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REVIEW SNIPPETS

Acoustic Magazine UK

Their energy, impeccable timing and the passion that comes through their music makes them the most exciting and intoxicating live acoustic performers on the planet'

Billboard 2006

"One of the best guitar albums in ages
one of the best discs this year". '

The Fly UK

'Kicking off with some superb Flamenco rolls and running headlong into high octane Jazz/Flamenco/Rock guitar, Rodrigo y Gabriela's third and Eponymous album picks up from where Live in Manchester and Dublin left off, with a live feel that leads the listener to expect well-deserved applause following each number.'

BBC

'The songs are breathless, built on sublime reels up and down the frets . Rodrigo and Gabriel are free and easy with their own folk roots: they'll take on anything.'

Daily Telegraph UK

'You can hear the influence of such master as Paco de Lucia and Al Di Meola, but the pretty pair outdo their elders with their hard-rock dynamics, feverish energy and sexual chemistry.'

The Scotsman

'Rodrigo y Gabriela create a truly electrifying sound.'

The Times UK

'This comes as close as possible to capturing the excitement of the live experience'

The Sun

'This is assured, inventive stuff. The joy of Mex'

The Irish Times

'It it's rip-roaring, flamenco-flecked jazz-tinged rock'n'roll you're after, then you've come to the right place'


RECENT SNIPPITS

**** Guardian, Review of Jazz Cafe Gig
***** Rolling Stone, Mexico
'This is a World Music album that swings'Guardian
'Electrifying...they had us entranced and kept us in that state for the next 90 minutes' ***** The Independent
'This is brilliant' Total Music Magazine
Album of the Month, ëInspirational ***** Guitar Techniques
'Fierce Emotion..raw excitment'
Guitarist Magazine
Stunning' **** - Total Guitar
Spellbinding..It should leave you breathless.
IndieLondon
'Hotter than a bag of Mexican chilli peppers, a phenomenal live CD',
10/10 DVD Fever
'Rodrigo y Gabriela leap musical boundaries like Grand National champions' Songlines



Hotter than a bag of Mexican chilli peppers, Rodrigo y Gabriela release a phenomenal live CD. 10/10

DVD Fever

Witty and technically brilliant

The Guardian

This is the most dramatic and entertaining acoustic album this year

Total guitar

Oozes Latin Appeal, Beautifully Melodic, Hugely dynamic and addictively melodic

Songlines

They're not jazz guitarists, yet they do play jazz standards. They're not rock guitarists, yet they can play heavy metal, and they're not Mexican folk or flamenco guitarists, though Latin rhythms form the crucible of their sound.

Sunday Times

An outstanding piece of work by outstanding musicians

Classic Rock Society

This is your chance to hear what everyone is talking about

HMV Choice

So catchy you'll need a chisel to remove it from your CD player

Boys Toys

Funny, clever and scarily agile, this is the most dramatic acoustic album this year

Total Guitar

Both Metallica and Dave Brubeck will find echoes of their work in this slick, cheerful and utterly unexpected set

The Guardian

They are both extremely fine and original guitarists, capable of trading cool, slick or furious licks

The Guardian

There can be no doubting the promise of this duo, and the Irish-Hispanic mix could be a heady source of future experiments - and no doubt some hits

BBC Music

Gobsmackingly proficient and inventive...those that caught their set at Glastonbury came away waxing rapturously..

Time Out (London)

A dextrous guitar duo from Mexico City, Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero epitomise all that is great and trailblazing in world fusion

Jazzwise

Spanish reviews (Click the links to view a scan of the review.)

Universal / Exelsior / Economista / Record /
El Universal / Reforma /

Hammersmith Apollo, London / Dec 12, 2007

Tom Hughes, The Guardian * * * * * (5 stars)
The standard soundbite on Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero has them as a pair of former buskers from Mexico who play heavy metal covers on acoustic guitars. If that makes them sound like a novelty act, it would be hard to argue. But theirs is a show so ear-poppingly dexterous, so ineffably charming and so supremely entertaining that it might even give novelty acts a good name.

