Rompan Rock
January 29, 2007 at 2:15 pm by Alejandro A. Leal in Randomly NotedIt’s an odd thing to be headed for a Spanish rock concert in the middle of suburbia, especially one that’s hosted by Tony’s Sports bar in Duluth, beaming ESPN, CNN and Fox Sports on giant screens.
But this is where almost every Saturday a group of dedicated enthusiasts make their scene. They don’t call it rock en Español; that’s already taken, and it refers to a much mellower brand of pop rock. That’s not their style. They go after the hard stuff, like shunning a pint for a shot.
So that’s what I did. On a cold and rainy Saturday night, I headed over to Tony’s for “Rompan Rock.”
***
10:20
The e-mail I received a few days before announced a half-dozen bands, busting (Rompan) rock on two consecutive nights. Cuenta Regresiva, UMO, Carrilla Zurda, the Ladrones, F.D.O. (Fuera de Orden), La Suegra, Filtro. I know two of the bands, the others are garage dreams of some, spontaneously making a cameo for two years before fading away, or moving away – same difference.
As I get close to the door, memories of far away rock clubs, from decades I never lived, somehow make me feel at home. I know the Ladrones are the main attraction; they’re on tour, they come from Queens, N.Y., but for what it’s worth, they look as if they just drove to the place from Norcross or Doraville.
The show hasn’t started. Nowhere is it evident that Spanish rock is about to be played. No posters, no signs, just an empty stage and a few mics.
A few minutes later, a bassist gets on stage. As Metallica’s the Black Album plays in the background, he follows along, warming up for the show. A guitarist joins him on the sound check – a good 20 minutes after the show was supposed to start. He loosely imitates Kirk Hammett.
The drummer joins them, making the best Lars Ulrich impersonation he can, trying to get the blood flowing through his hands.
10:45 Cuenta Regresiva
Metallica takes a seat; they fade away as the first band, Cuenta Regresiva, is set, launching into a melodic hard-rock intro.
Their lyrics are spiritual, almost Christian-rock spiritual, but no one cares, really. “¡Queremos rock!” is the rallying cry. “We want to rock!”
The band plays for a good 25 minutes. Midway through the set, they announce they’re filming a video for the next song, “Sobrenatural,” and want the crowd to come forward. Don’t they know? The crowd never rushes the stage for the opening act. Unless, of course, they tear it up.
Some timidly make it to the front but only after the band decides not to wait for the crowd to keep playing.
After a six-song set, the band finishes off with the unavoidable turn-around the stage, calling out each member for frenzied applause.
11:40 Filtro 
Filtro, the next band, takes long to set up. Four regular guys, no hardcore tattoos, no piercings; a ponytail and an ornament. They let their music make the first impression.
Filtro has a definite edge in experience. Their arrangements, riffs and chords are all much tighter than the younger Cuenta Regresiva. And,
what’s far more important, the frontman carried the tune on all the songs. Even while rocking out, you gotta be able to sing.
The songs? Hard-rock – 90s style. I’d drop a name reference but I would lie about knowing which old rock outfits sounded like what. Pearl Jam?
Too alternative, Aerosmith? The Stones? Not hard enough. Perhaps latter-day AC/DC. All I know is that these guys sound like vets on the stage.
The last song ignited the place. Having just spent a half-hour on stage, the members from Cuenta Regresiva rushed the front, initiating a
burst of pushing, shoving, kicking and punching. The good old American mosh pit.
Two bands down. Three to go. I can’t be sure that a pint of Stella per band and half a pack of Camels is going to be enough to keep me here
until the end.
12:24 La Suegra comes to the stage.
I’ve seen these guys before. Mexican punk meets rude-boy style. They invite Fernando, the sax player of The Ladrones to join them for one song. Someone had to provide the flavor to a night featuring one-size-fits-all rock up until now.
La Suegra (Spanish for “the mother-in-law”) have matured. Two years ago they were hardcore ska, playing all over the room, not concentrating on keeping the rhythm or arrangements. They didn’t give a shit; they wanted people to bust their heads. This time around, the songs are clearly rehearsed. The words are audible, and the one-man horn section is one of the best calls of the night. Second to that, it was the first and only encore of the night.
A fellow reporter confirmed my suspicions. These guys were playing far better than the previous night. Oh, and dudes still busted heads in the pit.
1:10 The Ladrones
From Queens, N.Y., hardcore punk, doing the best Minor Threat I’ve ever seen. The first few songs go by in a blur. Not one of the four (or was
it five?) lasted more than a buck thirty. The last one had a nice prologue; this song, says Christian (lead vocals) is for “a world united against reggeaton.” Unidos por un mundo sin reggaeton. Sounds like a good name for a nonprofit.
The one-liner was a call to arms. The floor was instantly flooded with throbbing bodies, smacking against one another.
After the punk-out session, the band settled down by playing two covers of traditional Latin Bolero (folky romantic standards of the ’50s and
’60s), “Amor de Mis Amores” and “Un Beso y una Flor” in the perfectly ironic pop-punk style of today.
www.myspace.com/theladrones - www.theladrones.com
2:15 F.D.O. (Fuera de Orden)
The home court advantage. The night draws to a close as hosts F.D.O. try to keep those sober enough to balance in the mosh pit. Power ballads,
attitude, and what else, some more punk en Español.
Though in a contrasting atmosphere – a sports bar in the middle of suburbia hosting a seven-band rock concert, in Spanish – the one
politically relevant quote of the night came from F.D.O. “This next song is for all immigrants, coming over while keeping our hearts back
home.”
Good deal, brother. I took my pad, my pen, swigged the last of my beer, and went there myself.
Photographs by Alejandro Leal
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