2013’s En Peligro de Extincion spent 30 weeks in the Top Ten, and Highway, with its upbeat fusion of norteño and roots rock, won them an entirely new audience in

2016.

Friends Ricky Muñoz (lead vocals, accordion) and René Martínez (drums) formed Intocable in Zapata, Texas, in the early ’90s. The group also includes Dany Sánchez (bajo sexto, second vocals), Sergio Serna (percussion), Félix Salinas (electric bass), Johnny Lee Rosas (bajo sexto, choruses), and José Juan Hernández (group animation, rhythms). Sadly, group members Silvestre Rodríguez (electric bass) and José Ángel Farías (group animation, rhythms) were killed in an auto accident in 1999, along with José Ángel González (their road manager). Intocable began their recording career with Freddie Records, an independent label based in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Following the release of Simplemente...

(1993), the band signed a contract with EMI Latin, for which the guys recorded their major-label debut, Fuego Eterno (1994).

The follow-up, Otro Mundo (1995), was Intocable’s first album to chart, eventucontinued on next page

Intocable (continued from previous page)

ally breaking into the Top Five of the Regional Mexican album chart, thanks in part to a trio of hits: “La Mentira,” “Coqueta,” and “Parece Que No.” Llévame Contigo (1996) picked up where its predecessor left off, spinning off more hits: “No Te Vayas,” “Ya Ves,” “Llévame Contigo,” and “¿Y Todo Para Qué?” One of these, “No Te Vayas,” became the group’s first to top the regional airplay chart, even breaking into the Top Five of the Hot Latin Tracks chart — impressive for a regional Mexican single. Moreover, Llévame Contigo also hit number one on the regional Mexican chart and broke into the Top Latin Albums Top Five. Intocable IV (1997) couldn’t match the heights of Llévame Contigo, but it still proved mighty popular, spawning two number one hits (“Eres Mi Droga,” “Vivir sin Ellas”) and a Top Five (“Dónde Estás?”). Lo Mejor de Intocable: 12 Super Exitos (1997) capped off the band’s opening run of breakthrough success.

The success continued unabated for Intocable — mostly, that is, with the exception of one tragic episode. In March of 1998, the group performed for a crowd of over 65,000 at the Houston Astrodome — the first of numerous arena shows over the years for which Intocable would become renowned — and Intocable (1998) followed shortly afterward, as did its hit singles (“Amor Maldito,” “Perdedor,” and “Huracán”).

Tragedy then struck. On January 31, 1999, Intocable were in an auto accident that claimed two bandmembers (José Ángel Farías and Silvestre Rodríguez) and seriously injured the others, Muñoz included. The surviving members were hospitalized for weeks in Monterrey, Mexico, where they had been headed for a concert. After some time off to heal, physically as well as emotionally, Intocable staged a grand return with Contigo (1999). The album was preceded by a lead single, “El Amigo Que Se Fue,” that paid tribute to their departed bandmembers.

Contigo boasted three further singles (“Fuerte No Soy,” “Soñador Eterno,” “Ya Estoy Cansado”), hit number one on the regional chart, broke into the Top Latin Albums Top Five, and was the group’s first to crack the Billboard 200.

Intocable’s triumphant return after the 1999 tragedy that befell them inspired a legion of new fans, and the band’s popularity peaked to new heights. The successive years brought more successful studio albums (Es Para Ti [2000], Sueños [2002], Nuestro Destino Estaba Escrito [2003], et al.) and greatest-hits collections (14 Grandes Exitos [2001], La Historia [2003], Original Masters [2004], et al.), not to mention a laundry list of hits, several of which hit number one (“Enséñame a Olvidarte,” “Sueña,” “El Poder de Tus Manos,” “Eso Duele,” “¿A Dónde Estabas?,” et al.). As a concert draw they were almost unbeatable. They sold out four

consecutive nights at Mexico City’s Auditorio Nacional and the group’s 2003 headlining appearance at Reliant Stadium in Houston, drew over 70,000 fans — one record at the time. They also played two sold-out dates at the 10,000-capacity Monterrey Arena in Monterrey, Mexico.

Intimamente (2004) showcases Intocable in an “unplugged” setting, performing many of their hits in a low-key fashion. This record netted them their first Grammy Award for Best Mexican/MexicanAmerican Album. 2005’s Diez, their tenth EMI release, was complemented by a second disc that was essentially a tribute album comprised of covers of their songs by cuttingedge Latin alternative artists such as Kinky, Tego Calderón, and Natalia Lafourcade. It too won a Grammy.

The group shifted gears and took a brave step outside their comfort zone with 2006’s Crossroads: Cruce de Caminos. It was co-produced by Martinez and Lloyd Maines (father of Dixie Chicks’ frontwoman Natalie Maines), and offered country songs as well as some honky tonk-flavored Tex-Mex mixed in with classic norteño tunes. The recording topped the Latin Albums and Mexican Regional Albums charts, and placed at 59 in the Top 200. While 2008’s 2C didn’t fare quite as well, it nonetheless reached number five at Mexican Regional albums. The band continued to tour and issue compilations. In 2010, Billboard named them Mexican Regional’s Group of the Decade. The next date, 2011 (self-released on the Good/Music label after they left EMI), netted no less than six charting singles and a Grammy nomination for Best Norteño album. The first two, “Robarte un Beso” and “Prometí,” both hit number one on U.S. regional radio charts.

The third, “Arrepientete,” was Top Five.

Intocable became the first norteño band to play an NFL half-time show at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. The fourth single from the album, “Llueve,” debuted live at 2012’s Premio lo Nuestro. There, the group won the three categories they were nominated in.

Billboard awarded them a Lifetime Achievement award the same year.

Intocable signed to Fonovisia. Their label debut, 2013’s En Peligro de Extinción, was a deliberate reaction to what the band perceived as an increasingly polished “pop” slant in Latin — and in particular, Mexican Regional Music production. Full of clanging electric guitars and live drums, the monster single “Te Amo (Para Siempre)” ruled the Latin and Regional Airplay as well as the Digital Sales charts for weeks. Intocable took nothing for granted, however. They toured Mexico, the U.S., and Latin America in support of their album for nearly two years.

EMI continued to issue compilations, keeping the band in the public eye. In 2015, after Fonovisia issued XX Aniversario en Vivo, the group played a live global benefit telecast for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital; they donated all the proceeds. Two weeks later, they issued the pre-release single and video for “Tu Ascencia.” The track landed in the Top 15 on the Regional Mexican Songs and in the Top 10 on Digital Songs charts. On January 23, 2016 they announced a full partnership with St. Jude’s to continue fundraising. In March, Intocable headlined the SXSW, SXAmericas All Latino Showcase. In May a second single, “Arrepentido,” appeared before the album Highway in June — their first full-length in three years, and their seventh to top the Top Latin Albums charts. They spent the next two years touring, and re-entered the studio in late 2018. In February of 2019, they dropped the single “Beso Incompleto,” a fusion of Latin rock and Tejano sounds, as an introduction to the full-length Percepción, released on March 15 preceding a North American tour. The recording landed in the Top Ten at streaming during week of its release. Intocable received a lifetime achievement award at that year’s Premio lo Nuestro ceremony.

November 2023 • Music News

59

Maria Jose Performs At The Arena Theatre November 18 María José is a Mexican pop singer who was a member of the group Kabah prior to making her eponymous solo album debut in 2007 and topping the charts a couple years later with her smash hit “No Soy una Señora.” Born María José Loyola on January 12, 1976, and based in Mexico City, Mexico, she began her recording career as a member of the Latin pop group Kabah. Founded in 1992, the sextet made its eponymous album debut in 1994 with Kabah, followed by the international breakthrough follow-up, La Calle de las Sirenas (1996), and several additional albums. After over a decade of commercial success, Kabah dissolved after the release of their album El Pop (2005) and a farewell tour that concluded on December 31, 2005. The bandmembers split up and went their own way immediately thereafter, with José mounting a solo recording career in association with Warner Music. She made her full-length debut in 2007 with the eponymous album María José. Produced and largely written by Mexican hitmaker Aureo Baqueiro, who had previously worked with Kabah, the album spawned a few hits (“¿Quien Eres Tú?,” “Me Equivoque,” “¿Donde Está?”) but wasn’t itself a block-

60

Music News • November 2023

buster success. José’s second album, Amante de Lo Ajeno (2009), proved considerably more successful, going all the way to number two on the Mexican albums chart. Comprised of fashionable cover versions of ’80s favorites originally popularized by women including Daniela Romo, María Conchita Alonso, Lucía Méndez, and others, Amante de Lo Ajeno spawned the chart-topping smash hit lead single “No Soy una Señora,” originally popularized by Melissa, and includes a duet with Edith Márquez on “Cosas del Amor,” originally popularized by Ana Gabriel and Vikki Carr.

