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Los Abandoned and Allison were among the most intense performers on Friday. But they weren't the only ones. Here is the SA E-N daily news story I filed.
Here's the rest of my notes.
I walked into the Rio Grande showcase just as Hey Besala, a quintet from Cuidad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, was halfway through their rock/metal set.
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(Courtesy Maclovio Perez/Gibson)
Mexico's Allison, like many Mexican rockers, had multiple showcases at 2007 SXSW.
The band was led by the rail-thin Jesus Yanez, guitar/vocals, who described the torture and solitude of love gone south. Like most Mexican groups the members often use single names. The rest of the band was Choche, guitar; Manflora, keyboards; Chino; bajo; and Gabo, keyboards. Hey Besala proved an energetic group, kicking, jumping and twisting to the tortured lyrics of tunes like "Libros Tontas" and "Ennis del Mar."
"Thank you for coming," said Yanez in his broken English. Though the band did their best on stage, the 9 p.m. crowd was on the thin side -- approximately 25 fans.
Alih Jey, a young guitarist from Florida, demonstrated why she was considered a singer/songwriter wunderkind.
Her 35-minute, seven-song set featured crunchy rock tunes and anthemic ballads, such as "Amor Manchando" and "I Fall," which served to showcase her vocals. With her emotive tones, she evoked comparisons to Shakira.
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(Courtesy)
Alih Jey rocks the fans at SXSW 2007..
She paused after the opening tunes, to address the crowd:
"Hello there. I want to introduce my band, we have George (Gonzalez) on guitar, Joey (Hernandez) on drums, and Brian (Lang) on bass," she said. "We're happy to be here at SXSW to check out all the great bands and to be able to play for you guys. Thanks for dropping by and supporting indie rock."
By the end of Jey's set the crowd has swelled about 40 fans.
Seattle's alternative rock/metal trio Los Burbanks followed.
Led by the charismatic singer/bass player German Briseno, the trio delivered biting rock with reflective lyrics.
The highlights of their nine-song set was the intense "Locusts," "Coke," and the title track. All the tracks are from their 2006 Infidel Records "Snake," which was produced by Michael Barbiero (Guns N' Roses, Metallica) and Rob Grenoble (Antigone Rising).
Not that you could understand what Briseno was howling about but it was obviously about some pain.
Los Burbank cite everybody from Pink Floyd, Reel Big Fish to Queens of the Stone Age, Metallica and Red Hot Chili Peppers as primary influences and it shows in their music. They play with punk intensity, undergirding their melodies with metal crunch and guitar power.
While drummer Ben Grieshaber pounded away furiously and bassist Jay Smith dropped some mean and thick baselines, Briseno wailed away on enduring the miseries and downfalls in life's struggles. His big expressive eyes and facial grimaces helped convey the emotional fire.
Los Angeles based Spigga opened the show with a fast-moving set that ranged from funk and dance to pop and rock rhythms. - San Antonio's Express-News
Dominican singer/songwriter Alih Jey released her self-titled debut album Sept. 11, 2001. Despite a strong single, "It's OK," the album caused barely a ripple because of the unfortunate timing. With her sophomore effort, we hope Jey will get the chance to prove her worth. "Gotas de Piel" is fresh and distinctive, boasting Jey's own songs set to tasteful pop arrangements with a slight rock edge, but not enough to turn off radio programmers. Songs range from the upbeat "De Prisa" and the self-affirming "Muñequita Tuya" to the more reflective "Por Eso," a ballad with lush string arrangements that brings out the artist's childlike yet assertive voice. Jey sounds like Tori Amos in "Borrarte"—singing over piano and cello—and entirely like herself in "Te Lo Debo a Tí," one of the best female pop tracks in recent memory. If sophomore albums define careers, this one's a winner.—LC - Billboard
Discography
Necia (2007)
Gotas de Piel (2004)
Alih Jey (2001)
Single - Ingrata (2008 airplay)
Single - It's Ok (2001 Billboard Top 40)
Photos
Bio
Singer, songwriter, and musical powerhouse Alih Jey is very excited and proud to add a Latin Grammy nomination to her long list of musical achievements.