The stage set-up - two stools, and very little else, in one of London's biggest theatre-size venues - does not look like much, but the instant they start to play, their hyper-speed virtuosity is mesmerising. Gabriela's hummingbird-handed percussive style looks nigh-on superhuman as she beats intricate rhythms on the body of the guitar simultaneously with her jagged, staccato chords. As unfashionable as it may be to praise such technical flash, it is jaw-dropping and makes two guitars sound like a full band.

The covers sound great - you could even read their version of Metallica's Orion as a play on that era of metal's penchant for flamenco interludes and pseudo-classical asides. But originals form the bulk of the set, and there is no doubting their talent for ornate composition, full of agile textural shifts and catchy lines.

Those busking roots show through in their easy camaraderie with the audience (as do their metal ones, via all the devil-horn hand gestures), and the priority seems to be pleasing the crowd rather than making an artistic statement. But the kick you get out of this awesome show could, for 90 minutes at least, make the faux profundity of so much "serious" rock seem like meagre virtues indeed.

Hammersmith Apollo, London / Dec 12, 2007

Tim Cumming, The Independent * * * * (4 stars)

It's not hard to pin labels on the guitar-slingers from Mexico City, Rodrigo y Gabriela. They play metal with acoustic instruments; are described as "world musicians" (more because of their country of origin than their actual music, which mines the metal legacy to its core); and represent a kind of post-rock, post-irony phenomenon of our times whereby a full house can roar in near-hysterical approval at the couple's layer-by-layer undressing of the old Led Zep warhorse "Stairway to Heaven" without the slightest shame.

An American reviewer called them Metal Mariachi, but first and foremost they are guitarists, pushing their plugged-in acoustic models as far as they were designed to go, and then a bit further. Believe the hype: the ferocity, intensity and control of their technique is extraordinary.

Tonight kicked off a mini-tour taking in Glasgow and Manchester, and their first gigs here since the summer- festival season. The two appear beneath a giant screen, and with two either side, for the live, rapid black-and-white VJ-ing of their performance that adds a vital visual layer to the music.After some metal fist-waving to the crowd, Rodrigo begins to pick and hit the body of his instrument at once, a kind of hard-cop, soft-cop guitar interrogation that fuels the delicate-to-driven template of songs such as "Tamacun" and Metallica's "Orion", staples of their setlist and highlights of their debut album.

As for Gabriela, she takes the guitar pummelling to even greater levels of intensity, summoning up a full-kit drum battle on the body of her guitar with extraordinary facility. There seems to be a whole rhythm section hiding in there, and stadium acoustics to boot. Even more impressive is the fact that the guitar doesn't swing wildly out of tune.

For much of the set, they're perched on their low chairs, bent over their instruments, headbanging as the riffs rise and fall, cut with fluid runs and flourishes from Rodrigo. Apart from being staggeringly good musicians who must have metal fingers as well as strings, they are superb workers of an audience.

"Tell us what to play and we'll play it!" shouts Rodrigo, and from there they hit the floor running, encouraging the kind of audience participation you don't see outside of panto, with the balcony doing one clapping rhythm, downstairs doing another, and the duo riffing ecstatically over the top.

The result, as Rodrigo would say, was awesome.


JamBase review of NY show
Seattle Times - Feature Preview
Seattle Times - Review

LATITUDE, UK LIVE PERFORMANCE

Headliners on the main Obelisk Arena for Saturday are Damon Albarn fronted The Good, the Bad and the Queen, but on a recommendation, I chose to check out Dublin-based Rodrigo Y Gabriela. I'm glad I did, as the fast-fingered pair are two of the most creatively talented and technically accomplished guitarists I've seen in hell knows when. And the crowd inside the Uncut Arena aren't disappointed either: the group's incredible virtuoso guitar playing encouraging the audience into a third musical element of furious handclaps. The metal influences on the band are clearly evident, too: acoustic guitar that is fast-paced, monumental and thundering, every available surface of their instruments utilised to some ingenious musical purpose. And as lead Rodrigo Sanchez finger picks the opening chords to Led Zeppelin classic 'Stairway to Heaven', festival goers couldn't ask for a better end to the evening: Gabriela layering the sound until both break into a breathtaking classical rendition of Jimmy Page's solo. Once the stage is empty, still echoing with their feverish rhythms, the crowd remain and shout for more. But in all honesty, what Rodrigo Y Gabriela deliver isn't made for encores: theirs are songs that amaze and blow the mind, before vanishing with the same flair and imaginative abruptness. In a word, what Rodrigo Y Gabriela do is epic.