María José released her fourth album, De Noche worldwide on iTunes on August 15, 2012. It is her second album with all new songs. The first single, “Tú Ya Sabes a Mí”, was released in June 2012. “Extraña” was released as a single in Spain.

María José released her fifth album, Habla Ahora worldwide on iTunes on October 21, 2016. It is her third album to feature original content. The first single, “Las Que Se Ponen Bien La Falda”, featuring Puerto Rican rapper Ivy Queen, was released on May 13, 2016. The title track “Habla

Ahora” was released as the second single from the album preceding the release of the album.

In 2019, María José released live album Conexión. It was released on June 7, 2019, by OCESA Seitrack. The album was recorded in front of a selected audience to attend the concert located in Mexico City. In celebration of the tenth anniversary of her breakout album Amante de lo Ajeno, the album celebrates José’s trajectory as a solo artist. The album includes material from her past five studio albums as well as 8 newly recorded songs. Featured guests included Ha*Ash, Yuri, Carlos Rivera and Vanesa Martin. In 2019, María José became judge of TV Azteca’s México tiene talento and also became host of Televisa’s new drama series Esta historia me suena alongside Jen Carlo Bautista, in which she also appeared as actress on a few episodes] On January 21, 2020, it was announced that María José would return to TV Azteca, but this time as a coach of La Voz alongside Ricardo Montaner, Belinda and Christian Nodal. She later returned for her second and final season in 2021 alongside Miguel Bosé, Edith Marquez, and Jesús Navarro.

Check us out at http://www.rockandbluesinternational.com Also available on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Index, Amazon Music, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Pocket Casts, Deezer, Listen Notes & More!

November 2023 • Music News

61

Yahritza y Su Esencia Perform At The House Of Blues November 10 Yahritza y Su Esencia (2022) is a regional Mexican music group originating from Yakima Valley, Washington, United States. The ensemble consists of a trio of siblings: Yahritza Martínez (vocalist and acoustic guitar), Jairo Martínez (acoustic bass), and Armando “Mando” Martínez (guitar). Their melodies stand out within the urban sierreño subgenre.

The group “Yahritza y Su Esencia” is formed by the Martinez siblings: Armando is the oldest, followed by Jairo, the middle brother, and finally Yahritza, the youngest sister, who is also the main vocalist of the band. All of them were born in Yakima Valley, Washington, United States, but they have Mexican roots due to their parents, who come from Michoacán and emigrated in search of opportunities in the United States.

From an early age, they grew up immersed in Mexican traditions at home.

Their parents passed down their rich culture, allowing them to explore the rhythms of regional Mexican music from its roots.

Moreover, their father, who had once been a

62

Music News • November 2023

part of a regional music band while living in Mexico, provided his support and experience in that field.

At the age of 14, the youngest of the Martínez siblings began playing the guitar and delved into the world of social media. It was through these platforms that she shared her talent and her voice, which are now the heart and soul of the ensemble.

One of their most recognized songs is titled “Soy El Único”. The vocalist wrote this song at the age of fourteen, focusing on the theme of a romantic breakup. The inspiration for the lyrics came from the comments she received on her videos, where people shared their own experiences in relationships. The single climbed to the #1 position on the Billboard Global 200 chart, also achieving the prominent #1 spot on the YouTube Music ranking in the United States, and a respectable #5 position on the popularity charts in Mexico.

They gained prominence when a video featuring their music audio went viral on Tik

Tok. This achievement drew the attention of influential figures and, thanks to the collaboration of Ramón Ruiz and Alex Guerra from the group Legado 7, the record label Lumbre Music emerged, which currently represents Yahritza y Su Esencia.

After signing the contract, the band released their debut album, “Obsessed”, in late April 2023. The album performed exceptionally well in terms of commercial success, achieving platinum certification in the United States, with sales of 60,000 equivalent units in the country.

In 2023, Yahritza y Su Esencia joined forces in collaborations with prominent artists such as Yuridia, Ángela Aguilar, and Grupo Frontera. These collaborations, particularly with Grupo Frontera, played a significant role in their increasing international popularity.

Their strong track record has earned them nominations at various award ceremonies, including the Latin Grammy Awards, Latin American Music Awards, and Premios Lo Nuestro. In the latter, they managed to clinch the coveted award.

Mora Performs At Bayou Music Center On December 2 Puerto Rican songwriter and producer Mora pushes reggaetón forward with an atmospheric, reflective style that mixes trap, tropical, and alternative. He collaborated with stars such as Joyce Santana, Farruko, and Bad Bunny before releasing his eclectic debut album, Primer Día de Clases, in 2021. A follow-up, Microdosis, arrived in April 2022, and Paraiso appeared that November. Mora kept up the momentum in 2023 with the vibrant Estrella.

Gabriel Mora Quintero was born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, in 1992. After watching his cousin produce tracks, he began making music of his own in 2015, working with artists like Eladio Carrión and Jon Z before he started uploading his

originals to SoundCloud. Several tracks appeared in 2017, with “Pensabas” (featuring Brray, Carrión, and Joyce Santana) emerging as a major word-of-mouth hit. 2018’s “Que Habilidad” followed suit, and Noah Assad, manager of superstar Bad Bunny, signed Mora to Rimas Entertainment. The artist continued releasing songs at a rapid pace, including “Si Tu No Estas” (with Myke Towers) and 2019’s “El Recuerdo.” He made several appearances on Bad Bunny’s recordbreaking 2020 full-length YHLQMDLG, guesting on the song “Una Vez” and co-producing two others.

Mora’s debut album, Primer Día de Clases (“First Day of School”), arrived in 2021, including

collaborations with Farruko, Jhay Cortez, Lunay, and others. One of its songs, “Volando,” was remixed with Bad Bunny and Sech and became a major streaming hit. Mora’s sophomore LP, Microdosis, appeared in April 2022, aided by guest spots from Feid, Jhay Cortez, and Elena Rose. He followed it the same year with another full-length, Paraiso.

Among its 14 tracks were collaborations with De La Ghetto on “AirBnB” and Danny Ocean on “Eivissa.” The latter entered the Top Latin Albums charts at number four and landed in the Top 200 album list.

2023’s Estrella saw Mora working with producers Ovy on the Drums, MAG, and Sky Rompiendo on a set of songs that traverse the reggaetón, trap, and electronic spectrum.

November 2023 • Music News

63

48 68

Music News • November February 2023 2023

NOVIEMBRE 2023

En Español

The Trilogy Arena Tour featuring Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias, & Pitbull

Maria Jose

Also Inside Intocable Mora and Yahritza Y Su Esencia Noviembre 2023 • Music News

65

¡Bailámonos! Ricky Martin, Pitbull y Enrique Iglesias unen fuerzas para la gira Trilogy Arena el 18 de noviembre en el Toyota Center ¡Bailámonos! Ricky Martin, Pitbull y Enrique Iglesias unen fuerzas para la gira Trilogy Arena el 18 de noviembre en el Toyota Center Los tres creadores de éxitos anunciaron las fechas de su gira de la trilogía por América del Norte, que comenzará el 14 de octubre en Washington, D.C. La gira de 19 fechas por estadios, producida por Live Nation, hará paradas en ciudades importantes como Nueva York, Miami, Houston y Las Vegas antes de concluir el 16 de diciembre en Vancouver, B.C. “Los fanáticos pueden esperar una noche de música inolvidable mientras las megaestrellas ofrecen una mezcla electrizante de los mayores éxitos de su carrera con influencias de reggaeton, salsa pop, dance y música electrónica, respaldadas por una producción de clase mundial y tecnología de punta. imágenes artísticas”, anunció el promotor del concierto Live Nation.

