Finding Axl Rose in Santiago
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There are a few reasons I should say "No" when the Chilean bloggers invite us to go out for drinks after our five hour dinner. I don't like bars much. I haven't slept in 36 hours. I have 56 e-mails in my inbox. We're getting up at 6 AM. But as the plan develops for squeezing six people into a twin cab pick-up and driving across town for drinks at Constitucion 61, I hear myself saying, "Sure! I'll go!" It's a Tuesday night. It's 12:30 and the bar is packed. It's smoky. A band is ripping out tunes on stage: karaoke with a twist. The band has a 50 song set list and bar patrons can add their name and the song they'd like to sing in a bucket, waiting to be picked at random for their time at the mic. Some of the songs are predictable, standard Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Cure, and Ramones favorites that seem to have done well all over the world. Then there are some tunes you'd think would be total buzz killers: Radiohead's "Creep," for instance, and Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called (To Say 'I Love You')". But the crowd is equally enthusiastic about every song. The pisco is good. The vibe is even better. One more drink, and I'd probably toss my own name in the bucket. As I'm thinking this, the self-appointed emcee steps to the mic and says a name, followed by "Sweet Child O' Mine." The kid who takes the mic couldn't be called a dead ringer for Axl Rose, the lead singer of the popular 90s heavy metal band, Guns 'n Roses. He's got short hair, he looks slightly more functional than Axl, and, well, he's Chilean. But he's just close enough: tall and lanky, scrungy, and intimate with the mic, rocking it back and forth. And his voice is good. He actually sounds like Axl Rose. "Where do we go, where do we go, where do we go now?" he sings in the appropriately gravelly voice that's weirdly discordant and yet somehow strangely seductive. The energy of the crowd rises with the song, and as I look around, I see people dancing, nodding their heads, raising their glasses, and clapping wildly as the Chilean Axl Rose throws himself off the stage and into the crowd. At this moment, I could be anywhere. But I'm not. I'm in Santiago, Chile, connecting with people who don't have to be from the same country to know that finding Axl Rose in Santiago is an awesome thing. |
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WOW it´s great to finally know where that night ends!! I have the best memories from the dinner just before you met the Chilean Axl!!
Me too! Can't WAIT to come back to Santiago! So glad you're on Matador.
love it. do you ever sleep julie? or only on planes?
Ha! I do sleep... but yes, mostly on planes! ;) That's the only reason the past 20 hours of flights were bearable!
G&R is epic, OF COURSE you're a fan! Isn't everyone? I love experiencing those sort of songs in other countries, sounds like it was a lot of fun!
Was he wearing really small spendex shorts with a sock stuffed down the front too? ;)
And what do you mean Stevie Wonder's a buzz killer! Sure, maybe "Superstitious" would be more funky, but that's a classic karaoke tune too! :)
I've always thought that would be a really cool idea...to have a real band backing you for karaoke. In fact, I always wanted to hire one for my wedding...but since we had our grand travel plans it was decided best to keep the costs down. I ended up mixing my own wedding music! Who needs a DJ...
He WASN'T wearing Spandex and a sock... he's suddenly less authentic, now that you mention it! ;)
And Stevie-- don't get me wrong; I love Stevie Wonder. But when you've got 5 or 10 hard rock songs back to back, the introduction of "I Just Called" to the mix is a bit bizarre.
I don't know exactly why, but I've found that a lot of people in Latin America love 80s metal. I met a Colombian who'd learned all of his English from The Simpsons and 80s metal. A lot of the music that is no longer popular back in the states still thrives down here.
On another note, how are you liking Santiago? I'm thinking of going to visit a couple friends for Christmas. The only problem is it's expensive to fly there, so I'm hoping it'd be worth it.
LOVED Santiago; only wished I could have spent more time there. If you can stay for a bit, the trip would be worth it.
Likewise!
Julie, I never would have pegged you for a G&R fan! :D Loved this post.
Ah, yes... one of my dirty secrets is that I LOVED G&R (as well as Poison and Warrant, I confess)...and have been known to sing along enthusiastically when they now come on the classic (ouch) rock station.