News buzz regarding Aterciopelados —- we will keep you posted on this [especially when the track is officially out].  Their new album, “Rio“ - will be released on October 21st in the US.  Check this out:

Amnesty International and Link TV are in the final phases of production for a music video that will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The song “Cancion Protesta” by the Colombian Grammy-winning rock group Aterciopelados has been re-written to address issues of human rights, and is now entitled “The Price of Silence.” The video will take place in the UN General Assembly (The UN has granted unprecedented access to the GA for this project), and the various artists will be composed into the space by The Syndicate, one of Hollywood’s most prestigious effects houses.  Artists who have recorded to date are: Stephen Marley (Jamaica), Angelique Kidjo  (Benin), Yerba Buena (PanLatin), Julieta Venegas (Mexico), Emmanuel Jal (Sudan), Chiwoniso (Zimbabwe), Hugh Masekela (S. Africa), Rachid Taha (France/Algeria), Natacha Atlas (UK/Egypt), Kiran Ahluwalia (Canada/India), Yungchen Lhamo (USA/Tibet), Gilberto Gil (Brazil) and Aterciopelados (Colombia) with more to be added.  Release date TBD - around mid-November, 2008.

Photo from the video shoot for the campaign:

Well well well. I’m back in LA LA Land after a grueling early flight home from Monterrey, MX - but nothing can get me down after the AMAZING show on Sunday the 28th at Parque Huasteca.

With lobby call at 11:20 AM on Sunday morning, RADIO BEMBA and I made our way down to the park. Once we arrived, we were awe-stricken by the natural amphitheater created by the steep mountains surrounding where the stage would be. We would be literally ROCKing and rolling! Apparently, the land is sacred to certain indigenous tribes in the area and considered the place where the universe began. I can’t say that a Manu Chao show quite equals that level of profoundness, but it was nice to think that the music that would echo off those same mountains also considered so sacred to some peoples. Exhibit A:

Caption: View from the stage - say hello to Chuco (sound) and David B (drummer)

Caption: Directly behind the stage - I am told Chuco and Paget (tour manager) took the liberty of climbing into the bottom cave while we went back to the hotel - how could I have missed that!

Days go by quickly on show days. Sound check under the sun went smoothly and it was back to the hotel with the rest of the crew. Part of our crew, Ana, is a wonderful woman who had joined Manu on the tour from Austin into Mexico. They first met in the Sahara a few months back when Manu participated in the 1st annual Sahara Film Festival. She flew to Austin last week and was invited by Manu to stick around for the rest of the Mexican tour. I loved hearing about her experiences, her family and her dedication to Manu’s music and message! Did I mention she was in her 70’s?? I can only hope I can capture that sense of adventure and passion as I mature.  I’ll never forget watching her at the side stage joyously leap up and down as the band raged on through their set.  She will always make me smile when I think of her…

We made our way back to the venue in time to catch Toy Hernandez’s [from Control Machete] Sonidero Nacional - albeit, we were stuck in a deep traffic jam leading up to the park. The excitement brewed from the 10,000+ capacity crowd. The rest is history: Hugs by band, High fives, Ole ole ole ole, Each member comes out one by one, Screams, applause, MUSIC, Radio Bemba Radio Bemba “AYE!” “AYE!” - and on and on and on.  I was lucky enough to hang out with the Pmosh guys during the set and we had a GREAT time - hearing Jonaz rap to every lyric in “King of the Bongo” was pretty sweet.

After our staff dinner aftershow, Manu stuck around to talk to local Monterrey youth who were eager to talk to him - Manu hasn’t been in Monterrey in a longggggggg time and you could feel the enthusiasm.

Flashback to good byes and off I am, back in Los Angeles. What a trip. Hope to fill you all in with more trips as the time comes! Until then, enjoy these pix:

Caption: Oh the selection in Mexico for Manu merch…

Caption: Enjoying the scenery during soundcheck on Sunday, the 28th!

Before I go, big shout outs and hello to: Paget, Angelo, David, Phillilpe and all of Radio Bemba, Manu, Ana, Tomas, Cesar, Jonaz+Rosso+Yussen[from Pmosh], Toy, and all of the rest I saw/met in MTY. I will surely be back - what a beautiful city!

Hola mundo - we love this new video featuring Andrea from Aterciopelados. Long time friend of the office, Kevin Johansen, mellows things out with this super romantic song from his new record.

Speaking of Aterciopelados, we have SUCH BIG news to come which we can’t quite leak completely yet - let’s just say…it’s a small world out there and music is what keeps us together - stay tuned for all the news as we get closer and closer to Aterciopelados’ new album release, “Rio”.

Check out the video here in the meantime (New Atercio’s video for the single, “Rio” SOON!):

Well, I’m on my way to Monterrey, MX to catch Manu live at Parque Huasteca [more info on his myspace - www.myspace.com/manuchao] this Sunday and am writing to you from Mexico City’s airport.  Talk about a whirlwind!  Sometimes, in my opinion, you just gotta GO - one live to live - VIVA la VIDA! 

Anyhow, while perusing my daily blog hits after Manu’s closing performance at “Austin City Limits” on Friday, September 26th - I came across this great blog on Austin 360 about the after-party at ACL - talk about paella party!:
Manu Chao: paella for 40

By Michael Corcoran | Saturday, September 27, 2008, 01:03 PM

It was the ultimate ACL afterparty Friday night (and early Saturday morning) when Spanish/ French reggae act Manu Chao brought a little bit of Spain to the backstage area after headlining.