“Es un verdadero honor hacer una gira con Enrique y Ricky, dos íconos de la música que rompieron las barreras musicales globales para nuestra cultura y abrieron puertas para alguien como yo”, dijo Pitbull (nacido como Armando Chris66 Music News • Noviembre 2023

tian Pérez) en un comunicado. “¡Estamos entusiasmados de realizar la gira de The Trilogy por todo el mundo y brindarles a nuestros fanáticos el mejor momento de sus vidas de Trilogy, Dale!”

“Estoy increíblemente emocionado de ir de gira con mis amigos Pitbull y Ricky”, añadió Iglesias. “El Trilogy Tour será una experiencia increíble para TODOS nuestros fans. Será una gira única en la vida” Ricky Martin se hizo eco del entusiasmo de sus compañeros de gira: “Volver a la carretera no sólo con Enrique, sino ahora con Pitbull, es muy emocionante. Esta gira será una fiesta salvaje de principio a fin, así que prepárense, ¡será épica!

Iglesias y Pitbull no son ajenos a encabezar giras, ya que anteriormente compartieron escenario a fines de la década de 2010 y, más recientemente, Iglesias se unió a Ricky Martin (y Sebastián Yatra) para 15 fechas en los EE. UU. En 2021.

Continúa en la página siguiente

Trilogy Arena Tour Continuación de a página anterior

Enrique Iglesias Enrique Iglesias, un cantante reconocido mundialmente, es uno de los artistas latinos más exitosos de todos los tiempos, conocido por su estilo cruzado de pop en español e inglés. No hubo estrella más grande en la música latina en la primera parte del siglo XXI que Iglesias, quien obtuvo su primer número uno en las listas latinas de Billboard en 1995. Saltó al estrellato en los albores del nuevo milenio gracias a los éxitos “Bailamos”. “ (de Enrique de 1999) y “Hero” (de Escape de 2001), un par de éxitos de taquilla que establecieron su facilidad con la danza moderna y la balada pop clásica, respectivamente. Aunque volvería a ver el Top Ten del pop: “I Like It”, su dueto con Pitbull de 2010, llegó al número cuatro, al igual que “Tonight (I’m Lovin’ You)” de 2011, con Ludacris y DJ Frank E ( ambos de Euphoria de 2010) - fue una institución en la música latina, acumulando más de 25 sencillos número uno en la lista Latin Songs de Billboard, junto con 14 éxitos número uno en la lista Dance Club Songs de Billboard, todo mientras vendía más de 150 millones de álbumes en todo el mundo. finales de la década de 2010. Iglesias comenzó la siguiente década alcanzando una vez más la cima de la lista de álbumes de pop latino con The Final (Vol. 1) de 2021, su undécimo álbum.

Como hijo menor de Julio Iglesias, Enrique puede haber nacido en la realeza de la música latina y, en consecuencia, su fama puede parecer predeterminada, pero ese no es el caso.

Nacido en Madrid, España, el 8 de mayo de 1975, Iglesias se quedó con su madre, Isabel Preysler, tras el divorcio de sus padres en 1979. Él y sus dos hermanos mayores fueron enviados a vivir con su padre en 1986, donde su niñera, Elvira Olivares, jugó un papel fundamental en su crianza.

Inicialmente, planeaba especializarse en negocios en la Universidad de Miami, pero sintió la atracción de una carrera musical, por lo que pidió dinero prestado a Olivares para grabar una cinta de demostración. Tomó medidas para distanciarse de su padre y compró la demostración con el nombre de “Enrique Martínez”, tomando prestado el apellido de Fernán Martínez, quien anteriormente había trabajado como publicista de Julio. La cinta le consiguió al cantante un contrato con Fonovisa Records, que lo convenció de volver a usar su nombre de nacimiento.

Al abandonar la escuela, Enrique Iglesias se dirigió a Toronto para grabar el álbum que se convirtió en su debut homónimo en 1995. Un éxito nada más sacarlo de la caja, Enrique Iglesias vendió un millón de copias en sus primeros tres meses. Al llegar en 1997, Vivir consolidó su éxito, ganándole el Grammy de 1996 al Mejor Intérprete Latino junto con una serie de premios Billboard, todo lo cual allanó el camino para su primera gira internacional como cabeza de cartel. Iglesias lanzó un álbum más en Fonovisa, Cosas del Amor de 1998, antes de dar el salto a Interscope Records.

Interscope ayudó a Iglesias a cruzar a la corriente pop a través del álbum Enrique de 1999. El éxito que le dio fama a Iglesias y ayudó a convertir a Enrique en un éxito de platino fue “Bailamos”, una canción originalmente lanzada en una versión de edición limitada de Cosas del Amor y reelaborada para la banda sonora de la comedia de aventuras de Will Smith, Wild Wild West. “Bailamos” alcanzó el número uno no sólo en las listas latinas de Billboard sino también en el Hot 100 al ingresar al Top Ten en países de todo el mundo. “Be with You” fue un éxito número uno a principios de 2000, lo que le dio a Iglesias algo de tiempo mientras trabajaba en el álbum que resultó ser su mayor éxito, Escape. Lanzado en 2001 y compuesto íntegramente por canciones en inglés (tres se repitieron al final en español), Escape se convirtió en un éxito de taquilla gracias a la vertiginosa balada “Hero”, que llegó al número uno en cinco países y alcanzó el puesto tres. en los EE. UU. Su canción principal también fue un gran éxito, impulsando las ventas del álbum y ayudando a preparar el escenario para una gira internacional que duró hasta 2002. Ese mismo año, lanzó Quizás, en español, en la compañía hermana de Interscope, Universal Music. Latino; Se convertiría en oro en los U.S. En 2003, Iglesias regresó al dance-pop crossover con 7, sólo su tercer álbum orientado al pop pero su séptimo disco en general. Si bien no generó ningún éxito en el Hot 100, su primer sencillo, “Addicted”, alcanzó el puesto nueve en las listas latinas de Billboard. Tras la gira de apoyo de 7, Iglesias pasó dos años tranquilamente y regresó en el verano de 2007 con el álbum Insomniac. Precedido por el exitoso sencillo “Do You Know? (The Ping Pong Song)”, Insomniac encontró a Iglesias incursionando en la música moderna de discotecas (incorporó a Lil Wayne para un verso de “Push”), pero su segundo éxito latino fue “ Alguien soy yo”, una balada.

Siguieron dos compilaciones en 2008 (95/08 Exitos, orientada al mercado latino, en marzo, Greatest Hits, centrada en el pop, en noviembre), e Iglesias regresó al estudio para grabar su noveno álbum de estudio, que aparecería en Universal Republic debido a reestructuración corporativa. Lanzado en julio de 2010, Euphoria se dividió entre canciones en inglés y español y obtuvo un gran puntaje en ambos mercados: “I Like It”, con Pitbull, llegó al cuarto puesto del Hot 100, la misma posición alcanzada por “Tonight (I’m Lovin ‘ You)”, mientras que “No Me Digas Que No” alcanzó el número uno en las listas latinas.

Iglesias lanzó “Finally Found You” en 2012, llevando el sencillo al puesto 24 en el Hot 100. Fue el primero de una larga marcha de sencillos previos al lanzamiento de Sex and Love de 2014, un disco que contenía dos éxitos latinos número uno de 2013. (“Loco”, “El Perdedor”). Justo después del lanzamiento de Sex and Love en marzo de 2014, “Bailando” se publicó como sencillo y se convirtió en un gran éxito, alcanzando el puesto 12 en el Hot 100 de Billboard y el número uno en las Continúa en la página siguiente Noviembre 2023 • Music News

67

Trilogy Arena Tour Continuación de a página anterior

listas latinas en su camino hacia las ventas de triple platino y ganando tres Grammy Latinos. (Canción del Año, Mejor Canción Urbana, Mejor Interpretación Urbana). Iglesias se mantuvo en las listas latinas en 2015 a través de “El Perdón”, un dueto con Nicky Jam. En abril de 2016, Iglesias lanzó “Duele el Corazón”, el primer sencillo de su nuevo acuerdo con Sony Latin. Iglesias volvió a rugir al año siguiente. Otro sencillo, “Subeme la Radio”, con las voces de Descemer Bueno y Zion & Lennox, llegó en febrero de 2017, e Iglesias lanzó una gira co-estelar con Pitbull ese verano. A principios de 2018, Iglesias publicó el sencillo colaborativo de reggaetón “El Bano” con Bad Bunny. Alcanzó el número dos de la lista de sencillos en España. Lo siguió a mitad de año con “Move to Miami” con Pitbull.

