- Post date
- 24 Apr 2019
- Caption
- These are hectic weeks between finals, conferences, and other (n)academic-related endeavors. So, I have not had much of chance to write and post on the dozens of flyers/photos that await posting. Therefore, I had not realized until today that it has been ¡20 year since my very first show at the Fais Do-Do! Toda una vida ha pasado y sin embargo también se siente que no fue hace tanto.
On a Friday April 16, 1999 I was this shy, introvert nerd that somehow wanted to get bands from Baja and Alta California to perform together in Los Ángeles. I was/am rather eclectic when it comes to music. Sometimes these gigs leaned on the ska-fusion side, other times the acts were more punk, yet others “indie/alternative” and even electronic. Nonetheless, “my” shows were thematic and/or musical logic along similar or corresponding music genres, tampoco eran de chile, mole, y pozole nada más porque si. Later on, I learned people called this “curation,” but bah. For me it was creating a solid line-up that would make the night flow and come together from the beginning band until the last song.
Yet, I was so timid back then that most of my friends helped me deal with the venue and contact the bands. I passed all of the flyers and sent hundreds of emails! Aside from hopping that at least 50 people would show up, I figured my friends and the usual gorrones de todas las tocadas would be there and there would be enough paid tickets to pay the venue and give some gas, travel money, and dinner for Tokadiscos (Ensenada), Limbo Zamba (Mexicali), and Be-am (Tijuana). Los Olvidados tocaron casi de a gratis. When they day came, I was astonished and ecstatic that more 200 people showed up and most of them even paid!
If you notice, the Fais Do Do ad in the L.A. Weekly was next to the Hard Rock Café, The Roxy, and the Whisky A Go Go. Venues that I never ever imagined I would book shows there. Then, I was just happy to be this dude from Guadalajara that did this one show and have it published in the Weekly. Little did I know that The Roxy would soon take notice of my Fais Do-Do gigs and within a year, they’d call me to book their local shows. Pero eso ya es otra histéria.
- Type
- poster
- View on Instagram
- https://www.instagram.com/p/BwoaUgWASNE/