Pic courtesy of El Manana
*Hat tip to LMT's Clara Sandoval
LAREDO, Texas – The Laredo Energy Arena, an SMG-managed facility, is proud to announce for the first time in Laredo, Texas, the Gipsy Kings on Friday, May 4, 2012 at 8 p.m.
“This timeless group has taken the world by storm with their traditional Spanish-Flamenco style music mixed with Western pop and Latin rhythms. They have won several awards and helped to introduce Hispanic music to people all over the world. We’re very excited to have this world-renowned group visit Laredo, a city very proud of its Spanish heritage,” said Xavier Villalon, general manager of the SMG-managed Laredo Energy Arena.
Tickets go on sale Friday, February 24, 2012 at 10 a.m.
Tickets are $72/$62/$47 / $27 (not including facility fee).
Tickets can be purchased at all Ticketmaster locations including the LEA box office, Ticketmaster.com, charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000 and various H-E-B Ticketmaster outlets.
The Gipsy Kings
The Gipsy Kings consist of two bands of brothers: the Reyes (Nicolas, Canut, Paul, Patchai, Andre) and the Baliardos (Tonino, Paco, Diego). The Reyes and Baliardo boys were the offspring of Spanish gypsy families that had fled into France to escape Spain’s Civil War. They grew up roaming the south of France, working harvests and making music.
Jose Reyes – father of the GK’s Reyes – sang alongside guitarist Manitas de Plata and did much to popularise flamenco internationally: John Steinbeck, Charlie Chaplin, Pablo Picasso, Miles Davis and Salvador Dali were amongst the duo’s admirers. Jose split from Manitas in the 1970s and formed Los Reyes with his teenage sons. His death devastated the Reyes yet lead to their fortuitous encounter with the Baliardos at the St. Marie de la Mer Gitan pilgrimage. On that warm night, as they passed the guitar, shared songs and wine, history was shaped.
Initially, the Reyes and Baliardos busked on the streets of Cannes, played weddings and parties, young men flavouring flamenco with Western pop and Latin rhythms. When an American admirer told the band their name Los Reyes meant “The Kings” in English they realised they were born to be Gipsy Kings. In 1987 The Gipsy Kings’ self-titled debut album introduced the world to ‘rumba Gitano’ – the sound of South America’s rumba rhythm married to flamenco guitars – and with ‘Bamboleo’ the Gipsy Kings scored a huge international hit. Since then the Kings have never stopped singing to the world.
Today the Gipsy Kings still live with their families in the south of France. Life may have changed for them – they no longer busk on streets or pick crops when times are hard or travel in caravans – but still, at heart, they remain Gypsies, the proud descendants of an ancient people who seduced the world with music and dance. On Pasajero, the Gipsy Kings continue their epic musical journey.
Corpus Christi Caller Times courtesy pic"We even brought in a Mexican-American to give him a chance to get out and be at the front of the forefront. No more wetbacks running up and down picking the fruits and things. Now, we're rolling, you know what I mean."Of course, when asked to clarify what he meant, King said "we" are all "Webacks." So no harm, no foul, right? Not so fast. Arreola, for one, didn't take kindly to King's comments, telling the Corpus Christi Caller Times, the following.
"I do take offense on that wetback thing because both of my parents are wetbacks and I'm proud of being a wetback myself. I am honored to be Mexican, 100 percent," said Arreola, who is scheduled to meet Molina in a 10-rounder. "So if you don't take offense by him saying wetback, I sure do. And this wetback right here, it's going to be a great, great honor to shut your mouth Saturday night. When we get to this arena we're going to put on a great show for these people."Makes for an interesting time in Corpus, huh? I am not a boxing aficionado, preferring to watch wrestling instead (the Divas!). But I'll let you all deliberate. Full story link is here if you want to read.
There are many ways to describe pain. There is the torture scene in Marathon Man where Dustin Hoffman's character takes a root canal sans anesthesia (ouch!). There is also the scene in Payback where the main character, Porter (Mel Gibson), gets his toes squashed by a hammer.
