With all the build up to last week’s Latin Grammy’s, you’d think that people would be in a music coma from some sort of Latin Grammy overdose. But not in LA, and not when the overdose comes in the form of two Grammy nominees: Venezuela’s Ulises Hadjis and Tijuana’s Ceci Bastida, who was nominated in 2010 for “Best Alternative Song” for her single “Cuando Vuelvas a Caer”.
Last Saturday night at The Mint, the musicians performed a late show in front of an enthusiastic crowd. Hadjis, who was nominated for a 2012 Latin Grammy in the “Best New Artist”, “Best Alternative Music Album” and “Best Rock Song” categories, has certainly left his mark in the world of rock as it was evidenced by the response of the crowd.
Although he did not win any of the Latin Grammy’s he was nominated for, the singer took the stage proudly, armed only with his guitar and a box of tricks that gave his music a fuller sound. Hadjis played songs from his second album Cosas Perdidas and without a doubt one of the best moments was when he performed the single “Dónde Va”. Hadjis was very gracious with the audience and even seemed surprised that the audience knew his music. Between songs he mentioned always wanting to come to L.A. and that now that he was here, he had fallen in love with the city.
Bastida, the former keyboard player and singer for ska punk band Tijuana No!, opened for Hadjis and began her set by apologizing for the late start. Her first song had her singing to a pre-recorded track but halfway through it, the rest of the band took the stage and simultaneously kicked the club’s energy to new heights. Bastida had the presence of the true stage veteran and her confidence as a lead singer came through clearly as she led her band through the songs of her first full-length album, Veo la Marea.
That night was a great night for music and for good friends; as Bastida invited Hadjis on stage to sing “La Sofi”, which was originally recorded by Rita Indiana y Los Misterios and covered by Ceci Bastida and Julieta Venegas. Towards the end of her set, she also invited two of her close friends that were in the crowd: Ulises Lozano (Kinky’s keyboard player and accordionist) and Amandititita, to accompany her on “Canta el Rio”. The song was recorded by Bastida with Outernational on their album Todos Somos Ilegales.
