Do you ever go to a concert and realize that the lead singer is your new style icon? From the peacock feather in her hair to the flamingo tee-shirt and chipped red nails, Liliana from Bomba Estéreo has got definite style chops. But the sold out audience at the Independent last night, April 19, wasn't there just to see what hip threads Liliana might throw on. They were there to hear the band's utterly unique music, a mix of electronica and traditional Colombian beats.
I grew up with a Puerto Rican dad, which meant that on Saturdays we'd be blasting classic salsa from the KPOO radio station. Those classic Latin rhythms just become a part of any Latino kid's body, so I love that Bomba Estéreo has kept so much of their roots present in their music while at the same time venturing into the future by mixing in technology.
At one point in the show, someone yelled out “Psychedelic trip!” as a plethora of colors and images danced on the stage and the beat became almost trance-like and hypnotic. There was definitely some major heat and energy coming off the stage -- luckily it didn't become a full out fuego.