Photo by Ryan Dornfeld. More on Flickr

Rodrigo y Gabriela play acoustic guitar. But, don’t make the mistake of expecting a flamenco set from this duo – they play all out rock ‘n’ roll, and their concert at the Pageant was no exception. The set opened against a backdrop of red slashes, foreshadowing the rush of sound that was to come.

Even if you’ve seen videos of Rodrigo y Gabriela performing, you cannot be prepared for their live show. Rodrigo y Gabriela are the Native Americans of the guitar, letting no part go to waste. Watching Gabriela beat out a bassline on the strings near the bridge in “Diablo Rojo” or Rodrigo picking lightning fast riff after lightning fast riff in “Triveni” and “Tamacun,” we realized that we were witnessing two musicians with complete mastery over their instruments. Throughout the night, expressions of amazement fluttered around the venue among head bounces and dance moves.

In between these incredible flurries of sound, the two took turns talking about their musical style. The passion for their art form and love for their fans showed through in their honest ramblings and tributes to their influences. Rodrigo took time to dedicate one song (“Logos”) to legendary jazz guitarist Al Di Meola, and they welcomed tour buddy and former Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick on stage for a song. The duo’s enthusiasm surfaced in their report with the crowd. Gabriela urged us on, and Rodrigo led a series of clapping and audience response.

When the craziness finally ended after the encore (a pounding performance of “Tamacun” in which Rodrigo used his beer bottle as a capo to produce a unique hollow sound), people around me were still amazed at what they had just seen, eyes wide and mouths gaping. Perhaps they were shocked such a show was not sold out weeks in advance. My guess is that next time, it will be.

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