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Written by Adam Dubbin
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Monday, 11 May 2009 |
 Gabriela and her guitar. Photo courtesy of Flickr's JimmyOKelly.
The classical guitar duet are natives of Mexico who originally met in Mexico City (they now live in Dublin, Ireland). They are characterized by their energetic guitar strumming, the heavy influence of their indigenous culture and an intimate stage atmosphere, which can change the ambiance of even a crowd full of dirty hippies into that of a quaint, cozy night club. While not visually overwhelming in live performances, their music fills the air and the soul to the brim with harmonious sounds and keeps at least one toe tapping.
A quick bit of trivia: Rodrigo and Gabriela met while playing for a thrash-metal band. If you listen to their music now, you would think they took a 180-degree turn from their beginnings, but upon further inspection their music still has the energy and aggression common in hard-core music. It is nothing short of amazing how this duet channeled that aggressive style into what they have now: frantic yet melodic tunes from the nylon strings of a classical guitar.
For those who cherish the acoustic guitar and the sweet music it can produce in the hands of a skilled player, Rodrigo y Gabriela is a must see at Bonnaroo this year. If you don’t believe me, just check out their cover of Led Zeppelin’s classic “Stairway to Heaven.”
[CLUAS.com, YouTube, Front page image by Flickr's "JimmyOKelly"]
Adam Dubbin, TheSequitur.com's assistant managing editor, is a second year graduate student in audiology at the University of South Florida.
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