Her recently released independent EP Necia, a high-octane 6-song mini-compilation of material written over the past two years was nominated for Best Rock Solo Vocal Album for the 9th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards in Houston, Texas. "It's amazing," exclaims Alih, Necia was a leap of faith. It was my first project completely on my own, it came from the heart, I just did what I felt. It came naturally, and for it to be recognized this way is such an incredible reward."
With Necia, Alih Jey stands on fresh ground in more ways than one; she was the first Dominican artist ever to be nominated in this category, as well as the only independent record in the category for that year.
The short but densely packed album is a delicious sampling of bright pop-rock at its best, and serves as a multifaceted showcase of Alih Jey's colorful persona. At times the music is playful, at times vulnerable, at times reflective, and at times a little sly. This album plays like an open book. It is thoroughly self-expressive yet fully embraceable. "The idea was to be very free and let each song have its own world, its own personality its own space."
Alih started out at 3 years old performing and traveling with her well-known musician parents and sisters in her native Dominican Republic. "It was like a Dominican version of The Partridge Family. She began writing songs at an early age and at 14 she co-hosted a popular children's TV show with her older sister. Her local fame generated some ugly vibes at the all-girl catholic school she attended. Her song "Deal with It" was a kind of response to the catty wiles of her schoolmates.
Over the next two years, she wrote hundreds more songs. "It was like breathing, it just flowed out of me," Alih says. One of these songs, "It's Ok", caught the attention of well-known music producer Jorge Taveras, an unexpected chance occurrence when the long-time family friend came over to visit one day. He was so impressed with the talented young musician that he immediately sent a demo to Universal Music Latino in Miami, where she was quickly signed. The family packed their bags for Miami. "It's Ok" went on to climb the Billboard charts. She has since become a widely sought songwriter for countless projects, from translating Robbie Williams' Angels" for the opening of the 2004 Latin Grammy ceremony, to collaborating on Ines Gaviria's debut album "A Mi Manera," nominated for Latin Grammy for Best New Artist in 2006. Other career highlights include winning the iTunes Jukebox Jury, held at the South by Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas for co-writing Bletzung's single "Only End up Lonely," and opening for international Latin pop star Paulina Rubio on her US Tour "Pau-Latina" in May 2005. In addition, Alih has placed songs on albums by recognized artists such as, Janina Ya No Mas (Universal Latino) , Ednita Nazario Real (Sony BMG), and Rogelio Martinez Dos en Uno, whose cover of Alih's song "It's Ok" reached #16 on the Billboard Charts.
Alih recorded two albums for Universal including her self titled debut "Alih Jey," and 2004's "Gotas de Piel" named Best Album by a singer/songwriter by Boom Magazine before severing ties and making the bold decision to go out on her own. "I love the people at Universal, but this business is tough and I was signed so young, and as I matured as a person and artist I wanted the creative freedom to explore new paths." "Necia" is completely self-financed, self-written, self-played, self-created, and co-produced by Grammy winner Orlando Vitto (Rabanes, Monterosa). "Vitto brought so much to this album. It's been so great working together, making this baby, it's been phantasmagorical." The title for the album came at the end of recording when a friend commented to her that she was stubborn. She thought "Perfect, that's the title," because while she wouldn't agree that she was stubborn back then, she made a conscious decision at that moment to be that way from now on.
The future is very bright for this rising young bi-lingual artist. She recently kicked off her U.S. college tour at Columbia University, has been selected to perform at the 2009 Cassandra Awards in the Dominican Republic and her single Ingrata reached #2 on the Dominican Republics rock station La X102. All in all, Necia brings everything together for Alih Jey; a defining moment in her life, opening up to endless possibilities for the future. "It's all about the music", smiles Alih. The music, which is very much like its sweet-natured creator: bright, innovative, winsome, distinctive yet accessible, forward-minded yet uncorrupted, and most of all, spontaneous.
www.myspace.com/alihjey
Management: Verex Entertainment
50 East Palisade Ave, Suite 211, Englewood, NJ 07631
Web: www.verexinc.com Email: info@verexi
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