Universal lanzó una colección de Grandes Exitos a finales de 2019 que llegó a las listas de España. Iglesias regresó en 2020 con un lugar destacado en “Fútbol y Rumba” del rapero puertorriqueño Anuel AA, una canción que alcanzó el Top Ten español y latino de Billboard. Su propio “Me Pasé”, con Farruko, apareció en julio de 2021 y apareció en The Final (Vol. 1), su undécimo álbum de estudio y el primero en siete años. Lanzado en septiembre de ese año, alcanzó el puesto 12 en la lista latina de Billboard y pronto emprendió una importante gira conjunta con Ricky Martin. El 2022 comenzó con “Espacio en Tu Corazón”, que fue utilizado como tema musical de la telenovela Corazón Guerrero. En septiembre de 2023 se lanzó “Así es la Vida”, un dueto con la cantante argentina María Becerra y el primer sencillo del próximo LP Final (Vol. 2) de Iglesias.

Pitbull Con su característico grito de “¡Dale!” y el pop fiestero con infusión de reggaetón, el rapero y productor bilingüe Pitbull logró un ascenso constante en la escena hip-hop de Miami antes de dominar las listas principales a finales de los años 2000 y 2010 con éxitos que llenaron las pistas de baile, incluidos los sencillos Top Ten de EE. UU. “I Know You Want Me”. (Calle Ocho)”, “Me gusta”, “Dame todo”, “Madera”, “Siente este momento” y “El tiempo de nuestras vidas”. Los esfuerzos de principios de 2010, Planet Pit, Global Warming y Globalization obtuvieron certificación de platino, mientras que su LP en español de 2015, Dale, le valió a Pitbull su primer premio Grammy. El resto de la década de 2010 se dedicó a producir éxitos en español, como el sencillo multiplatino “Dame Tu Cosita”, así como “No Lo Trates” y “Me Quedare Contigo” de Libertad 548 de 2019 y “Café” de 2022. Con leche.” En 2023, formó pareja con Lil John para “Jumpin”.

Nacido Armando Christian Pérez, el futuro “Mr. 305” fue criado por padres inmigrantes cubanos de primera generación que no permitieron que su hijo se olvidara de su cultura. Le exigieron que memorizara las obras del poeta cubano José Martí, y Pitbull comprendió de inmediato el poder de las palabras. Actos sureños como Poison Clan y Luther Campbell fueron sus primeras influencias, pero a medida que creció, el joven rapero se interesó por el sonido G-funk de la costa oeste y el punto de vista de la ciudad de Nueva York que Nas aportó 68 70 Music MusicNews News• •Noviembre Septiembre2023 2023

al juego. Cuando el rap fiestero con sabor sureño llamado crunk se apoderó de la radio urbana, decidió que era hora de buscar el estrellato y comenzó a aparecer en mixtapes de Miami. Una reunión con Irv Gotti no resultó en nada, pero pronto Luther Campbell llamó al rapero para que apareciera en su sencillo “Lollipop”. Llamó la atención de Pitbull sobre el equipo directivo de los Hermanos Díaz, quienes presentaron al rapero al rey del crunk, Lil Jon. Un estilo libre de Pitbull aterrizó en el álbum Kings of Crunk de Lil Jon, con ventas de platino, en 2002, y la canción “Oye” del rapero apareció en la banda sonora de 2 Fast 2 Furious en 2003. Listo para llevarlo hasta la cima, Pitbull desató su debut. de larga duración, M.I.A.M.I., en 2004 en el sello TVT, con e Pronto, Pitbull hizo apariciones especiales en temas de todos, desde los Ying Yang Twins hasta Elephant Man. La compilación de 2005 Money Is Still a Major Issue recopiló lo mejor de estas colaboraciones junto con algunos remixes y temas inéditos. En 2006, el sencillo “Bojangles” preparó a los fans para su próximo trabajo, El Mariel. Cuando el álbum llegó a los estantes, se anunció que su próximo lanzamiento sería íntegramente en español y se titularía The Boatlift. Cuando llegó el producto final en 2007, era un álbum principalmente en inglés, presentado con el sencillo “Go Girl”.

Dos años más tarde lanzó Rebelution, un largometraje lleno de elegantes cortes de club que incluyen los éxitos “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)” y “Hotel Room Service”.

Con el exitoso sencillo “Bon Bon”, le siguió su álbum en español Armando en 2010. En 2011, llegó su álbum Planet Pit, que incluye los sencillos “Hey Baby (Drop It to the Floor)” y “Give Me Everything”. “ Tanto la colección de sencillos Original Hits como I Am Armando (una versión “recargada” de Armando) llegaron en 2012 junto con su séptimo trabajo de estudio, Global Warming. El último álbum incluyó los éxitos “Back in Time” y “Feel This Moment”, y cuando apareció una reedición de lujo en 2013, se agregó a la lista de canciones el sencillo “Timber”, con la invitada especial Kesha.

A principios de 2014, Pitbull lanzó el sencillo “Wild Wild Love”, que contaba con voces del grupo femenino G.R.L. y debutó en el puesto 30 en la lista pop de Billboard. Unos meses más tarde, anunció el lanzamiento de un octavo álbum de estudio, Globalization, que apareció a finales de 2014 y contó con Chris Brown, Sean Paul, Dr. Luke y otros invitados.

No menos de cuatro sencillos alcanzaron el Top 40, incluidos Continúa en la página siguiente

Trilogy Arena Tour Continuación de a página anterior

“Wild Wild Love”, “Fireball”, “Time of Our Lives” y “Fun”.

Dale, su segundo álbum en español, le siguió en 2015, el mismo año en que lanzó su estación de radio satelital, Pitbull’s Globalization, en la red Sirius XM. El esfuerzo fue un gran éxito y se llevó el premio Grammy al Mejor Álbum de Rock Latino, Urbano o Alternativo en la 58ª Entrega Anual de los Premios Grammy. Fue la primera victoria de Pitbull en un premio Grammy y, como era de esperar, alcanzó el número uno en la lista Top Latin Albums de Billboard.

El año siguiente se produjo el regreso del rapero al idioma inglés con su décimo lanzamiento de estudio, Climate Change. Contó con colaboradores de alto perfil como Robin Thicke, Joe Perry, Flo Rida, Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez, Jason Derulo, Stephen Marley, Leona Lewis y R. Kelly, entre otros. El sencillo “Messin’ Around”, con Iglesias, llegó a las listas de éxitos previo al lanzamiento del álbum en marzo de 2017. Más tarde ese año, Pitbull publicó su segunda compilación de éxitos solistas desde Rebelution de 2009 hasta Globalization de 2014 en el acertadamente titulado Greatest Hits. La colección incluía dos canciones nuevas: “Jungle” con Stereotypes, E-40 y Abraham Mateo, y “Locas” con su colaborador Lil Jon. En 2018, Pitbull contribuyó con un par de temas a la banda sonora de Gotti: “So Sorry” y “Amore” con Leona Lewis. Ese año, también reclutó a Theron Theron para “Free Free Free” y apareció en “Carnaval” de Claudia Leitte, “Move to Miami” de Enrique Iglesias y “Goalie Goalie” de Arash. En el 2019 colaboró con Papayo y Ky-Mani Marley en “Yayo”, junto con “No Lo Trates” con Daddy Yankee y Natti Natasha.