Ben Wilkinson

TOCA LA GUITARRA: ¡VIVA EL MARIACHI METAL!

NY Webster Hall ( 16 April 2007 ) review from glidemagazine.com

Like the famed postal creed, neither Nor’easter nor visa restrictions nor Justice Department bureaucrats nor transportation delays could stay two badass musicians from excitedly kicking off their spring tour at New York’s Webster Hall.

It took quite a bit of effort for Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela to emerge onto the stage last night, braving inter-government shenanigans, mistaken identity, record rainfall in the Northeast and their own version of Planes, Trains and Automobiles. The pair began this epic journey in Mexico, moved through Los Angeles, were diverted to Atlanta, then flew up to — where the fuck?, Rodrigo asks — Baltimore, until finally a train brought them into New York proper. For us.

Hype can be a dangerous concept, and self-imposed hype can be even trickier. I couldn’t have been more excited about my first live glimpse of these characters, and not for one second did they let me down in any regard. Read on for more thoughts and pics and videos from an amazing night with Rodrigo Y Gabriela…

That strange Candy and Martin-esque journey detailed above is not unlike the duo’s broader path to the stage last night. What started as a desire to ”play the real shit” in the Mexican thrash metal scene became a failed experiment that led to playing back-up mood music at a hotel bar. That gig turned into an acoustic ticket to bumming around Europe and situating in Ireland, where these two most likely picked up the obvious proclivity for the word ”fookin’” in their stage banter.

Some serendipidity in original failure came, and eventually the new music took hold, culminating in a record deal and a long tour of these United States. They’ve become a success story in this country now, but their path was surely as bumpy as the headache that brought them here last night.

It’s tough to describe an evening with this band, just as it’s incredibly difficult to describe their sound without butchering it. I’m not sure if the term “Mariachi Metal” has ever been used at all, or if it’s ever been applied to Rodrigo Y Gabriela, but that’s the best descriptor I can imagine for this music. It’s as if a roaming band of mariachis met up with a nomadic pack of Metallica die-hards on the road somewhere, and nine months later, two stars were born. One-part satanic rock, one-part angelic classical; sheer fuck-your-face acoustic awesomeness in totality.

The duo arrived without a setlist. Rodrigo took a minute after the first song finished to address the crowd, letting everyone know how happy they were to finally make it to the postponed gig. And since it was the first show of the tour, they had no planned set to showcase their unique talent. One song in to the night, and already they took requests. Fitting, as the crowd participation surpassed just about any show I’ve been to outside of my nephew’s 1st birthday party.

Rodrigo Y Gabriela’s music itself is worthy of every fluffing adjective I possess. But the duo’s sound and visual engineers deserve a massive amount of credit here as well. It’s simply amazing how well every note and every self-percussive guitar knocks and bangs are amplified. There’s a clear lead line, rhythm line, drums and bass in almost every song, yet only four hands are making the music. It’s the great audio team that makes it possible for the full-band sound to come from these two, and I feel they’re owed a debt of gratitude.

The visual side provided some mesmerizing moments as well, and the video shots of these two live on stage displayed on a big screen behind them (as evidenced above and below) made some for necessary and fantastic over-stimulation.

As usual with a predominantly instrumental band, song titles tend to run together and I can’t pick out what’s what. Also, I’m a total newb. The one original song I can relay that they absolutely tore to fucking shreds is Diablo Rojo (seen here on Letterman), the tune that got me into them in the first place.

Excellently, it followed a “What song is it you wanna hear?” Freebird kind of moment, which made me a happy boy. Throw in some other recognizable originals and a few teases like Seven Nation Army, either Cat Scratch Fever or Smoke on the Water (same song?), and a show finale of Stairway To (flamenco) Heaven, and you’ve got one helluva night.

The pair seemed genuinely excited to introduce a special guest at the end of the evening: Alex Skolnick of the thrash metal band Testament. The three then launched into a cool jam session to end the evening, mostly centering around the theme to Dave Brubeck’s Take Five. At that point my lovely date and headed towards the egress, so unbelievably content in the 90-minute showcase we just received. I honestly wish every band brought their level of enthusiasm and intensity to the first night of a tour.

