Just follow the music, the door crowd, and the cloud of sweet-smelling smoke.
Sometimes I just like to go to a bar or club blasting loud rock through a crowd of people hanging around outside, talking and smoking dope. It doesn’t matter who is playing, or what kind of music it is, it will always be fun.
This is why I found myself at the El Camaleón, Friday night.
It wasn’t hard, since El Camaleón is three doors down from my studio in downtown Ajijic. As far as I know, it has been there for at least a quarter-century, sporting various exterior paint jobs but always remaining one of the most colorful buildings in a town of colorful buildings.
It was late Friday night, I was downtown putting some equipment away in my studio when I walked out and heard really good retro blues rock pouring out of the El Camaleón, saw a noisy crowd outside the door, and sniffed a cloud of sweet-smelling smoke wafting my way.
Since El Camaleón and I had been neighbors for three years, I knew the woman who owns it and I had spent enough time in it to know she programmed music to please crowds. I had covered her celebration of the Woodstock 50 th and loved the bands. They may have been cover bands but they were very good covers bands – and besides, what else would you want for the 50 th anniversary of Woodstock.
So I elbowed my way in past retired gyrating Expat women who could have been at the original Woodstock, Mexican 20-somethings bopping to the 4/4 beat like they had been raised on it (probably were), and some of my music fan buddies who were just hanging out.
I got the last seat at the bar – about 2 feet from the lead singer who looked like a thin version of Jim Morrison, which came in handy in the third set which was The Doors. I ordered a reposado and a coke on the side and kicked back for some fun.
I was not disappointed. The band that night was the Tekila Blues and Roll Band, out of Guadalajara. I had seen posters for them around Lakeside but this was the first time I experienced them, and “experienced” is the right word. They rocked!… and in a very tight space, with almost no light, and lots of happy dancing, drinking people, Tekila Blues and Roll filled out my senses. I only wish I had brought video lights.
A five-piece mostly cover rock band – Joseluis Lomelimacias on guitar, Enrique Gonzalez on guitar, Voltta Corleone on vocals, Ricardo Rueda on drums, and Waldo Haro on guitar – played Expat dance favorites like “Black Magic Woman,” Blue Suede Shoes,” and “All Shook Up” but they put energy into it that blew me away, and I listen to about 200 songs a week.
A drum solo that lasted almost 10 minutes during “Black Magic Woman” was amazing (and you know how I hate to use that word); electric guitar solos that were off the chart; and vocals that gave 150%, showed that clearly, this band has a lot more in the tank than covers from our happy past.
Corleone told me during the break that an album of original music is in the works, and I can hardly wait. In the meantime, next time they play El Camaleón in Ajijic, or The Hard Rock in Guadalajara, I will be there. I will just follow the music, the door crowd, and the cloud of sweet smoke.
