Gipsy Kings fire up audience
CONCERT
Gipsy Kings
Riverside Theatre
April 13
REVIEW RAY PURVIS
Even after 25 years of non-stop touring the world, Gipsy Kings have lost none of their fire and passion.
The Spanish/French stars can still generate a storm of excitement with their intoxicating blend of gypsy flamenco, contemporary pop and Latin American samba and rumba music.
Within minutes of taking to the stage on Monday night the Kings created a joyous party atmosphere — a fiesta — that lasted throughout their 90-minute performance.
The fluent urgency of up-tempo numbers such as Quiero Saber, A Tu Vera and Djobi Djoba had fans on their feet and motivated a number of aspiring flamenco dancers to gyrate down the aisles and even make their way on stage.
The driving force behind the current family line-up is Nicolas Reyes’ stirring Spanish vocals, along with guitarist Tonino Baliardo’s lightning fast bursts of complex lead guitar.
When the band is in full flow the furious, precise strumming of six acoustic guitars lined up across the stage was enough to send the near capacity audience’s pulses racing.
Even though the lyrics were all sung in an Andalusian dialect, the Kings’ trademark virtuosity and verve made their culturally rooted music totally accessible to the audience. The backing band comprising percussion, drums, keyboard and bass ably locked into the group’s syncopated guitars and intertwined handclapping.
The tempo came down for the melancholy ballad Un Amor and Reyes showed off his raspy, captivating baritone voice on Yo Soy Aquel, accompanied only by six-stringed electric bass.
Baliardo captured the spotlight with a solo guitar version of Extranos.
Towards the end of the set, Samba Samba, from their recent Grammy-winning album Savor Flamenco, followed by the fiery instrumental Palermo ramped up the tempo another notch.
The rapturous climax of Bamboleo — the song that catapulted them on to the world stage back in 1988 — and the encore of Baila Me and Italian standard Volare, played in their own inimitable style, was a strong end to the show.
Further strengthening the evening of excellent world music the local three-piece roots reggae fusion band Zarm opened the night with a vibrant performance of smooth rhythms and soulful beats.
Gipsy Kings
Riverside Theatre
April 13
REVIEWRAY PURVIS
