To be the rock star “of the moment” and fall from grace from one day to the next is a story heard of far too often. But to start from nothing and be the most sought after musician in the scene within months is, well, quite honestly… unheard of.
But from the state of Guadalajara, Jalisco comes this mysterious, avant-garde, eclectic band that has taken Mexico by storm. Composed by Juan Carlos “Chata” on vocals, Fernando on guitar, Victor “Villor” on guitar and piano, Juan Pablo on drums, and Diego “Bacter” on bass and synth, Porter has become the phenomenon of the moment.
With influences such as Radiohead, Pixies, The Cure, Zoé, Sigur Ros, and accompanied by classical and pop music, this group of young college students has created a style of music that is unlike anything that rock music has seen in years. Arranged with numerous synthetic elements and psychedelic lyrics that explore both the conscious and subconscious mind, the band has created a fan base reaching all corners Mexico and beyond.
Unafraid of entering new terrain, the band is fronted by a lead singer who is known for feminizing his voice in order to reach high notes and add different elements to their music. It’s with that same sense of courage that the band dares to create surreal environments in both their lyrics and in their performances, giving their fans the tools to envision the message of their songs rather then simply listening to them.
Ironically, Porter was first played on a radio station in Mexico City accidentally. Once their first single “Espiral” was played on the radio, listeners began to call in requesting to hear more of the band. “Espiral” is amongst other tracks on “Donde los Ponys Pastan” released in 2005. It was with that single that the band became well known for their distinct melodramatic lyrics and eerie sound.
Although they were a sudden and huge success in the city of Mexico, it was in their hometown of Guadalajara that the band received heavy criticism for their feminine vocals and eccentric sound. Nevertheless, the band went on to perform on massive stages such as El Foro Sol, Palacio de los Deportes, Metropolitan, Plaza de Toros, and Teotihuacan. They’ve also performed three consecutive years at Vive Latino, one of the most important rock festivals in Latin America. It was there that the band was bombarded by an unheard of 40,000 restless fans, which gave way to the upsurge of record offers that now solicit Porter.
After only two years of being together, the band has performed alongside The Strokes, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Incubus, Café Tacuba, Zoé, Babasonicos, Jumbo, Ely Guerra, Kinky, Modest Mouse, Sussie 4, Austin TV, and will soon headline their first US presentation at Al Borde’s Rock n’Bliss concert in October of 2007.
"Espiral" | posted by: rexorexo3
Released in early May of 2007 under the indie record label 3er Piso Records, “Atemahawke” achieved an unprecedented 5,000 copies sold in just three days. Their music videos for“Espiral” and “Daphne” have gone on to achieve a Top Ten spot on Mexico’s video network, Telehit. With their label 3er Piso Records, Porter had the freedom to play with the lyrics and musical arrangements of their album. And in the video production for “Host of a Ghost” from their “Atemahawke” album, Juan Carlos was given the liberty to direct the shoot giving it a touch of magical surrealism á lá Tim Burton and now very much á lá Porter.
With such unheard of demand for anything and everything that is Porter, it’s bizarre to know that Porter just might be saying “ahi nos vidrios” (see you later) to the stage and to their fans. With hopes of completing what’s left of their collegiate studies, the guys don’t plan on seriously committing to the band for another three years. Risking not having an audience to come back to, or even having to play catch-up to future rising bands, Porter might be taking a break from a lifestyle that is more than willing to take them in, and that, too, is simply… unheard of.
