Members of DIY booking collective Burrito Boys Booking and Latin Music promotion company Baila Brand are working together to bring Cincinnati music lovers a unique experience. ¡OYE! Contemporary Latin Showcase will take place Friday, September 29th at The Comet in Northside. It will be unlike any show that either group has done before and seeks to honor several members of the local music scene for National Hispanic Heritage Month.
This month of celebration, which begins on September 15th and runs through October 15th, was created to honor the social and cultural contributions of Hispanic people living in the United States. For both Burrito Boys and Baila, the month presented a unique opportunity to honor the heritage of several individuals who contribute to local music. The event was made financially possible by The Comet, Baila Brand, and a generous donation from Dunkin Donuts. The two organizations have been working together on Burrito Bites, monthly variety showcases that take at The Comet. This will be the second showcase they’ve worked on together. “We’re very proud of all these shows & believe their eclectic styles capture the spirit of Burrito Boys extremely well,” said a representative from Baila.
The show’s headliner is Quena Mora, a local tour de force in Latin Music and a talented promoter in his own right. His style mixes Latin music with Hip Hop and Soul music to create a sound that is as unique as it is compelling. Originally from Puerto Rico, Quena is also heavily involved with the promotion of other Hispanic artists in Cincinnati and elsewhere through the organization Baila Brand. He will be joined on stage by a full band and Mael Muller, an up-and-coming Puerto Rican singer who is gaining some serious traction at home. The show will also feature local performer, model, and internet personality DJ Mamita spinning Latin-inspired jams between sets.
Additionally, the evening will include a rare full band performance from Aaron Magical, the stage moniker of Aaron Madrigal. Aaron is best known to local music lovers as the frontman of psychedelic rock band Lemon Sky. He is also the owner of the screenprinting shop Cincinnative, audio engineer and co-owner of the recording studio Tone Shoppe, and the current organizer of Northside’s annual Rock and Roll Carnival. Also a music promoter, Aaron has brought several Hispanic musical acts through Cincinnati over the years including Rudy De Anda, Combo Chimbita, and Y La Bamba.
Other performances include a solo set from Max Vignola, local genre-bending rocker who has previously performed in acts such as Moon Cruiser and The Wazoos. A member of the Burrito Boys Booking collective, this show is something Max has wanted to do for many years. “There just aren’t that many Latinos in the local scene,” Vignola said, “so I think it's important to honor the contributions of those we have, many of which have been supporting and inspiring others for a long time.” Max is also the co-owner of Game N’ Groove, a vintage gaming and entertainment shop in Westwood. Also performing will be King Demon, the stage name of Miguel Valentine, a known quantity in the local experimental music scene, and the frontman of the group Honorable Demons. Finally, the evening will feature Los Soft Bois, an ambient musical endeavor created by Andrew Aragon and Jon Delvaux of the dream pop group Soften. This will be the group’s first public performance.
The show will begin at 8pm sharp and go on until late. Like all other BBB endeavors at The Comet, this show is done on a pay-what-you-can basis. There will be a donation collection at the door, attendees can give either in cash or using posted QR codes for Venmo. However, if you’d like to reserve a table and guarantee a spot, you can do so through Baila Brand’s social media. Attendees must be over the age of 21. The Comet, one of Northside’s most legendary dive bars and music venues, also features a variety of Tex-Mex-inspired food options and a large selection of alcoholic (and non-alcoholic) beverages.