One note I left out in the covers – there was one moment of singalong hilarity at the show. After a long speech about their love of heavy metal, Rod Y Gab broke into Pink Floyd’s Wish U Were Here, which I’m pretty sure is a non-sequitor. The song was quick and over fast, but I’ve never been a huge fan of an entire crowd singing lyrics (especially the worng lyrics, Guy Behind Me) at the same time, even if we were prompted by the band. Regardless, just for posterity’s sake, I took a little video of the shared lyrical experience:

Rodrigo Y Gabriela just ooze coolness. They throw up the devil-rock horns after every song, they tell funny stories, they collect funny stories, they’re a good-looking pair and they rock the fuck out. What’s not to love?
This really is a must-see band, and when they come to your town, you best get on it.
NY Webster Hall ( 16 April 2007 ) review from glidemagazine.com

LIVE REVIEWS
ROLLING STONE

Rodrigo Y Gabriela Dominate KRCW's Indie-Heavy "Sound Eclectic" Event

The night's diverse set-list included Orange County It band Cold War Kids, delightfully crass U.K. pop princess Lily Allen, and a surprise performance by Brit-rockers Travis.

But the show's true breakout act was the Mexican duo Rodrigo y Gabriela, whose blend of heavy metal filtered through traditional Spanish guitar received standing ovations after every song. "We play crazy music, as you can see we love metal…trash metal," Gabriela Quintero told the crowd mid-set, going on to play several cuts off their 2006 self-titled LP — including "Ixtapa" — and a soulful Flamenco-style rendition of "Stairway to Heaven." At the merch table, the duo's modest stock of CDs sold out about three minutes after their set's end.

They were an indisputably hard act to follow "We were standing backstage, shaking our heads saying "No, no, no. There's no way we can follow that,'" Travis frontman Fran Healy told us at the show's after party. "The thing is, you don't get that these days. The Mexicans, they're much more raw than we are." Cold War Kids singer Nathan Willet echoed Healy's sentiment: "That was insane," he told us. "I love Spanish guitar, but those guys are on a different level."

MTV

Shins, Lily Allen Upstaged By Shredding Classical Guitarists At Radio Fest

UNIVERSAL CITY, California — How do you inspire L.A.'s Lexus-driving, museum-going cognoscenti into headbanging along to Metallica? Via a Mexican duo belting out a Latin-tinged cover of the band's instrumental "Orion" on guitar, apparently. Someone tell Lars.

Taste-making local radio station KCRW's sixth annual, five-and-a-half-hour "A Sounds Eclectic Evening" indeed lived up to its billing Saturday night. From Rodrigo y Gabriela's show-stealing, fleeting acoustic folk-metal to the Shins' expansive distorted-guitar rock to Lily Allen's laptop-assisted hip-pop to a stanky James Brown tribute and even a harp solo, there was something for everyone — every one of the elite attendees who could afford a $40-$300 ticket, that is.

The Guardian November 22, 2006

Metropolitan University, Leeds
Alfred Hickling
Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero are two Mexican metal fans who wound up in Dublin with no money, no English and nothing but a pair of classical guitars with which they busked their way to a record contract. Their live show features furious strumming and no small amount of motor-mouth swearing in strange, Mexican-Irish accents. But whatever you do, you must not mention the "f" word.
A liner note on their album states: "A lot of people say we play flamenco. We don't. We blend a lot of styles into our playing, but this area of music is not one of them." The fact that Metallica numbers, when played at warp speed on nylon-strung guitars, take on a distinctly flamenco feel is beside the point. But it doesn't clarify the issue of who Rodrigo y Gabriela are supposed to appeal to.
Article continues
The answer seems to be that they've stumbled on a unique formula that shows signs of appealing to everybody. There are plenty of blood-stirring Latin rhythms to please the world music crowd; a stunning version of Dave Brubek's Take Five - which actually takes somewhat closer to 15 minutes - to thrill the jazzers; plus the fabled Metallica and Led Zeppelin covers that have the audience making metal horn gestures in the air.
There's no denying Rodrigo y Gabriela can rock - insofar as it's possible to rock while employing those little footstools classical guitarists use to maintain correct playing posture. Rodrigo picks intricate runs while staring intensely ahead, while his partner spends as much time thumping her instrument as strumming it - it sounds like a controlled explosion each time the heel of her hand slams into the guitar.
They climax with a number dedicated to a Mexican friend who lives among a colony of crocodiles: a stomping workout in which their strumming hands disappear into a blur. Not even remotely like flamenco, of course.



