For all Rock, en español, music lovers out there, one of the most awaited festivals in the LA region is La Tocada Fest. A well-established name among the many festivals the country hosts every year. This season La Tocada is scheduled for this Saturday, Aug. 4, at the Los Angeles State Historic Park.
Mexican band, the Porter, is one of the headliners at the show next to many other talents loved by the Latin Alternative community, including Cafe Tacuba, Molotov, and Mon Laferte. This year they might present new material and are excited to play songs from previous albums. Their last work in studio Moctezuma was critically acclaimed for a band that had gone through an eight-year hiatus and the addition of a new frontman/singer. Fans witnessed one of the most liked bands in Mexico looking to reclaim their status and being hugely successful.
La Tocada Fest is another opportunity to expand their fan base. Victor Valverde, a guitar player of Porter, shared with The Sundial a few details for what they have prepared this coming Saturday.
“We still don’t know if we will play songs from the new album,” Valverde said. I think we have played ‘Cuxillo’ in previous shows [in the U.S.] We want to offer something fresh to people.”
“Cuxillo” is their latest single, the first of an album in the works set to be released later this month, but not many details were shared, Porter would like to keep this as a surprise.
They are also sharing the stage with artists such as Camilo Septimo, Little Jesus, Jesse & Joy, and Caloncho.
For a closer look at this year’s line-up keep reading for a personalized Spotify playlist at the end of the article!
Porter has been around since the release of their debut album “Atemahawke” in 2007. They stood out for having an image closely resembling a Mexican version of MGMT and for experimenting mainly with their sound. Clearly, they proudly show their Mexican heritage. Now, Porter is also following the steps of a current trend amongst artists to release fresh material from their upcoming works every month or so.
“Naturally, people are listening more to singles on platforms like Spotify,” Valverde said. “We are able to develop the album in an independent way and slowly.”
Also, all along, the band has been known for combining indigenous music and aesthetics with electronic and rock elements, a staple of their sound. Nevertheless, Valverde said they are looking into shifting their sound towards something more personal.
“The obvious thing to do was ‘Moctezuma’ part two, but I don’t think we wanted to take that route,” Valverde said.
With more festivals taking place on northern regions of the country, such as the Ruido fest in Chicago or the Uateke Rock Fest in Georgia. Porter has felt like their presence has been more noticed in the U.S. Like many other groups La Tocada Fest will be one of the many performances they are set to play across the country.
This year La Tocada differs significantly from what concertgoers experienced in 2017, a catalog curated for the Heavy Rock en español crowds. Changing it up every year may seem to work to their benefit as much as their audience.
Stay tuned on The Sundial for an explicit show review of La Tocada Fest 2018. Enjoy the playlist.