A principios de diciembre, Pitbull lanzó el álbum de estudio Libertad 548. Coproducido por el artista IAmChino y Jorge Gómez con Jimmy Joker, el set se inspiró en la memoria del difunto padre de Pitbull. En una publicación en las redes sociales escribió: “El título del álbum representa el número de personas que mi padre, Armando Sr., llevó a la libertad durante el éxodo del Mariel en Cuba en 1980. La portada del álbum es una foto suya tomada durante este tiempo; nací apenas unos meses después. El mejor regalo que me dieron Armando padre y mi madre fue la libertad”. Libertad 548 incluyó el sencillo colaborativo con Natasha, “Tell Me Again” con Prince Royce y Ludacris, y “Get Ready” con la estrella del country Blake Shelton. Alcanzó el puesto número 12 en la lista de mejores álbumes latinos de Billboard. Siguieron más temas en 2021, incluidos “Cantare” con Lenier y “Ten Cuidado” con Farruko, IAmChino, El Alfa y Omar Courtz. Pitbull comenzó el 2022 con el sencillo latino “Café con Leche” y comenzó el 2023 con “Right or Wrong (Hypnosis)”, asistido por AYYBO y Ero808.

Llegaron más sencillos en 2023, incluidos “Mami”, “Jumpin” con Lil John y “Freak 54 (Freak Out)” con Nile Rodgers, todos los cuales anunciaron el lanzamiento del duodécimo álbum de Pitbull, Trackhouse.

Ricky Martin Ricky Martin, uno de los artistas latinos más importantes de todos los tiempos, es un cantante y actor reconocido mundialmente conocido por su estilo de pop sofisticado y lleno

de energía. Martin inicialmente ganó fama en su adolescencia como cantante principal de la popular banda de chicos Menudo. También se convirtió en actor, obteniendo elogios de la industria cinematográfica mexicana y protagonizando al barman Miguel Morez en la telenovela estadounidense Hospital General. Si bien ganó un Grammy por su álbum solista Vuelve de 1998, fue su álbum en inglés de 1999 Ricky Martin el que lo impulsó al estrellato. Impulsado por los éxitos “Livin’ la Vida Loca” y “She’s All I Ever Had”, el disco resultó ser una sensación internacional, encabezó el Billboard 200 y vendió más de 15 millones de copias en todo el mundo. Además de fundar la organización benéfica sin fines de lucro Ricky Martin Foundation, Martin ha seguido siendo una estrella, lanzando varios álbumes de platino, incluidos Sound Loaded de 2000, Life de 2005 y A Quien Quiere Escuchar, ganador del Grammy de 2015. En 2020 y 2021, regresó a las listas latinas de Billboard con los EP Pausa y Play.

Martín nació el 24 de diciembre de 1971 en San Juan, Puerto Rico. Cuando era niño, cantaba en el coro y actuaba en obras de teatro escolares. Cuando tenía seis años, comenzó a actuar en comerciales de televisión. Poco después, tomó lecciones profesionales de canto y actuación, lo que le allanó el camino para sus audiciones para Menudo. En 1984, cuando tenía 12 años, ingresó a Menudo, debutando en el disco Evolución. Durante los siguientes cinco años, Martin fue el cantante principal del grupo, lo que les ayudó a convertirse en una sensación internacional. Una vez que se le quedó pequeño Menudo en 1989, regresó a Puerto Rico, donde completó la escuela secundaria.

Después de graduarse de la escuela secundaria, Martin pasó varios meses viviendo en Nueva York antes de decidir regresar a la industria del entretenimiento. Regresó a México, donde actuó en el escenario durante un año y luego regresó a la industria musical. En 1991, lanzó su álbum debut homónimo, que coescribió con su compañero ex alumno de Menudo, Robi Rosa, quien se convertiría en un colaborador habitual a lo largo de la carrera de Martin (a menudo acreditado como Ian Blake).

El álbum se convirtió en un éxito considerable en las listas Continúa en la página siguiente Noviembre 2023 • Music News

69

Trilogy Arena Tour Continuación de a página anterior

latinas. Dos años más tarde, siguió con Me Amarás, producida por Juan Carlos Calderón, que fue un éxito aún mayor y lo lanzó al estatus de superestrella en América Latina.

En enero de 1994, Martín se unió al elenco de la telenovela Hospital General, interpretando a Miguel Morez.

Su papel recurrente tuvo tanto éxito que le consiguió un papel en Broadway, donde interpretó a Marius en Los Miserables. Dejó el Hospital General para actuar en la producción y permaneció en la obra durante aproximadamente un año. En 1995, lanzó su tercer álbum, A Medio Vivir, un disco que tenía un toque de rock más duro pero que también incluía estilos latinos como el flamenco y la cumbia.

Alcanzó el puesto número 11 en la lista Billboard Latin Pop Albums. Martin regresó a principios de 1998 con su cuarto álbum, Vuelve, al que le fue aún mejor, llegando al número uno en las listas latinas y llegando al Top 40 del Billboard 200. Producido por K.C. Porter, con coproducción de Draco Rosa y Desmond Child, el disco generó varios sencillos exitosos, entre ellos “Perdido Sin Tí” y “La Copa de la Vida”, el último de los cuales también fue adoptado como la canción oficial de la Copa de la FIFA de 1998. El Mundial como “La Copa de la Vida”. Martin interpretó “The Cup of Life” en la 41ª Entrega Anual de los Premios Grammy, donde Vuelve también se llevó a casa el Premio a la Mejor Interpretación de Pop Latino.

En la primavera de 1999, todavía aprovechando el éxito de su bien recibida actuación en los Grammy, Martin regresó con su primer álbum pop en inglés, que al igual que su primer larga duración también se tituló Ricky Martin. El álbum encabezó la lista Billboard 200 y lo convirtió en una superestrella internacional gracias a los exitosos sencillos “Livin’ la Vida Loca” y “She’s All I Ever Had”. Un año después, Martin volvió a brillar con el lanzamiento de Sound Loaded. Sus mayores éxitos en español se recopilaron en La Historia de 2001, mientras que Almas del Silencio de 2003 fue un álbum de nuevo material en español. Life, de 2005, supuso un regreso al pop en inglés.

Luego, Martin lanzó MTV Unplugged en 2006 en formatos CD y DVD. Después del éxito de su concierto 70

Music News • Noviembre 2023

MTV Unplugged, Martin se embarcó en una gira mundial en 2007, y ese mismo año apareció un CD y DVD en vivo de la gira Black and White. Después de su último espectáculo en el Madison Square Garden, Martin se tomó un descanso de la música para centrarse en su vida privada, aunque en 2008 apareció una colección de sus éxitos en español, titulada 17. En marzo de 2010, Martin se declaró gay públicamente. con un mensaje publicado en su sitio web oficial. También ese noviembre publicó una autobiografía que lo cuenta todo. Al año siguiente, regresó con su noveno álbum de estudio, Música + Alma + Sexo, que contó con apariciones especiales de Joss Stone, Natalia Jiménez, Claudia Leitte y el dúo de reguetón Wisin & Yandel. El álbum llegó al número tres del Billboard 200 y encabezó las listas latinas.

Martin pasó los siguientes años centrando su energía en su organización benéfica Ricky Martin Foundation.

Anunció una nueva colección de canciones románticas inspiradas en el final de una relación de larga duración.

El primer sencillo de prelanzamiento del set, “Adios”, se lanzó en octubre de 2014. En enero de 2015, “Disparo al Corazón”, el segundo sencillo de prelanzamiento, llegó a las listas. El mismo mes, se perpetró un engaño en Internet algo elaborado afirmando que Martin había fallecido. Respondió a través de Instagram, poniendo fin al rumor. Su décimo álbum de estudio, A Quien Quiere Escuchar, fue lanzado un mes después. El álbum no solo se ubicó en el Top Five sino que, como resultado de sus sólidos sencillos y videos, llegó al primer lugar en las listas de álbumes latinos durante la primera semana de 2016. Más tarde, ese septiembre, Martin lanzó el exitoso sencillo “Vente Pa’. Ca”, que contó con la participación del cantante colombiano Maluma.

El sencillo “Fiebre”, con el dúo de reggaeton Wisin & Yandel, apareció en 2018. Ese mismo año, Martin interpretó al modelo y diseñador de moda Antonio D’Amico en la miniserie The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, por la que obtuvo un Emmy.

Nominación al premio al Mejor Actor de Reparto en una Miniserie o Película.

