Live music review: Calexico played memorable performance at Scoot Inn Wednesday
Tuscon’s Calexico is a hard to define band. And that’s a good thing as the 26-year old outfit made a stop in Austin Wednesday night at the Scoot Inn for an eclectic and thoroughly memorable performance from the veteran performers who merge Latin music, indie rock, desert soundscapes along with elements of jazz, Americana and Tex Mex. The result was a set list that took the audience on constant twists and turns, oscillating from heavily Latin numbers like “Cumbia del Polvo” to songs branded as “desert noir,” a decidedly vague term that somehow also fits this act as much as Latin does. While it may be unclear how Calexico’s music should be classified, what is clear is these artists make truly beautiful music that reflects the places they live and work.
As one fan remarked after the show, “Each song was a different scene in my head – the scenes were so vivid and vibrant and alive. Being so close to the stage made me feel like my body was wherever my mind was. Like the music picked me up and took me for a ride”
This was an understandable sentiment as bandleaders, Joey Burns (guitar, vocals) and John Convertino (drums) indeed, took their Austin audience on a sonic journey of the senses. The double trumpet section, keyboards, accordion, upright bass instrumentation all lent a jazz or orchestra feel to the presentation despite the fact the energy coming from the stage was unmistakably rock n roll.
It’s these musical nuances that set Calexico apart from their peers. It’s also why they are one of the few Latin acts (its fair to call them that) who get attention from hipster press outlets like Pitchfork and Stereogum. They’ve toured with Arcade Fire and more recently recorded a full-length with longtime collaborator Sam Beam (Iron & Wine) that has introduced Calexico to an entirely new audience.
The set kicked off appropriately enough with the title track from their latest record El Mirador which dropped in April. This was followed by the even heavier Latin tune, “Cumbia del Polvo” which got fans dancing along to its Cumbia beat and psych rock underpinings despite the Texas heat. Next, Calexico took a left turn with the unmistakably indie rock song, “Splitter” which was released on their Algiers album. The song has become a set list staple that hardcore Calexico fans look forward to hearing at their shows.
Other set highlights included the upbeat, “Cumbia de Donde” near the end of the show which had most of the audience dancing and clapping along with big smiles on their faces. The band left the stage shortly after and returned to play the encore. While Burns was turning up his electric guitar, a nearby fan shouted out, “Fortune Teller!” Burns jerked his head up, looked at the fan square in the eye and replied, “We can play that!” He then switched out his electric for his acoustic while the band prepped to fulfill the song request, thus adding an extra song to a performance that had already exceeded fans’ high expectations.
Calexico are truly a treasure to discover out of the high desert of Arizona if you’ve never seen them perform. Check their upcoming tour dates and catch a show near you
All photos by Drew Doggett
You must be logged in to post a comment.