Latin Alternative Music in Chicago

I'm just getting around to post about this due to the fact that I've been neglecting my blog and have been spending way too much time on Myspace. (yeah, I know, I know) So truth be told, the post date is actually March 11, 2008. I'm changing the date on the blog just to keep it in chronological order.

It's no secret that I have been known to complain about the Latin music scene in Chicago. Being Latino in Chicago used to mean that you either went to a club that plays salsa/merengue, bachata, reggaeton, hip hop, 80s Rock en Español, and old school chicago booty house or wait for one of the same old Latin Rock/Pop bands to make their rounds on the annual concert circuit. This meant that once in a while you could catch bands like El Tri, Mana, Jaguares, Moenia, Aleks Syntek, Juanes, Shakira, etc.

If you were one of the few like me, you might also stop in at the occasional small underground events around town hosted by groups like Enchufate.com or Rock Sin Anestecia (wluw radio). The problem is that they were REALLY underground, not to mention few and far between.

Late last year, a couple of promoters experimented with bringing some Latin Alternative acts after my continuous nagging at them and suggestions on who to bring. Thanks to Oneworld Chicago and Ratio Nation, it seemed that people like me, who were sick of the same old crap, finally had something worthwhile. I was lucky enough to DJ at these events opening up for acts such as Los Abandoned, The Pinker Tones, Aterciopelados, Kinky, Babasonicos, and Zoe! I immediately seized the opportunity to showcase some "different" music than what the masses where accustomed to. To my surprise, the reaction was positive and I realized that I wasn't the only person who got sick to their stomach at the sound of the "tra tra tra" from a Daddy Yankee track.

The crowds seemed to react favorably to mixes of Peter Bjorn & John, Daft Punk, Telefunka, Spam (from Spain), The Pinker Tones, Maria Daniela y Su Sonido Lasser, Miranda, Volovan, Volumen Cero, Zoe, Jumbo, Plastillina Mosh, The Rapture, The Sounds, Digitalism, Chemical Brothers, and Fangoria.

The reaction of the crowds and feedback from people I've met since then started the wheels in motion on what would turn out to be one of the best things that has happened to the Latin Music scene in Chicago, in my opinion. DJ Santi from Los Angeles, a friend I made during my one year stint as a DJ on L.A.'s Club Mix Superestrella, turned me on to a New York City DJ team called Nacotheque late in 2006. Santi had already started as resident DJ with L.A.'s "Turn Off The Radio" parties, and had always focused on obscure Spanish Rock bands so he was very knowledgeable and was a huge influence on me to get something going in Chicago.

I decided to approach the two groups who seemed to have the most interest in doing something about our music scene. It didn't take much convincing to get Ratio Nation & Enchufate.com to team up and come up with our own Latin Alternative concept dance party. We decided that we would try it first by inviting NYC's Nacotheque.

We decided that if we were going to put this show together, it would have to be a major production. Ratio booked a fashion show complete with models and makeup, No Manches t-shirt models, Enchufate.com brought in Giroscopio to do visuals, and I came up with a DJ lineup based on the target market. We wanted people who were into 80's alternative/punk music, but who also speak Spanish and listened to traditional "Spanish Rock" as well as those who like Indie & Electro, and just looking for something genuinely different.

We didn't know it then, but a new night was born on November 30, 2007.

To be continued in "Nacotheque in Chicago"....