Chao’s people had sent C3’s caterer a list of ingredients for paella, then after the set the band’s soundman cooked a paella that lucky C3 staffers were raving about Saturday morning. The band also passed instruments around and played Spanish folk songs until past 2 a.m.

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We love when Pacha Massive come into town. Nova and Maya just left our offices after doing a press run here - and we’re all super ready to vibe-out at the FORD AMPHITHEATER tonight in Los Angeles. Federico Aubele [a past management client] will also be performing. It’s going to be a romantic evening of deep dubs, romantic guitar and some funked up latin all in the mix - so grab your friends or honey and check out TONIGHT’s performance by clicking the picture below:

Seems like Manu is making a splash in Austin on his first day - the taping of Austin City Limits TV [For a list of ACL TV performers of the past, CLICK HERE.]

Caption: Manu plays ACL TV on Tuesday August, 23rd

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I’ll attach an article written in the Austin American-Statesman that sums up the performance:

Manu Chao brings crowd to its feet at ACL taping
By Deborah Sengupta Stith | Wednesday, September 24, 2008, 09:02 PM

“This is the highlight of this year’s festival, as far as I’m concerned,” “Austin City Limits” television producer Terry Lickona declared upon introducing Manu Chao at ACL’s Studio A on the UT Campus Tuesday night. The studio audience roared in agreement.

The Spanish-French singer’s U.S. performances are rare, and his American television appearances even rarer. Everyone in the room for the intimate taping seemed to recognize it was a special evening and the entire audience was on its feet well before Manu Chao took the stage. And we remained standing, dancing for the bulk of the show.

For the most part the multi-lingual Chao performed in Spanish with a set that covered a good portion of his most recent album “La Radiolina” mixed with a handful of older tracks. The performance was an exhilarating journey as the defiantly political artist sang with raw heart that transcended any language barrier. It was also an exercise in audio whiplash as the pace of the show vacillated between easy skank and breakneck, moshable ska.
 

As Manu Chao came to the end of his set the crowd cheered until he returned for an encore. When he left the stage a second time he was called back once more and he came back a second time not to play but instead to shake hands, exchange hugs and generally return a little love to his fans.

Overall, it was a moving evening and a testament to the efforts of ACL (both the television show and the music festival) to continue to diversify their lineups.
 

Manu Chao performs Thursday night at Stubb’s BBQ. The show is sold out. He headlines ACL Fest Friday night performing on the AT&T stage at 8:30 p.m. The Manu Chao episode of “Austin City Limits” will air early next year.

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Check out this backstage video of the taping:

New Nortec Collective video for “Akai 47″ from Bostich+Fussible’s “Tijuana Sound Machine”.   The video was directed by DAVID NIEBLA - who also directed some Nortec videos from Tijuana Sessions Vol. 3 - we look forward to seeing more of his work.

Check it out and let us know what you think - it premiered this weekend on AL ROJO VIVO FIN DE SEMANA on TELEMUNDO and will continue to air throughout the coming weeks - Enjoy and comment continuously!

Take a minute and check out this video interview HERE with Bostich+Fussible at yesterday’s San Diego Street Scene. It’s a interesting little piece on the focus of the wonderful album “Tijuana Sound Machine”.

Here is what SignOnSanDiego.com had to say about the band:

At the end of the last millennium, a group of Baja-based DJs melded the ever-popular sounds of norteño with the ambient synthesizers of electronica. Spearheaded by DJs Bostich and Fussible beginning in 1999, the group wanted to make a distinctly Mexican form of electronica, specifically focusing on Tijuana and its creatively explosive border culture. The music’s highly percussive nature resembles Latino-tinged drum ‘n’ bass, with ambient keyboards and echoey horns added on top of churning beats. The DJs do use elements of norteño, but this is no cheesy house remake of a traditional style. Artful and tasteful, Nortec looks to reflect border culture in the modern context of dance music. Bostich and Fussible’s latest effort, 2008’s “Tijuana Sound Machine,” comes as an audio postcard tour of the city that curves around roundabouts, runs red lights, dodges potholes and sideswipes any traditional assessment of electronic music. Think of it this way: If the Grand Theft Audio guys decide to produce a Tijuana installment, the soundtrack’s ready and waiting.
– Chris Nixon and Derrik Chinn

Hola todos - check out all the great shows going on this weekend with Nortec Collective’s Bostich+Fussible - Arriba Nortec! We can’t wait to go check them out at the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday with Lila Downs, Ozomatli and Spearhead - woo hoo.

Friday, Sept 19 - STREET SCENE, SAN DIGEO [on at 5 PM]
Saturday, Sept 20 - TREASURE ISLAND, SAN FRANSICO [on at 2:30 PM]
Sunday, Sept 21 - HOLLYWOOD BOWL, HOLLYWOOD [on at 7 PM]

Check out these great fotos from September 15th’s show in MEXTILAN:

Check out this sweet video of Nova and Maya from Pacha Massive in my beloved NYC [my old home!!!!]  We can’t wait to see them at THE FORD AMPHITHEATER [w/ Federico Aubele] on Friday, September 26th - get your tickets by CLICKING HERE.