Rodrigo y Gabriela Rock Out at Wolf Trap

Rodrigo y Gabriela,
Wolf Trap-Filene Center, August 24

Recommended beverage: A nice bottle of rioja on the lawn,
or any nice wine (from a bottle, preferably)
photo courtesy of Jan Louis Argilagos

Rodrigo y Gabriela, fingers flying across their acoustic guitars, showed how two guitarists alone on stage, playing all instrumental, can captivate a crowd. Their music, mired in flamenco with an unmistakable rock / heavy metal influence, had fans clapping, cheering, and thoroughly engaged throughout their long set.

Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quinetro are two friends who met while playing in a heavy metal band in Mexico City. Now back in Mexico, they recently spent years living in Dublin, Ireland, perfecting their worldbeat sounds. There, they got discovered and hit the charts. Their repertoire includes originals inspired by their musical heroes, from Hendrix to Santana to Spanish guitarist Paco De Lucia—such as those found on their latest album, titled, 11:11. Their concerts also include a few cover tunes, from Pink Floyd to Metallica.

Live, one is struck by the raw energy of Rodrigo y Gabriela’s music. Latin, Middle Eastern, and other world rhythms infuse their sound. And Gabriela’s percussive talents add to that energy. Such songs as “Buster Voodoo” from their latest album and “Diablo Rojo” show off Gabriela’s beats, as she taps the fret boards and guitar body while furiously strumming away.

Opening band Xavier Rudd was the perfect complement to this show. Hailing from South Wales, Australia, their music also ran the worldbeat gamut, incorporating blues, reggae, folk, and funk. It may have been the first time I have ever seen a didgeridoo successfully used in rock music. Touring to support their latest album, Koonyum Sun, Xavier Rudd is definitely a band to watch.