The Right Ons, and some other Spanish bands...

...one of them being Amaral. When I lived in Spain I used to go to many concerts. I lived in a mid size city, which means I would pretty much go see anything that decided to stop by. Since I moved to Chicago, all the concerts I have gone to were big theater or stadium performances, the kind you watch in a chair, specially if you go with my husband.
Yesterday three bands played at Chicago's Double Door: the very famous Spanish band Amaral, whom I had already seen in concert more than six years ago in Vitoria, Maika Makovski, and The Right Ons. The Double Door is dark and red, small and cozy. And for seven dollars, it cannot be beaten. The opening act was Makovski, who sang in English, but threw so much metal and punk in her performance that it almost ruined it. Double Door is not big enough for that. Still, I will check her out, she deserves another chance.
Then The Right Ons came to the stage. They were also singing in English, but they were energetic, very good at the instruments, and with so many influences that I wouldn't know where to start. There is rock in them, but also funk, blues, and even a little bit of soul. The are good, very good, and their performance was a stand out. They were obviously having a great time, and the public was able to feel it, they made us dance. Álvaro, the main singer, even ended up walking through the bar as if it was his very personal runway. We bought their CDs, and I will be reporting on that. Their last album will be released in the US on March 23.
I am greatly surprised to see that the English of the Spanish youth has improved quite a bit. Both Makovski and The Right Ons were perfectly comfortable speaking and singing in a language foreign to them.
When Amaral came to the stage, you could tell she wasn't that comfortable speaking English to the audience. Which didn't matter much, because it was mainly Spaniards and other Spanish speakers. They a very good job, as I had seen them do years ago. They performed songs from all their albums to an audience that dutifully knew the lyrics, sang along and dance when necessary. It was good to see them again, as I still think that they sound much better in concert than recording. She is a good original dancer who knows how to engage the public. And the deserve tons of praise for, used to fill stadiums in Spain, try as hard for a tiny audience in a foreign club.
On the personal note, I had more fun than I have had in years. I went with some friends, run into some others there, and ended up drinking five Coronas (the most alcohol that has entered my system in years), smoking quite a bit, and eating tacos at 1 pm. I have to find out where that was, because they were good. I danced, I sang, I jumped, I met people, and I felt like myself, my old self for the first time in a very long time. Maybe this is exactly what I need. Un poquito de marcha.