Review: Zeta slays at The Far Out Lounge

A December evening turned into an all-out party at The Far out Lounge and Stage with Zeta from Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela. The seven-piece band pulled all stops and went full force hypnotizing the crowd with their Latin-based beats, wailing guitars, and bombastic bass. It was a surreal experience to be riding on top of a wave of sound, leaving you stunned in its wake. Zeta’s tight musical relationship became apparent as they traded licks, wielded tough time signatures, and used dynamics like a magic spell. You could feel the drummer’s rage as he slayed his drum kit. Juan Chi’s vocals engulfed the evening’s electrical vibe while breaking into tightly wound psych guitar solos.

The passion rolled off every note, every beat, every lyric, breathing life into their performance. It was like watching a giant inferno consuming every last drop of oxygen as the fire grew larger and larger. Zeta’s performance would morph from modern progressive rock into traditional Latin sounds reminiscent of Santana, then crash into wild punkish angst. At one point, the entire band was banging on bongos, snare drums, or anything that could be used as a percussion instrument. It was one of the coolest things to experience. The closest comparison that would help describe their magic would be Mars Volta’s album De-Loused in the Comatoruim. The comparison would be a disservice because Zeta is truly unique and refreshing.

By the end of their set, the crowd kept calling for more music in Spanish: “Otra!, Otra!” Zeta played two encores that ended with the improvisation of a song they have not played in a while. Whenever Zeta comes to your neck of the woods, do yourself a favor and bask in their brilliance because when they play, the party will go on!

Their latest album, Todo Bailarlo was released on April 22 and was recorded in collaboration with The Abajo Cadenas Orchestra. To get a sense of the Zeta experience, stream or download a copy of their latest album Todo Bailarlo .

Event was produced by Ashley from For Spite Productions.

All photos by Mike Cosmic.

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