Gig Week Lima (s1e2)
This Gig Week weekend party took a lot of different turns, as music met activism met dancing in the park. With hopes of continuing the music through Monday, we were sidetracked by illness, but that didn't stop of us from checking out a bunch of amazing bands (4 of which we'll highlight below), incredible people, and loads of swinging fun! Here's our second Gig Week Lima installment!
Friday, 27 April
Check out Episode 1 of Gig Week Lima for the run-down on Hensley. This weekend at the delightfully dirgy, garage rocking club we were drawn in by our friends Apagon, the amazing 4-piece punk band I'm dying to see on a proper stage, and they gave us a hell of a show! The energy from these guys is phenomenal, and even though the speakers don't do them justice, you can still feel the power of their music and the passion in their voice.
After Apagon, we got our first taste of the Trujillo-born 5-piece rock band 16 Bits. I can't say exactly what drew me in first, but it was some combination of the upbeat yet grungey style, the power of Giancarlo on vocals, and the precision with which they played in a place where I can barely hear the difference between a power chord and a snare. I was struck to say the least, and the moment they finished, and I knew I couldn't have any more, I ran outside to see if I could meet the band and learn a little more. I'm planning to catch them again in a few days time, at which point we should be able to offer a better feature, but for now, here's all you need to know: They LOVE music. They love Nintendo. They made a hell of name for themselves in Trujillo and are now here in Lima getting into this scene and doing a fantastic job bringing in new fans. They've been a band for a bit over 2 years, but friends for closer to a decade, and their connection is incredibly evident on stage. I wish I could share one of my videos, but that will have to wait until I see them at a different club where I can actually get some sound your ears can handle. At any rate, click the links and get to know these two superb bands, either for your next trip to Lima, or just to impress your friends at your next indie-fan-filled party!
Saturday, 28 April
Saturday began as more of an off-shoot from Gig Week as it was inspired by my music friends, but it was about something else entirely. I won't get into too much detail here, as it was rather horrific, but the bottom-line is, a woman was burned on a bus (as in, gasoline in face, lit on fire) in Lima and enough people in this city immediately realized how effed-up that was. So, they put together this benefit where artists, creatives, and generally good people offered up their goods and services for the cause to raise money to help this woman. The cause morbid and wholly disheartening, but the vision of these people coming together to support her was...uplifting, to say the least. Check out our photos here to get a little taste of the vibe:
That was our daytime. Somber but with a bright outlook. It warmed my feminist heart to say the least.
After the benefit, we took a walk around the center of Lima checking out the walkways, shops and loads of street performers, giving them a little money for showcasing their talent. Check out our video below to get a feel of what the streets are often like around Peruvian cities:
But then, the nighttime.
After a delicious day and afternoon out on the town and supporting how we could, it was time to check out some more music! This time, rock in its proper environment, with great sound, a huge stage, enthusiastic crowd, comfortable vibe, all of it. A bit more costly than places like Hensley, but you get some bang for your buck here. This place is class from start to finish, with nice sound walls around the drum kit, a balcony viewpoint, stunning amps and speakers and all you need to enjoy a beautiful rocking night out. We came out tonight specifically to check out the now near-famous Mundaka (openers for Radiohead just a week earlier), but had the lucky pleasure of seeing an unexpected treat open for them, Adictos al Bidet! I was literally floored by their sound and energy and saddened that I hadn't realized how good they were prior to this evening. But no matter, we caught them this weekend and damn, they were good. Powerful, talented, inviting and generally outstanding on the stage, Adictos are a sight to behold and a band you SHOULD NOT MISS if you get the chance. I leave you with that for now (more when we get to see them again), along with this video (short because we had audio problems on the phone):
Then came Mundaka. After spending some time chatting with fans, the band went "backstage" to get...dressed, or undressed. They took the stage after an anticipatory break in nothing but bathing suits and their instruments. More than just a talented band, they are pure fun on the stage. They laugh, dance, connect with the crowd and get plenty of energy from their fans. They've got great songs, too - the kind of rock you can sing along with and that warms your heart and brings you closer to those around you. And with their growing popularity, the crowd really does sing along, which gives you the feeling you're seeing something special. It was a blast to finally get to see them on stage, and
a proper stage at that. From the front row to the back of the balcony, the sound was crisp, warm and just the right amount of chest-thumping to keep you into the music all night long.
Sunday, 29 April
Malecon de Miraflores
After so much amazing music through the weekend, we decided to take a break from the live stuff and checked out swing dancing in the park, along the cliffs of Miraflores, overlooking the ocean, on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. There was a free class being offered by Lindy Hop Peru (with guest teacher Jeremy Prudhomme from Side Street Swing in Ottawa), but mostly it was a great little crowd of retro-loving swing-dancers enjoying the music, trading partners, and jumping and jiving their cares away. What was most interesting to note was how alive the park road is here in Miraflores. There were yoga classes (regular and acro), photographers, salsa classes, kids groups, family picnics, parasailing, all you can imagine up and down the walkways with smiling, happy kids, adults and pets just enjoying the beautiful weather Lima offered up that day. We'll leave you here with some of our favorite shots of the afternoon:
See you next time for more Gig Weeks!
