Tango and Thrash: Rodrigo y Gabriela Tuesday Night at Stubb's

Rodrigo Sanchez met Gabriela Quintero in Mexico City, where both became members of a thrash-metal band called Tierra Acida. After that band parted ways, the duo decided to pack up their acoustic guitars and move to Dublin together, and do some backpacking. And so they came to the use of guitars as percussion instruments (a necessity if you find yourself attempting any self-respecting acoustic rendition of Metallica covers) and the use of the English language by way of busking on the streets of Ireland- two fabulous approaches, if you ask us.

Rodrigo y Gabriela’s fusion of classical guitar techniques with rock n’roll sensibilities and metal flourishes is often described as "heavy metal flamenco." More than just a great hook of a moniker, this fits the spirit of their sound perfectly, if not quite technically. What’s more, it must have been quite the natural match for the devil-may-care international peculiarity that seeps through Dublin venues such as Temple Bar the way the Irish dampness seeps through a wool sweater.

Their self titled album entered the Irish Albums Chart at #1. It includes covers of Zeppelin’s "Stairway to Heaven" and Metallica's "Orion". Rodrigo y Gabriela also cite Metallica Megadeth, Slayer, Testament and Overkill as influences. Their recent release, 11:11, is a tribute to the pair’s idols: Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Astor Piazzolla, father of nuevo tango, and Pantera's Dimebag Darrell are referenced among others. If you had as much fun reading Astor Piazzolla’s name alongside Dimebag Darrell’s as we did writing it, you owe it to yourself to check out Rodrigo y Gabriela.

Rodrigo y Gabriela [Myspace][Official]