The Guardian

Jazz Cafe, London
Robin Denselow
Tuesday March 1, 2005
****
"We're from Mexico, not Spain", says Gabriela, "and we don't play flamenco. Our music is more like a blender, with rock'n'roll and jazz. Do you want to hear some Metallica?"
The female half of this unlikely guitar duo is clearly enjoying herself, for she and her partner have conquered what appeared to be an impossible challenge. They perform instrumental music on acoustic guitars, and must contend with the noise of the drinkers and talkers at a packed-out Jazz Cafe. Remarkably, they succeed, with the crowd at first hushed and understandably bemused, then cheering on the series of twists in their music.

Rodrigo y Gabriela started out playing in a heavy-metal band in Mexico City, then turned acoustic, specialising in jazz, Spanish and Latin styles. They moved to Ireland where they became buskers before embarking on the concert circuit. At the Jazz Cafe, the musicians perch on stools; both sport jeans and tied-back long black hair. They look like refugees from a rock band, and their introductions, in Spanish and broken English, are witty and laconic, with stories involving anything from Will Young to the problems they encountered while inadvertently living in a brothel.

Their instrumentals have the same gutsy, free-wheeling approach (especially when they launch into those Metallica riffs) - but that is just one part of their subtle and original virtuoso playing. They constantly change direction: at times Rodrigo concentrates on rapid-fire jazz or Spanish-influenced single-string playing, while Gabriela provides slick strummed backing. Then she picks up a plectrum to match the lead guitar work, while switching to a drifting, more delicate mood piece such as Paris, or breaking into a sudden burst of Dave Brubeck's Take Five.

All of which is matched by an impressive sense of fun. "You can do lap-dancing or striptease to this," announces Gabriela as she launches into another complex composition. She and Rodrigo deserve to be the next guitar heroes.

ALBUM REVIEWS
'Rodrigo y Gabriela' CD (Rubyworks)

As most reviews of Rodrigo y Gabriela must start I will begin by admitting the album is as hard to define as it is a joy to listen to. This is an album by a pair of ex-heavy metal band-mates. It is an album by classical guitarists. It is an album by flamenco players, and it is an album by self-exiled Mexico City citizens, who wrote the album after deciding to travel around Europe. The trickiest thing about this album though is that it is all of this, and more, at the same time.
Rodrigo y Gabriela dislike their music being referred to as flamenco, although such influences are clear. The simple fact is that to focus on this musical style solely would do a great disservice to the genius of the album. Throughout the album's nine tracks there are influences from heavy metal, tango, jazz, flamenco and blues, to name a few. 'Ixtapa' and 'Vikingman' both demonstrate the pair's ability to alter time signatures long after the song has developed, to give any track a new life. 'Satori' owns the broody, dark themes of only the greatest heavy metal acts, while the opener, 'Tamacun' is pure, fluent flamenco.
There are some stunning novelties on this album too; a cover of Metallica's
'Orion' should not be taken too lightly, as nor should a magnificent version of 'Stairway to Heaven'. The magnificence of this particular track however comes not from Page and Plant being heard through new ears but from hearing an almost entirely new track. The timing, influences and execution of the song has been varied like no other artist has ever dared to do so, and can only be listened to in order to appreciate fully.
These novelties shouldn't detract from the simple fact that this is an album
that provides a feast for the ears as well as the mind. This record is truly, work of two superb artists. The pair have managed not only to offer a new take on myriad existing musical styles but have set a new yardstick for anybody who is familiar with the musics this record incorporates. If you are a fan of honest music you need to listen to this album.

