~by Dena Burroughs
GRUPO AZUCAR AT FLAMINGO'S CLUB AND RESTAURANT, IN CORONA - July 2, 2009
"Houston... we have a problem." In this case, we actually have several problems. Numero uno... there are currently two different "Grupo Azucar"s in our area. The Grupo Azucar that has had its name, according to Fernando, its director, for now five years, and which played Thursday night at Flamingo's, and a second Grupo Azucar that is playing at Mojitos Restaurant, in Pasadena, on Saturday nights. The members of both groups know one another, in fact they're friends and periodically work together, but if both groups are planning to stay in the scene then something will have to be done about their name... even if it is calling them Grupo Azucar #1 and #2.
Second problem... the sound at Flamingo's. Something must be done ASAP about the sound system, or the musicians will quit playing. The problem seems to be half due to system itself... speakers that pop, cables that rattle, connections that click off and on, and, unfortunately, due as well to the sound guy, who had a heck of a time on Thursday night managing the levels from his console.
To give the venue a break, this was their first attempt at a Salsa night. Flamingo's is not a Salsa venue, it's a Latin music club that plays different music genres on other days of the week. It is a rather typical Latin venue, I'll say ala Bahia's, with palm trees painted in neon colors on the walls, neon lights surrounding the stage, fences around both the dance floor and the stage, and waitresses dressed in tiny provocative uniforms. Its DJ Azteca played long sets of merengue and reggaeton in between the band's sets, which led me to believe that he is not a Salsa DJ per say. However, the new Salsa Thursdays at Flamingo's is an effort to bring Salsa to the city of Corona and give its people a place to get their "salsafix" in town. Plenty of people showed up to opening night, including several who were there to witness the performances of the groups that danced at one point of the night.
Grupo Azucar did well, despite a horrific first song thoroughly destroyed by the sound system and its continued disruption throughout the night. I give credit to the great voice of Mario "Ronco" Sandoval, who sounded good even while battling the constant *pop!* of his microphone. They will hopefully catch a better "system break" the Thursday of the O.C. Salsa Festival, when they will play at the pre-congress party.
They will be back at Flamingo's on July 16, but first, nada menos que Hector Manuel Rivera will be there next Thursday on the 9th. All I can say is... that system better sound really good by then!!
