La Vida
Windsor Locks, Connecticut, United States
Music
Press
"On April 2, the University’s Campus Activities Team sponsored the Battle of the Bands. La Vida and Original Theory both competed at Thursday night’s event.
La Vida is an experimental hip-hop two-piece composed of Freshmen Anthony Garcia and Eric Thomas. For their performance, the two rapped over pre-recorded tracks with Thomas playing bass. The duo kicked off their set with a very laid-back style. La Vida’s first song was an ardent plea for social rights. Over thick, pounding beats, the duo’s overlapping rhymes created a powerful effect. Their second song, a fierce anthem about earning respect, began with a delicate acoustic guitar intro. Thomas introduced the next song by saying it was about “the way music should make you feel.” Thoughtful lyrics about music, the demi-gods of the industry and the greed that often overshadows the art were recited over a heavy, funk beat. “Soup of the Day” was La Vida’s penultimate song. The swooning violin introduction broke into a pulsing beat that had the audience’s heads bobbing. This passionate song upped the performers’ dynamic charisma as they tore through the poetic choruses with moving urgency. La Vida closed their set with a striking rendition of Flobots’ “Handlebars.” In the opening verse, Garcia’s voice proved to be a haunting match to the Flobots front man James Laurie. Through the songs demanding breakdown, La Vida certainly delivered.
Talking to Thomas after the duo’s performance, he gave me more insight into La Vida’s artistic style. Thomas said, “We try to play rap like rock.” With such insightful, poetic lyrics, I asked Thomas how he felt about the “music with a message” label. “Musicians should strive to deliver some kind of focus or message in their music, or it’s just entertainment,” said Thomas. He said that he and Garcia are poets and that their lyrics are “definitely open for interpretation.” Through the innovative style and captivating lyrics that La Vida showed in their performance, one can certainly say that they succeed in delivering a powerful message through their music."
-Alyssa Marino, The Informer, University of Hartford
- The Informer (University of Hartford)
Discography
"Thesis Statement" - 2009
Photos
Bio
La Vida was formed in the summer of 2008 by high school friends Eric Thomas and Anthony Garcia. Working out of their small basement apartment in the South End of Hartford, CT, the duo wrote impassioned hip-hop narratives over Thomas' eclectic live instrumentals and produced their first record, 2009's "Thesis Statement", for a student-run record label at the University of Hartford. The duo spun rhymes offering commentary on a wide variety of concepts including personal responsibility, the economic recession, poverty, social rights, civic pride and the importance of education over textured instrumentals pieced together with live guitar, drums, bass, keyboards and synthesizers.
Accompanied by a DJ or with a live three-piece rock band, La Vida has showcased their energetic live performances for crowds at the University of Hartford, The Webster Theater and Underground in Hartford, The Space Music and Arts Venue in Hamden, CT, Toad's Place in New Haven, CT and in the basements of numerous college keggers. The group recently sold 90 pre-sale tickets to their last show at The Webster Theater mainstage and has become an established force in Hartford, CT.
La Vida has cultivated a dedicated following in Central Connecticut and is constantly growing their presence both online and in the local music circuit.
Visit http://www.myspace.com/lavidaband
or look us up on Facebook for more La Vida!
Links
