What can one possibly do on a Monday night to start off the week with a bang? Well, attend an awesome music show at an equally awesome venue.
On Monday, I rushed out of the office to meet up with a friend in Oakland and head to The New Parish to catch Bomba Estéreo’s second time in the Bay this year. I attended as a mere spectator which happens rarely since every time I go to a show it’s all work no fun.
It has been about a month since I saw Bomba Estéreo and this time around I was equally if not more excited than when I saw them in San Francisco. One of the reasons why I was so excited was because I would be stepping foot inside The New Parish for the first time. This venue is very special and dear to my heart because it is located in my beautiful town of Oakland, California - my town gets a bad rep among outsiders but the up-and-coming music scene, nightlife & dining is definitely worth checking out.
As soon as I arrived I was hooked, the ambiance of the place is inviting and although from outside it looks like a very small place, there is ample room to mingle with people, get drinks and even lounge around in the upstairs area surrounded with chairs and comfy couches, heck, even abundant space enough to dance (which is exactly what I did.)
As I was scoping the place, DJ Mexican Dubwiser was behind the turn tables, when his set was done, Oakland’s very own band Tokeson took center stage to pump up the crowd. I’ve heard so many great things about the band but unfortunately I had not been able to check them out live till that night. Tokeson’s set was excellent! The fuse of the accordion, the sax and Colombian cumbia brought me to my feet. They did so many excellent songs, one being a funky rendition of Colombia’s band Aterciopelados called Baracunata. After Monday night I declare myself a fan of Tokeson!
Once they left the stage, the people in attendance had to wait quite a while for Bomba Estéreo to take the stage. I was getting a bit anxious but I knew that they were worth the wait. The band has been on tour non-stop playing at even the most random places around the Unites States like Iowa where you would not imagine that Spanish music is even being played.
When Bomba Estéreo finally came on stage, the crowd was ready! You could hear the male fans shouting out Liliana’s name. At one point, Liliana even acknowledged one of them who shouted “Liliana, gracias por existir!” (which roughly translates to “Liliana, thanks for exisiting!” ) Liliana blew a kiss to the fan and I am pretty sure that was quite an epic moment for the lucky fan. Another fan gave him a bouquet of flowers which she happily accepted. Liliana interacted with the audience and addressed us all in English, her shy but powerful voice sounded humble and grateful.
In all, it was a fantastic night and although I only slept for about 4 hours and had to get up bright an early the next morning it was worth it!
If you have not checked out Bomba Estéreo’s music, stop lagging! Get their album on itunes, just remember that next time they come to town it will be at a much bigger venue – the band is bound for music greatness!
