Returning for their second SXSW tour-de-force, Bogota’s Bomba Estereo unleashed a frenzy at Levi’s Fader Fort yesterday evening. It still surprised me that Liliana Saumet never dreamed of becoming a musician and yet, here she is. Her hybrid singing and rapping style is more polished since last seeing her perform; however, her raw energy is formidable and contagious. Perhaps more surprising was drummer Kike Egurrola, who had his moment to shine and delivered unstoppable beat after beat. It must have been the setting which allowed everyone’s personality and skills to fully unfurl before the audience. Julian Salazar on the guitar tore it up and certainly the mastermind behind it all, Simon Mejia, was in fine form alternating between his bass, computer, and keys. Ultimately, all the touring the band has done to support 2009’s Blow Up has refined their dynamic to deliver a set of cumbia/champeta/electronica that can get even the last wallflower toe-tapping along.
Holy Fuck is a band that, at first, did not appeal to me when I listened online; and yet, their set at The Mohawk was invigorating. They’re a band that seems to wage war on their hodge-podge of instruments and force out a sound that is a bit uncomfortable. But uncomfortable is good. It’s what I’m looking for at SXSW, and the Toronto group decimated my eardrums. Alas, that is the power of live shows. Below are the two opening numbers they performed.
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