Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group: Giappone & USA - settembre 2010, in attesa di altri show

Absolutely amazing show. A few personal highlights:

- Poincare - epic and beautiful at the same time - definitely had me close to tears for a minute.
- Some of the new stuff is fuuuunkaaaayyyy - very fun to listen and groove to.
- Omar's little solo part where he looped some chords, and did a surprisingly melodic solo over them.
- Deantoni Parks.... beast! He is already locked in with Juan, and plays very tastefully- tearin occasionally, but usually meshing really well with the rest of the music, while keeping the beats interesting but not overpowering.
- Last song - had an intense, multi-sectioned jam that led back into the song, a la cicatriz.

Hopefully a recording will surface... a DVD of the show would be awesome too (I also noticed the camera guys walking around during the show). I guess we'll see. If anyone has a chance to go to this group play a show, and isn't quite sure about it.... DO IT! I was on the fence about buying a ticket at first, but am now SO glad I did. Fucking excellent.

Since the 2001 dissolution of post-hardcore heroes At The Drive-In, guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez formed the Mars Volta, produced artists like Juliette Lewis, and released a mind-boggling number of solo and collaborative albums (over 35!). Monday night in San Francisco, his latest and most experimental project, the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group, played their first U.S. show -- and they unleashed a prog-space odyssey on the Great American Music Hall.

Rodriguez-Lopez was hardly the show's only star -- in fact, it wouldn't be inappropriate to add the word "Super" to the band's name. Rodriguez-Lopez's little brother, Mars Volta's Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez, played keys; Ximena Sariñana Rivera (whose own work was nominated for a Grammy for Best Latin Rock Or Alternative Album) periodically added vocals; the Mars Volta's Juan Alderete De La Peña played bass; producer/engineer Lars Stalfors (Matt & Kim, Mars Volta) manipulated sounds on a laptop; and experimental jazz drummer Deantoni Parks (Velvet Underground's John Cale, Elvis Costello) manned the sticks.


Compared to Mars Volta, the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group's sound is more mellow and experimental. Most of their hour-and-a-half-long set was impressive instrumental jams, which found electronic flourishes comfortably sharing space with Rodriguez-Lopez's kaleidoscopic guitar riffs and Parks' frenetic jazz drumming. With the band's namesake -- sporting his trademark big glasses and bigger hair -- hiding out at the back of the stage, Parks became the focal point, his arms flailing as he pounded out the off-kilter beats. Even though Rodriguez-Lopez was running the show, his guitar heroics were just part of the mix; he democratically made room for solos from all of the skilled players in his band.

Their set included gems from 2009's Solar Gambling, Xenophanes, and Los Sueños De Un Higado, plus new, never-before-heard songs from their upcoming 2010 release Un Escorpión Perfumado (his 16th solo album!). Rodriguez-Lopez even admitted that their show was basically a improvisational jam rehearsal. And that was okay with the crowd -- all Rodriguez-Lopez fanatics, who know to expect freeform and experimental sounds from the rogue rocker. The 600-capacity audience hung on every note and shift in rhythm, and they brought their own, ahem, smoke machines, firing up so many pipes and joints that there was a moment when it was hard to see the band.

30 minutes into the set, Rodriguez-Lopez invited onstage singer Sariñana Rivera --who's 24, but looks like she's about 16. Avoiding the spotlight, she hung out in back with Rodriguez-Lopez, where she danced in place like a hippie at a summer festival. Over five songs, she used her vocals -- long, stretched-out Spanish lyrics -- as a texture that, though intermittent, acted as the glue to a sound that occasionally teetered on the edge of losing the plot. Like the rest of the band's instrumentation, her voice helped heat up or cool down an expansive sound that attempted to burrow deep inside listeners' brains.

Earlier in the night, before the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group made their debut, Le Butcherettes, a Mexican garage rock duo (plus live bassist), took the stage. The band played tracks from their debut album, Sin Sin Sin, which Rodriguez-Lopez produced, played on, and plans to release it on his Rodriguez Lopez Productions early next year. He didn't make an appearance during their opening set, which is best for everyone involved: His stage presence would have been dwarfed by frontwoman Teri Gender Bender, whose authority over the band's politically-charged punk and blues-rock was driven home by the masks covering the rhythm section.

Contrary to what her stage name may imply, Ms. Gender Bender was born a woman, and while delivering her bursts of energy from behind a keyboard or with a guitar, she brought the Karen O and PJ Harvey comparisons to life. She also won over any doubtful audience members when she kicked off her shoes and made her way around the floor, getting up close and personal and meeting new friends the old-fashioned way: singing directly into their faces. Watch out for Le Butcherettes.

What an interesting show! The King Crimson vibe is strong. Same setlist I think.

Cedric was in the corner by the stage bobbing his head with approval throughout the entire show. Was hoping for him to sing or something but that never happened. Deatoni is a good fit. After the Octehedron album came out, I was afraid we were going lose to Pridgen, just like we lost JT when Amputecture came out. And for a third time, Omar has found a drummer that meshes well with his current style, plus compliments Juan. It was cool to see Ximena on stage, just so I could say I've seen her live. I loved the way her eyes stayed locked on Omar even while DP is going crazy right in front of her, girl is in love.

Same as previous shows, Deatoni is positioned in the middle of the others. But I notice Omar is the one with field of vision of everybody, and vice versa. He's in the back where he can see and talk to everybody. True to Omar's style, he is the director, making all the calls and making sure everyone is on the same page as him.