Martin regresó a la música en 2020 con dos EP, Pausa, orientado a las baladas, y Play, más orientado al baile. Lanzado por

primera vez en mayo de 2020, Pausa presentó los temas “Cántalo” con Residente y Bad Bunny, “Tiburones” y “Simple” con Sting, y se llevó a casa el Premio Grammy Latino al Mejor Álbum Vocal Pop. A principios de 2021, Martin formó equipo con la cantante chilenoestadounidense Paloma Mami para “Qué Rico Fuera”, el primer sencillo de Play, que llegó más tarde ese año. Otro sencillo de Play, “Otra Noche en L.A.”, llegó en enero de 2022.

Posible setlist para la gira Trilogy” Ricky Martin: Pégate María Adrenalina Shake Your Bon-Bon Lola, Lola She Bangs Tu recuerdo Vuelve Por arriba, por abajo Vente pa’ ca Livin’ la Vida Loca The Cup of Life Pitbull: Don’t Stop the Party Hey Baby (Drop It to the Floor) Hotel Room Service International Love I Feel Good Gasolina On the Floor DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love Feel This Moment JUMPIN Timber Fireball Time of Our Lives 14. Give Me Everything Enrique Iglesias: Tonight (I’m Lovin’ You) Heartbeat Duele el corazón Bailamos Cuando me enamoro Loco / Me pasé Súbeme la radio Escape I Like It El perdón Bailando

María José se presenta en el Teatro Arena el 18 de noviembre María José es una cantante pop mexicana que fue miembro del grupo Kabah antes de debutar con su álbum solista homónimo en 2007 y encabezar las listas un par de años después con su gran éxito “No Soy una Señora”. Nacida María José Loyola el 12 de enero de 1976 y radicada en la Ciudad de México, México, comenzó su carrera discográfica como miembro del grupo de pop latino Kabah. Fundado en 1992, el sexteto hizo su debut con el álbum homónimo en 1994 con Kabah, seguido por su siguiente avance internacional, La Calle de las Sirenas (1996), y varios álbumes adicionales.

Después de más de una década de éxito comercial, Kabah se disolvió tras el lanzamiento de su álbum El Pop (2005) y una gira de despedida que concluyó el 31 de diciembre de 2005. Los miembros de la banda se separaron y siguieron su propio camino inmediatamente después, con José montando un solo. carrera discográfica en asociación con Warner Music. Hizo su debut de larga duración en 2007 con el álbum homónimo María José. Producido y escrito en gran parte por el creador de éxitos mexicano Aureo Baqueiro, quien había trabajado previamente con Kabah, el álbum generó algunos éxitos (“¿Quien Eres Tú?”, “Me Equivoque”, “¿Donde Está?”), pero no fue en

sí mismo un éxito de taquilla. El segundo álbum de José, Amante de Lo Ajeno (2009), resultó considerablemente más exitoso, llegando al número dos en la lista de álbumes mexicanos. Compuesto por versiones de moda de los favoritos de los 80 originalmente popularizados por mujeres como Daniela Romo, María Conchita Alonso, Lucía Méndez y otras, Amante de Lo Ajeno generó el exitoso sencillo principal “No Soy una Señora”, originalmente popularizado por Melissa, e incluye un dueto con Edith Márquez en “Cosas del Amor”, originalmente popularizada por Ana Gabriel y Vikki Carr.

María José lanzó su cuarto álbum, De Noche a nivel mundial en iTunes el 15 de agosto de 2012. Es su segundo álbum con canciones totalmente nuevas. El primer sencillo, “Tú Ya Sabes a Mí”, fue lanzado en junio de 2012. “Extraña” fue lanzado como sencillo en España.

María José lanzó su quinto álbum, Habla Ahora a nivel mundial en iTunes el 21 de octubre de 2016. Es su tercer álbum que presenta contenido original. El primer sencillo, “Las Que Se Ponen Bien La Falda”, con la rapera puertorriqueña Ivy Queen, fue lanzado el 13 de mayo de 2016. La canción

principal “Habla Ahora” fue lanzada como el segundo sencillo del álbum anterior al lanzamiento del álbum.

En 2019, María José lanzó el álbum en vivo Conexión. Fue lanzado el 7 de junio de 2019 por OCESA Seitrack. El disco fue grabado frente a un público seleccionado para asistir al concierto ubicado en la Ciudad de México. En celebración del décimo aniversario de su exitoso álbum Amante de lo Ajeno, el álbum celebra la trayectoria de José como solista. El álbum incluye material de sus últimos cinco álbumes de estudio, así como 8 canciones recién grabadas. Los invitados destacados incluyeron a Ha*Ash, Yuri, Carlos Rivera y Vanesa Martin. En 2019, María José se convirtió en jueza de México tiene talento de TV Azteca y también se convirtió en presentadora de la nueva serie dramática de Televisa Esta historia me suena junto a Jen Carlo Bautista, en la que también apareció como actriz en algunos episodios. El 21 de enero de 2020, Se anunció que María José regresaría a TV Azteca, pero esta vez como entrenadora de La Voz junto a Ricardo Montaner, Belinda y Christian Nodal.

Posteriormente regresó para su segunda y última temporada en 2021 junto a Miguel Bosé, Edith Márquez y Jesús Navarro.

Noviembre 2023 • Music News

71

Intocable se presenta en el Teatro Arena durante dos noches, el 11 y 12 de noviembre Intocable alcanzó una gran popularidad a finales de los años 90 y posiblemente se convirtió en el acto tejano más exitoso de su época. El estilo tejano de Intocable es innegablemente de naturaleza norteña, impulsado por ritmos de polka y fuertemente acentuado por el acordeón. El grupo incluso se presenta como norteño (es decir, con apariencia de vaquero). Sin embargo, sus raíces texanas y el don del líder Ricky Muñoz para las elegantes melodías pop, entre otras sutilezas, los diferencian de actos de género más tradicionales como Los Tigres del Norte y Conjunto Primavera. Intocable se estableció como uno de los actos regionales mexicanos más populares y comercialmente exitosos de su época con grabaciones como la número uno de 1999, Contigo. Seguido por un par de álbumes que encabezaron las listas de éxitos en 2003, Crossroads: Cruce de Caminos y La Historia, establecieron un patrón para el grupo. En total, nueve de sus álbumes alcanzaron el puesto uno o dos en la lista de álbumes latinos y diez alcanzaron el número uno en los álbumes regionales mexicanos.

Entre Contigo de 1999 y Highway de 2016, también colocaron diez álbumes en el Top 200. Intocable se enorgullecía de sus devotos seguidores, lo que les permitió agotar estadios masivos llenos de decenas de miles 64 Music News • Agosto 72 Noviembre 2023 2023

de fanáticos. Estaban entre los pocos artistas regionales mexicanos (junto con los ya mencionados Tigres del Norte y el Conjunto Primavera, así como superestrellas como Marco Antonio Solís y Ana Bárbara) que rivalizaban en popularidad e impacto cultural con estrellas del pop latino como Paulina Rubio, Juanes y Thalía. Es cierto que esas estrellas del pop gozaban de adoración internacional, mientras que un acto regional mexicano como Intocable, por razones de especificidad cultural, estaba limitado geográficamente a México y Estados Unidos.

Pero dentro de los bastiones mexicanos y mexicano-estadounidenses, Intocable era tan venerado como cualquier estrella del pop, y probablemente más respetado. La banda también fue aclamada por la crítica, con una larga lista de premios en su haber. Por ejemplo, fueron nominados regularmente al Premio Lo Nuestro y al Grammy Latino, y a menudo ganaron: en 2005 se llevaron a casa el Grammy Latino por Mejor Álbum Norteño (Diez) y Mejor Canción Regional Mexicana (“Aire”); En Peligro de Extinción, de 2013, pasó 30 semanas en el Top Ten, y Highway, con su alegre fusión de rock norteño y de raíces, les ganó una audiencia completamente nueva en 2016.

Los amigos Ricky Muñoz (voz principal, acordeón) y René Martínez (batería) formaron Intocable en Zapata, Texas, a principios de los años 90. El grupo también lo integran Dany Sánchez (bajo sexto, segunda voz), Sergio Serna (percusión), Félix Salinas (bajo eléctrico), Johnny Lee Rosas (bajo sexto, coros) y José Juan Hernández (animación grupal, ritmos).

