Baionarena!

I will admit that I have never seen Manu Chao perform live in concert. Until I'm lucky enough to do so, I'll have to settle for Baionarena. And that's fine with me.

This live CD/DVD combo is incredible! Released at the end of December '09, it didn't make its way onto my iPod until this past winter season. How did so much time pass before I found this?!?

Regardless of how long it took me to find this Holy Grail of live Manu Chao, I've already played it enough to make up for lost time. The album was recorded at a sold-out arena in Bayonne, France, and it perfectly captures and the fun-loving, crowd-pleasing, language-mixing style of Manu.

If you're still unaffected by this Manu Chao nonsense that I'm always writing about, check out these clips from the DVD. The man is an entertainer unbound by nationalities and ethnicities.

1. Panik Panik & El Hoyo

2. Mr. Bobby

3. Clandestino

Paz y Amor,

DJ Gringuito

Shameless Self Promotion!

Oye! Radio Chevere is setting a course for the vast sea of social media. So hop on board and help out, because I can't just rely on the motion of the ocean.

I've created a Twitter account. Initially, all the tweets will be reposts of older blog entries. But once everything is all caught up, I'll be tweeting my canción del día (song of the day).

There is also an idea in the works to branch out to the greater Athens community. Until then, tell anybody who cares about Spanish, music, Spanish music or who is simply desperate for another follower on Twitter.

Soy emocionado!

DJ Gringuito

RIP Sandro de America

There is sad news from the Spanish music community. Sandro de America, the Argentine Elvis, is dead at the age of 64. Just over a week ago, the first man to break Spanish music into the U.S. pop scene died from complications after surgery.

I found his obituary while browsing the web for story ideas for my foreign correspondence class. Once I saw it, I knew this was perfect for Radio Chevere. The man embodied chevere, but until last week I had no idea who he was. Allow me to share...

Born Roberto Sanchez, Sandro began his music career with Los de Fuego in the 1960s. After taking over as frontman, Sandro and his Elvis-like swivel and charm made him a superstar.

By 1970, this Argentine rock 'n' roll legend had filled Madison Square Garden five times. One of the performances was the first concert ever to be broadcast via satellite. Obviously, the transmission was sent back to Argentina.

Just like his North American doppelganger, Sandro used his stardom to make a presence on the silver screen. The roles weren't award-winning, but that didn't turn away his worshipping fans.

Upon word of his Sandro's death, fans took to the streets mourning the loss together. Here's a look at some of the photos from his funeral service attended by tens of thousands:

Roberto "Sandro" Sanchez: August 19, 1945 - January 4, 2010

Duerme con angeles,

DJ Gringuito

El Regreso

Radio Chevere is back! After a 7-week hiatus, it's time for more of the Spanish music culture that you've missed so much. Before any candid anecdotes are told or informative posts are written, I want to say a few words.

I've covered plenty of artists since starting this blog, but I've neglected the fans. Sure, I'm a fan of all the Spanish-speaking world has to offer. It might seem that I'm writing about a culture completely disconnected from Southeastern Ohio, but that's not true. So expect an occasional interview a with Spanish music fan.

Next up is... well, that's it actually. I hope that reading about someone else's experience with Spanish music will spark an interest of your own. But I'll stop babbling because there are still several music styles and hundreds of artists to cover.

Good to be back,

DJ Gringuito