Expect to find the unexpected in Mexico City (DF) with Marcela Viejo, keyboardist/vocalist of Mexico’s praised electropop ensemble, Quiero Club. Mexico’s capital is a lively, rich, and diverse place where one is bound to find oddities, novelties, and underground movements of sorts. In this weekly column, Marcela takes you along on her musical quest to find these rare gems and obscure scenes via reviews, interviews, and profiles. The idea is to search.
Mister Cardenal, are you listening? Why don’t we invite Padre Maciel tonight? Why don’t we invite that rancid shit that calls itself Government or Elba Esther Gordillo; let them come! Let them come tonight to hear our voice because we are the bronze that is oxidizing, but most of all a country in decay.
These were the words I heard out of Mateo Lafontaine‘s mouth the first time I saw him onstage (and in life). I think that like cupid, I was sprung by an arrow shot straight into the heart. After his speech, he started playing the song “Somos Bronce que se Oxida” (“We are the bronze that is oxidizing”), I got really excited: the visuals, the images, the poetry and most of all the attitude of two electronic vampires true to their convictions inspired me. I danced and thrust next to his gothic fans and somehow I sensed that many surprises lay ahead.
That night I was rolling with no expectations. I had never heard the music of Decada 2 because, even though this group has been playing for nearly three decades, they have kept themselves pretty underground and you have to be a connoisseur to know about them. But thanks to my friend Nacho Dávalos (dinosaurio del rock since the ’80s) who invited me to the concert, that night I met a Mexican project that is very much worth it, that is inspiring and legendary. The most valuable thing was meeting this musician, vocalist-activist, whom I admire more with each day and, thanks to this concert, whom I sought out to interview about his personal story.
Mateo accepted and the interview flowed pretty well, so much that since that day we haven’t lost contact. A very intimate friendship was born that inspires us to keep going ahead. We found each other after having been looking for each other in another life and today we are best friends. The nicest thing about the story is that that encounter and that special friendship was captured in music; our best weapon, our spirit speaking. After almost a year of seeing each other every week, of much whiskey and paranormal situations, we composed “Gente como yo” (People Like Me); a song that speaks about the types of people we are and how we identify with each other.
The past 31st of August, Decada 2 celebrated 27 years of trajectory, and they had the thought of having me as a special guest to sing the track composed by Mateo and me. I accepted, flattered. I loved meeting the other Decada 2, Carlos García, who is also a fantastic musician. I never imagined that after one year of having seen them from the audience I would be up there with them singing and breaking the mic’s base out of emotion.
The concert took place in legendary Club DADAX, the goths I moshed with a year earlier were there supporting their favorite band and they were very attentive when I went up to sing (even though my song is much more pop than what they are used to). Still, they accepted it very well!
That night captured my heart: in the history of mexican music, and in the dark memories of the people in the audience.
Long life to Mateo Lafontaine!
To read more articles by Marcela Viejo in D.Fining, click HERE.