Café Tacuba, Molotov, Bajofondo, Jovanotti

Bajofondo

by Jana Birchum

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Café Tacuba, Molotov, Bajofondo, Jovanotti

Credit public radio's Alt.Latino team for this missile-guided gift of a showcase to Austin and world music fans at Auditorium Shores on a perfect night with the crescent moon lit from the bottom. Just after sunset, eyes turned hopefully to the sky for a glimpse of a comet near the spoon moon. Earlier, Jovanotti, the multilingual Italian rapper, worked up a sweat loosening the crowd up. He explained that the title of the song "Coraggio" means "bravery" in English, and his band responded to his exhortations with a mix of Stax-like wah-wah guitars and R&B grooves. At 15 musicians, new tango ensemble Bajofondo suffered equipment difficulties. With members from both Argentina and Uruguay, Bajofondo delivered a folkloric electronic fusion that was pretty and punky, embracing rap and rock traditions as well. Grammy-winning veterans Molotov arrived with a cheeky nod to the past with "Rock Me Amadeus," rapping verses in Spanish. Many of the parents out with their children probably missed the irony of boogieing to "Puto," but it was the La Raza anthem "Voto Latino" that got the biggest reaction. Playing late, headliners Café Tacuba promised a dance party, typically energetic frontman Rubén Albarrán taking advantage of the Mexico City quartet's closing spot to play a full swinging set of electro-guilded mind-and-body rock.