The Fly

Rodrigo y Gabriela
10 Jan 2006

Kicking off with some superb Flamenco rolls and running headlong into high octane Jazz/Flamenco/Rock guitar, Rodrigo y Gabriela's third and Eponymous album picks up from where Live in Manchester and Dublin left off, with a live feel that leads the listener to expect well-deserved applause following each number.
The album's space is inhabited by the two guitarists alone, with a brief visit from gypsy violinist Roby Lakotos, who delivers a singular storming solo on 'Ixtapa' and leaves as mysteriously as he arrives.
The virtuosity and character with which the duo play, the furious speeds, energetic, percussive battering of the guitar bodies, and their distinctive but equally passionate playing styles lend themselves most fully to live performance, but producer John Leckie does a sterling job of capturing the spontaneity of their performances. The velocity and ferocity of the playing and the hardcore of metaller fans are not the only bizzarities which accompany Rodrigo y Gabriela, and one must pose the question of why their unholy allegiance to Metallica? Live in Manchester and Dublin sported two nods to Metallica's One.
The limited edition album comes with a DVD which really gives vent to the energy of the hyperactive pair with live tracks (watch the fingers fly), interviews, footage of their previous incarnation as Mexican metallers, stories of their arrival in Ireland and footage of their adventures in Mexico when they were supposed to be recording the new album.
Rodrigo y Gabriela is released on 13 March

Lavibra.com review of new album

La portada de este disco puede llevar a pensar que se trata del trabajo de una banda 'metalera', aunque el nombre de sus intérpretes no parezca adoptar dicho rumbo. Lo que ocurre en realidad es que Rodrigo y Gabriela son dos músicos mexicanos radicados en Irlanda que, si bien practican un estilo instrumental de guitarras acústicas, formaron parte de una banda de thrash metal, subgénero que parecen llevar aún en la médula de los huesos, aunque lo suyo pase por flamenco o hasta música clásica. Y la prueba no se encuentra sólo en su muy atractiva versión de Orion (una recordada pieza de Metallica) y en su elegante recreación de Stairway to Heaven (el clásico de Led Zeppelin), sino en el modo en el que "atacan" sus instrumentos en sus propias composiciones, ampliamente disfrutables para quienes no soporten la distorsión del rock pesado, pero dueños aún de una contundencia difícil de encontrar dentro de la música "desenchufada".
By Sergio Burstein.

IGN.com

You may never look at instrumental albums the same again.
by Chad Grischow
If you are one of those music fans that look at instrumental albums as dinner party fodder, you are in for a shock on Rodrigo & Gabriela's self-titled debut album. It is the kind of holy sh*t listening experience that would kill all conversation as your guests sit with mouths agape, plotting to steal the album when you are in the other room. It is a breathtaking album full of captivating sound created with just two acoustic guitars; so rich you wonder whether Rodrigo and Gabriela are actually octopi.
The incredible sounds created would take a room full of mariachis to match the fury the two manufactures. The invigorating album is a shot of adrenaline you would never expect from the description 'instrumental acoustic guitar duo'. The Mexican duo create dense compositions that will boggle your mind, crafting killer rock and folk sounds fuelled by the Latin heart pumping at the center of each track, adding southwestern flair to each exciting cut.

Percussive play by Gabriela serves as the rhythm for each song, as she bangs out some impressive backing beats for Rodrigo's stunning fingerpicked acoustic wonderment. The entire album flows together like one gigantic guitar opera, of sorts, making it difficult to pick one out song from the next. Whether the rapid-fire picked melodies of "Ixtapa" or the restrained "Satori", the two never fail to amaze.
The best starting point may be the Led Zeppelin cover, "Stairway To Heaven". The legendary classic rock song may not have needed a facelift, but Rodrigo Y Gabriela freshen it up regardless. It is safe to say that you have never heard the song quite like this. Hearing the two rifle through the iconic song with grace and a touch of Latin flair is among the many high points on the album. The tribal rhythms under furious picking on the moody "Diablo Rojo" and acoustic-metal tone of the sprawling seven-minute "Orion" add depth of the brilliant album.
Rodrigo Y Gabriela is a staggeringly great example of just how far two artists can stretch themselves to create an incredibly beautiful sound that will blow your ears and mind away. Oh, and just when you have wrapped your mind around the killer sound these two dished out on their debut, one more nugget; this was recorded live. Chew on that for a while.

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