Lamentablemente, los integrantes del grupo Silvestre Rodríguez (bajo eléctrico) y José Ángel Farías (animación del grupo, ritmos) murieron en un accidente automovilístico en 1999, junto con José Ángel González (su road manager). Intocable comenzó su carrera discográfica con Freddie Records, un sello independiente con sede en Corpus Christi, Texas. Tras el lanzamiento de Simplemente...

(1993), la banda firmó un contrato con EMI Latin, para el cual los chicos grabaron su debut en un sello importante, Fuego Eterno (1994).

El siguiente, Otro Mundo (1995), fue el primer álbum de Intocable en aparecer en las listas, y finalmente entró en el Top Five de la lista de álbumes regionales mexicanos, gracias en parte a un trío de éxitos: “La Continúa en la página siguiente

Intocable Continuación de la página anterior Mentira”, “Coqueta” y “Parece Que No.” Llévame Contigo (1996) continuó donde lo dejó su predecesor, generando más éxitos: “No Te Vayas”, “Ya Ves”, “Llévame Contigo” y “¿Y Todo Para Qué?” Uno de ellos, “No Te Vayas”, se convirtió en el primero del grupo en encabezar la lista de reproducción regional, incluso entrando en el Top Five de la lista Hot Latin Tracks, impresionante para un sencillo regional mexicano. Además, Llévame Contigo también alcanzó el número uno en la lista regional mexicana y entró en el Top Five de Top Latin Albums. Intocable IV (1997) no pudo igualar las alturas de Llévame Contigo, pero aún así resultó muy popular, generando dos éxitos número uno (“Eres Mi Droga”, “Vivir sin Ellas”) y un Top Five (“Dónde Estás?” ). Lo Mejor de Intocable: 12 Super Éxitos (1997) culminó la racha inicial de gran éxito de la banda.

El éxito continuó sin cesar para Intocable, es decir, en su mayor parte, con la excepción de un episodio trágico. En marzo de 1998, el grupo actuó ante una multitud de más de 65.000 personas en el Astrodome de Houston (el primero de numerosos espectáculos en estadios a lo largo de los años por los que Intocable se haría famoso) e Intocable (1998) siguió poco después, al igual que su éxito. sencillos (“Amor Maldito”, “Perdedor” y “Huracán”). Entonces sobrevino la tragedia. El 31 de enero de 1999, Intocable sufrió un accidente automovilístico que cobró la vida de dos miembros de la banda (José Ángel Farías y Silvestre Rodríguez) e hirió gravemente a los demás, incluido Muñoz. Los miembros supervivientes estuvieron hospitalizados durante semanas en Monterrey, México, a donde se dirigieron a un concierto. Después de un tiempo de descanso para recuperarse, tanto física como emocionalmente, Intocable realizó un gran regreso con Contigo (1999).

El álbum fue precedido por un sencillo principal, “El Amigo Que Se Fue”, que rindió homenaje a los miembros fallecidos de la banda. Contigo contó con tres sencillos más (“Fuerte No Soy”, “Soñador Eterno”, “Ya Estoy Cansado”), alcanzó el número uno en la lista regional, entró en el Top Five de Top Latin Albums y fue el primero del grupo en llegar a la cartelera. 200.

El regreso triunfal de Intocable después de la tragedia que les sobrevino en 1999 inspiró a una legión de nuevos fans y la popularidad de la banda alcanzó nuevas alturas. Los años sucesivos trajeron álbumes de estudio más exitosos (Es Para Ti [2000], Sueños [2002], Nuestro Destino Estaba Escrito [2003], et al.) y colecciones de grandes éxitos (14 Grandes Éxitos [2001], La Historia [2003] ], Original Masters [2004], et al.), sin mencionar una larga lista de éxitos, varios de los cuales alcanzaron el número uno (“Enséñame a Olvidarte”, “Sueña”, “El Poder de Tus Manos”, “Eso Duele ,” “¿A Dónde Estabas?”, et al.). Como sorteo de conciertos eran casi imbatibles. Se agotaron las entradas durante cuatro noches consecutivas en el

Auditorio Nacional de la Ciudad de México y la aparición del grupo como cabeza de cartel en 2003 en el Estadio Reliant de Houston atrajo a más de 70.000 fanáticos, un récord en ese momento. También tocaron dos fechas con entradas agotadas en la Arena Monterrey con capacidad para 10,000 personas en Monterrey, México.

Intimamente (2004) presenta a Intocable en un ambiente “unplugged”, interpretando muchos de sus éxitos de forma discreta. Este disco les valió su primer premio Grammy al Mejor Álbum Mexicano/ Mexicoamericano. Diez de 2005, su décimo lanzamiento de EMI, se complementó con un segundo disco que era esencialmente un álbum tributo compuesto por versiones de sus canciones de artistas alternativos latinos de vanguardia como Kinky, Tego Calderón y Natalia Lafourcade. También ganó un Grammy.

El grupo cambió de marcha y dio un paso valiente fuera de su zona de confort con Crossroads: Cruce de Caminos de 2006. Fue coproducido por Martínez y Lloyd Maines (padre de la líder de Dixie Chicks, Natalie Maines), y ofrecía canciones country, así como algo de Tex-Mex con sabor a honky tonk mezclado con melodías norteñas clásicas. La grabación encabezó las listas de álbumes latinos y álbumes regionales mexicanos, y se ubicó en el puesto 59 en el Top 200. Si bien a 2C de 2008 no le fue tan bien, alcanzó el número cinco en los álbumes regionales mexicanos. La banda continuó de gira y publicando compilaciones. En 2010, Billboard los nombró Grupo de la Década del Regional Mexicano. La siguiente fecha, 2011 (autoeditado en el sello Good/Music después de que dejaron EMI), obtuvo nada menos que seis sencillos en las listas y una nominación al Grammy como Mejor álbum Norteño. Los dos primeros, “Robarte un Beso” y “Prometí”, alcanzaron el número uno en las listas de radio regionales de Estados Unidos.

El tercero, “Arrepientete”, quedó Top Five.

Intocable se convirtió en la primera banda norteña en tocar en un espectáculo de medio tiempo de la NFL en el Dallas Cowboys Stadium. El cuarto sencillo del álbum,

“Llueve”, debutó en vivo en Premio lo Nuestro de 2012. Allí, el grupo ganó las tres categorías en las que estaban nominados.

Billboard les otorgó un premio Lifetime Achievement Award el mismo año.

Intocable fichó por Fonovisia. Su debut discográfico, En Peligro de Extinción de 2013, fue una reacción deliberada a lo que la banda percibía como una inclinación “pop” cada vez más pulida en la producción de música latina y, en particular, de la música regional mexicana. Lleno de guitarras eléctricas y tambores en vivo, el monstruoso sencillo “Te Amo (Para Siempre)” dominó el Airplay latino y regional, así como las listas de ventas digitales durante semanas. Sin embargo, Intocable no daba nada por sentado.

Hicieron giras por México, Estados Unidos y América Latina en promoción de su álbum durante casi dos años. EMI continuó publicando compilaciones, manteniendo a la banda en el ojo público. En 2015, después de que Fonovisia emitiera XX Aniversario en Vivo, el grupo presentó una transmisión benéfica global en vivo para St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital; donaron todas las ganancias. Dos semanas después, publicaron el sencillo y el video de prelanzamiento de “Tu Ascencia”. El tema llegó al Top 15 de las listas de Canciones Regionales Mexicanas y al Top 10 de las listas de Canciones Digitales.

El 23 de enero de 2016 anunciaron una asociación total con St. Jude’s para continuar recaudando fondos. En marzo, Intocable encabezó el SXSW, SXAmericas All Latino Showcase. En mayo, apareció un segundo sencillo, “Arrepentido”, antes del álbum Highway en junio, su primer larga duración en tres años y el séptimo en encabezar las listas de Top Latin Albums. Pasaron los siguientes dos años de gira y volvieron a entrar al estudio a finales de 2018. En febrero de 2019, lanzaron el sencillo “Beso Incompleto”, una fusión de rock latino y sonidos tejanos, como introducción al largometraje Percepción. , lanzado el 15 de marzo antes de una gira por Norteamérica. La grabación llegó al Top Ten de streaming durante la semana de su lanzamiento.