The show does not carry the same type of intense energy as a proper Mars Volta show, but different is good. It was a relaxed atmosphere, which made the brief intense moments all the more interesting. Lots of thank you's from Omar between songs. And there were a couple of times where he rambled and it was hard to figure out everything he was saying. Hopefully a recording comes up from the show, although I won't be heartbroken if it doesn't. Very similar to what they did in Japan. I have to say that the "chaotic voice" part was interesting to watch live. Lots of the parts where it sounds like a wall of noise on the bootleg, watching it live its more like the sound draws you in and surrounds you.

Can't believe I've been following this band for 7 years, and still watching their show gives me chills. Its hard to see how a fan could grow apart from the Mars Volta music. It changes and evolves so much that even if you don't like certain aspects of a particular album, it won't be long until new styles emerge. I believe Omar & Cedric's philosophy on experimentation is just as important as the music itself. On the way home, I listened to Deloused for old time's sake

It was a dream scenario of sorts, "It'd be awesome if Omar ever put on a show of just completely unreleased material", and he did that for us tonight.

The songs that were known (Poincare, Polaridad) were done so magnificently, I mean absolutely wonderful, especially Polaridad, a song I thought was good but when recreated live added a whole new level.

Another tremendous part of the evening was my introduction to the craftsman that is Deantoni Parks. Without rehashing any old praise or starting any sort of argument, I will just say that if he is in fact the new drummer of The Mars Volta then we are all in for some wonderful surprises and sounds.

Another iffy issue with me going in was Ximena as the vocalist of an Omar ensemble. I love her on many tracks, but not sure how that would play out live. Her voice was marvelous, and this was with Omar telling us all that she had laryngitis. Although when Omar got a hold of her vocal modulation there were some deafening effects played.

I think what many people may have an issue with was the sound we heard tonight. This was not, by any means, in any way, a Mars Volta show tonight. It was much more lay back, interactive, a few friends playing with a few onlookers, very refreshing.

The last "song" tied it all up for me personally, just an ill groove and riff that morphed into a jam that seemed to never end. Everyone in the group was impressed with what Deantoni was doing tonight, it was special.

A great night, although by myself and standing next to a couple of guys that were simply not enjoying themselves, I felt great to be a part of a tremendous sociality on display tonight.

PS - Show was filmed I believe, pro recorded no doubt, and Cathy Pellow is a genuinely nice person who believes in her vision and the ones who see to make it become a reality. Nice chatting with you tonight.

The Chicago show was definitely good. And I am by no means the Omar fanatic that most of you are, don't have every Omar release, don't even "like" a lot of Omar's solo stuff as, you gotta admit, some of it is pretty raw, and basically unfinished and rushed to tape and, as you also know,I don't bother too much with boots, whether from the Mars Volta shows or Omar in general. So, to me, I came to this show with virgin ears. Very open minded and receptive.

That all being said, I have to admit I really like the direction that Omar is headed in. The synthy vibe is adding a new dimension to the music, and sorry to say, maybe Adrien will never return as he is not needed. Maybe so long to Ikey even.... Omar seems to be headed in a more funky "melodic" (huh?, ha!) direction. The jams seem to be more concise. There was a constant barrage of sounds coming off that stage for so few people. Many layers of looped sounds and guitar solos grounded always by the drums and Juan's excellent bass grooves, which kept the music from disintegrating into a mish-mash of noise.

It's almost like, in a way, Omar is trying to reinvent music. Nothing is really straight forward, ever, (it's Omar for christ sake)at times, trying your patience for sure, your ears assaulted by the sheer cacophony, but always redeemed, just barely sometimes, by a beautiful melody hidden in the assault, or just a bit of nasty funk. To me, it's not always "easy" music to be exposed to, because, I'm basically unfamiliar with most of Omar's solo works, but like I said, Omar really seems to be trying to push music further along into the future by asking us to consider the discordant, the chaotic, the beauty in something that has been taken apart from the familiar, rearranged, then painstakingly put back together into Omar's vision of the future of music. I've witnessed Omar evolve over the years and am now watching the evolution of music in general. He is trying to do something different and he succeeds. This ain't the same old same old. MAybe this is child's play compared to some of the stuff you all are exposed to, I don't know, but for me this is new and exciting.

Ximena is okay, I guess, but is certainly no Cedric. Her voice is very dreamy and more in tune definitely, than Cedric, but very samey sounding. Maybe for her this is very avante-garde (I don't have a clue what kind of music she does in her native Mexico) (and judging by the people who obviously came to see her, and leaving in droves, probably quite different) but she needs to take more chances and just "go for it" as Cedric does. Of course half the time you'll fail, but so what? I've kind of been worrying, in the back of my mind, that Omar was "replacing" Cedric with Ximena, but obviously, no way. He needs Cedric for the Mars Volta. Cedric just has the awesome energy and charisma that Ximena cannot carry. This here, is like he's said, rehearsals of musical ideas.

All in all, a decent show. (I can't say "excellent" as it's difficult to hear music for the first time especially in that kind of setting, with the shitty acoustics)Omar was in a very good mood, talked SOOOOO MUCH to the crowd, clowned around, thanked us profusely over and over again. I've never seen Omar so appreciative of his fans, so obviously happy and in a good place. I felt so joyous for him. So happy that he is alive as I'm alive, so energetic, so creative, able to share his passions with his woman, corny as that sounds, she supporting him in his endeavors.

Oh and the opening band is a band from Mexico City called Vincente Gayo. Other than a small technical glitch with a cord coming unplugged, they sounded good. Le Butcherettes were extremely entertaining.

As far as the show goes, it was really tight, really intense, and there was a lot of talking from Omar. He had a few jokes about the amount of mexican flags saying that this was a Puerto Rican show and they didn't count (which he later said he felt bad for and that we are all "part of the equation"). He also said Lars was their token white guy because they needed a white dude in the band. Deantoni is just really impressive to watch live. I don't know any other way to put it. If this is anything similar to what I have to look forward to on a Volta album I want more, now please.