Rock en Espan~ol Steps Out of the Clubs

The scene Sunday night during the “Rockinvasion ‘97” festival at the Universal Amphitheatre was reminiscent of the almost frightening aggression of a ‘70s punk rock concert.

As the body-slamming in the mosh pit sometimes neared alarming proportions, the music itself--provided by four of rock en espan~ol’s biggest names--got angrier and angrier, hammering the crowd into submission.

Unfortunately, the music seemed as dated as the ‘70s scene.

The most dramatic element of the show for someone who has long followed rock en espan~ol was the technical support. It was gratifying to watch these bands at a venue with excellent sound and lights, after years of seeing them at little clubs with appalling acoustics.

But there were few surprises musically, except that Spain’s La Union canceled Sunday’s show because of singer Rafael Sanchez’s throat problems. (The trio did perform Saturday at the Amphitheatre.)

After an opening set by Los Angeles’ La Ley de Hielo, Colombia’s Aterciopelados delivered the evening’s most winning performance. This is one of the few bands so far in rock en espan~ol with the strengths to interest a wider pop audience: tight musicianship, alluring songs and a talented, charismatic lead singer in Andrea Echeverri.

Aterciopelados started with “No Futuro,” a direct translation of the punk movement’s motto, and continued with a fast-paced rendition of “Bolero Falaz,” a tale of romance that is both mocking and devotional.

After a set by Fishbone, the only non-rock en espan~ol act on the bill, Mexico’s Maldita Vecindad repeated what sounded like the same song over and over. Although its originality is slim at best, the group deserves high marks for its ability to excite the crowd with its sociopolitical messages.

Argentina’s Los Fabulosos Cadillacs closed on an anticlimactic note with their familiar hybrid of ska, reggae and Latin beats. It wasn’t until near the end that the group seemed to catch fire with its “comparsa”-tinged “Matador.”

The two-day festival, part of a national tour, showed that the popularity of rock en espan~ol has grown to the point at which sponsors (specifically Pepsi) are willing to provide the best facilities. Now it’s time for the bands to repay that faith by developing more original and compelling material.