Intocable recibió un premio a la trayectoria en la ceremonia de Premio lo Nuestro de ese Noviembre 2023 • Music News 73

Mora se presenta en Bayou Music Center el 2 de diciembre El compositor y productor puertorriqueño Mora impulsa el reggaetón con un estilo atmosférico y reflexivo que mezcla trap, tropical y alternativo. Colaboró con estrellas como Joyce Santana, Farruko y Bad Bunny antes de lanzar su ecléctico álbum debut, Primer Día de Clases, en 2021. Una continuación, Microdosis, llegó en abril de 2022 y Paraíso apareció en noviembre. Mora mantuvo el impulso en 2023 con la vibrante Estrella.

Gabriel Mora Quintero nació en Bayamón, Puerto Rico, en 1992.

Después de ver a su primo producir temas, comenzó a hacer su propia música en 2015, trabajando con artistas como Eladio Carrión y Jon Z antes de comenzar a subir sus originales a SoundCloud. En 2017 74

Music News • Noviembre 2023

aparecieron varios temas, y “Pensabas” (con Brray, Carrión y Joyce Santana) emergió como un gran éxito de boca en boca. “Que Habilidad” de 2018 hizo lo mismo, y Noah Assad, manager de la superestrella Bad Bunny, contrató a Mora para Rimas Entertainment. El artista continuó lanzando canciones a un ritmo rápido, incluyendo “Si Tu No Estas” (con Myke Towers) y “El Recuerdo” de 2019. Hizo varias apariciones en el largometraje YHLQMDLG de Bad Bunny de 2020, que batió récords, como invitado en la canción “Una Vez” y coproduciendo otras dos.

El álbum debut de Mora, Primer Día de Clases (“First Day of School”), llegó en 2021, e incluye colaboraciones con Farruko, Jhay

Cortez, Lunay y otros. Una de sus canciones, “Volando”, fue remezclada con Bad Bunny y Sech y se convirtió en un gran éxito de streaming. El segundo LP de Mora, Microdosis, apareció en abril de 2022, con la ayuda de invitados de Feid, Jhay Cortez y Elena Rose. Lo siguió el mismo año con otro largometraje, Paraíso. Entre sus 14 temas se encuentran colaboraciones con De La Ghetto en “AirBnB” y Danny Ocean en “Eivissa”. Este último ingresó a las listas de Top Latin Albums en el número cuatro y aterrizó en la lista de Top 200 álbumes. Estrella de 2023 vio a Mora trabajar con los productores Ovy on the Drums, MAG y Sky Rompiendo en un conjunto de canciones que atraviesan el espectro del reggaetón, el trap y la electrónica.

Yahritza y Su Esencia se presentan en The House Of Blues el 10 de noviembre Yahritza y Su Esencia (2022) es un grupo de música regional mexicana originario del Valle de Yakima, Washington, Estados Unidos. El conjunto está formado por un trío de hermanos: Yahritza Martínez (vocalista y guitarra acústica), Jairo Martínez (bajo acústico) y Armando “Mando” Martínez (guitarra). Sus melodías se destacan dentro del subgénero urbano sierreño.

de música regional mientras vivía en México, brindó su apoyo y experiencia en ese campo.

El grupo “Yahritza y Su Esencia” está formado por los hermanos Martínez: Armando es el mayor, seguido por Jairo, el hermano mediano, y finalmente Yahritza, la hermana menor, quien también es la vocalista principal de la banda. Todos ellos nacieron en el Valle de Yakima, Washington, Estados Unidos, pero tienen raíces mexicanas debido a sus padres, quienes provienen de Michoacán y emigraron en busca de oportunidades en Estados Unidos.

Una de sus canciones más reconocidas se titula “Soy El Único”. El vocalista escribió esta canción a la edad de catorce años, centrándose en el tema de una ruptura romántica. La inspiración para la letra provino de los comentarios que recibió en sus videos, donde las personas compartían sus propias experiencias en las relaciones. El sencillo escaló a la posición #1 en la lista Billboard Global 200, logrando también el destacado puesto #1 en el ranking de YouTube Music en Estados Unidos, y una respetable posición #5 en las listas de popularidad en México.

Desde pequeños crecieron inmersos en las tradiciones mexicanas de su hogar. Sus padres les transmitieron su rica cultura, lo que les permitió explorar los ritmos de la música regional mexicana desde sus raíces. Además, su padre, quien había sido parte de una banda

A los 14 años, el menor de los hermanos Martínez empezó a tocar la guitarra y se adentró en el mundo de las redes sociales. Fue a través de estas plataformas que compartió su talento y su voz, que ahora son el corazón y el alma del conjunto.

Ganaron protagonismo cuando un vídeo con el audio de su música se volvió viral en Tik Tok. Este logro llamó la atención

de figuras influyentes y, gracias a la colaboración de Ramón Ruiz y Alex Guerra del grupo Legado 7, surgió el sello discográfico Lumbre Music, que actualmente representa a Yahritza y Su Esencia.

Tras firmar el contrato, la banda lanzó su álbum debut, “Obsessed”, a finales de abril de 2023. El álbum tuvo un desempeño excepcional en términos de éxito comercial, logrando la certificación platino en Estados Unidos, con ventas de 60.000 unidades equivalentes en el país.

En 2023, Yahritza y Su Esencia unieron fuerzas en colaboraciones con destacados artistas como Yuridia, Ángela Aguilar y Grupo Frontera. Estas colaboraciones, particularmente con el Grupo Frontera, jugaron un papel importante en su creciente popularidad internacional. Su sólida trayectoria les ha valido nominaciones en varias ceremonias de premios, incluidos los Premios Grammy Latinos, los Premios de la Música Latinoamericana y los Premios Lo Nuestro. En este último consiguieron hacerse con el ansiado galardón.

Noviembre 2022 • Music News

75

RANDOM SHOTS

Bad Habits Perform At The 19th Hole Photos By Kevin D. Wildman 76

Music News • November 2023

April 2022 • Music News

69

RANDOM SHOTS

The Kory Quinn Band Perform At Shady Acres Saloon Photos By Kevin D. Wildman 78

Music News • November 2023

June 2023 • Music News

71

RANDOM SHOTS

The Keeshea Pratt Band Perform At The Big Easy Photos By Kevin D. Wildman 80

Music News • November 2023

July 2021 • Music News

65

RANDOM SHOTS

Stoneside Perform Åt The Acadia Bar & Grill Photos By Kevin D. Wildman

82

Music News • November 2023

April 2023 • Music News

67

RANDOM SHOTS

The Repeat Offenders Perform At Green Oaks Tavern In Humble Photos By Kevin D. Wildman 84

Music News • November 2023

Check us out at http://www.rockandbluesinternational.com Also available on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Index, Amazon Music, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Pocket Casts, Deezer, Listen Notes & More!

November 2022 • Music News

85

RANDOM SHOTS

Kimmi Bitter Performs At Dan Electro’s Guitar Bar Photos By Kevin D. Wildman 86

Music News • November 2023

RANDOM SHOTS

The Eric Korb Band Perform At Shady Acres Saloon Photos By Kevin D. Wildman 88

Music News • November 2023

RANDOM SHOTS

The After Dark Society Perform At The Acadia Bar & Grill Photos By Kevin D. Wildman November April 2023 • Music MusicNews News 73 89

RANDOM SHOTS

Jammin’ At The Concert Pub North Photos By Kevin D. Wildman

90

Music News • November 2023

RANDOM SHOTS

Josh Garrett Perform At The Big Easy Photos By Kevin D. Wildman November 2023 • Music News

91

RANDOM SHOTS

The Lightning Rob Band Perform At Katie’s Bar In Bacliff Photos By Kevin D. Wildman 92

Music News • November 2023

RANDOM SHOTS

Ozz Perform At The Concert Pub North Photos By Kevin D. Wildman

November 2023 • Music News

93

RANDOM SHOTS

Phantom Eye Perform At The Acadia Bar & Grill Photos By Kevin D. Wildman 94

Music News • November 2023