I went to Salute for a night of awesome music courtesy of Los Nahuatlatos, Pop Pistol, Astex, and Mexican Stepgrandfather. It was a fun, eclectic night of music that mixed spanish, indie, rock, and hip hop genres. Make that fun, eclectic, and crowded as the tiny St. Mary's bar began to fill up by the 11 o’clock mark. But crowded shows are great for local business and are always more fun anyhow.
Los Nahuatlatos started the evening off with their festive mix of rock and spanish music. To label them 'Rock en Espanol' would be unfair since they eschew the syrupy pop hooks of the conventional Rock en Espanol radio band and look more towards traditional nortenos and corridos for inspiration. Mix that with some r&b/smooth jazz flavor as well as some raps by Itzli and there you have their sound. Looking oh-so-sharp (local bands – dress up and you will perform better, believe me) this group played originals and covers with a unique twist (a classical piece put to a cumbia beat for instance). Also worth noting were the two guitar players, whose interweaving point/counterpoint guitar runs and licks were substantiated by big, sparkly-clean guitar tones. Very cool.
Pop Pistol were next and did not disappoint the by-now-crowded bar with their unique style of alternative indie rock. I have described their music to my friends as 'chill' and 'spacey' but, well, that may not be an apt description for a review of their set. Let's try this: bassist George and drummer Jorge locked into grooves that were hypnotic and interlocking. Wide and deep. Meanwhile guitarist/vocalist Alex rode the wave of rhythm with effects-laden but clean guitar tones, and sang behind the beat, vocals soaked but not saturated with reverb. The band has become an even stronger live unit the last couple of times I’ve seen them and tonight is no exception. Highlights included 'Evolving Doors' which made it impossible to not dance even if Salute was cramped and 'Who Needs Forever' with its strategically-placed rhythm changes that were a fantastic exercise in tension/release. 
ASTEX had the misfortune of having to play an abbreviated set but wasted no time in literally owning Salute with their bombastic style of hip hop. Three rappers with a laptop. That's all they needed to literally fill the room with sound. We’re not talking raps over simple drum machine beats; these guys have obviously done their homework as their beats bounced. Their tracks also included loops, samples, blips and blops (covering all frequencies of the aural spectrum) as the three-man crew spat rhymes, interjections, and boasts, as well as switched off verses with ease. You definitely need to experience ASTEX in a live setting.
Whereas ASTEX were all youthful energy and bombast, Mexican Stepgrandfather played a more laid-back but no less intense hip hop set. Similar to the Astex, Mexican Stepgrandfather used a laptop for beats and, with the help of Joaquin on congas, laid out his rhymes in a concentrated but infectious manner. In the time we talked before his set, Marco aka Mexican Step Grandfather, was excited to mention that he'll be soon teaching college courses which doesn't surprise me at all. You could say that he's a conscientious rapper who is using beats and rhymes as a means of personal and cultural expression. Anyway, getting back to the review, you're only as good as your hooks and he's got them ('Pick it up, pass it along...'). My favorite song was 'Feel So Good' ('Now it’s time to feel good-yes, yes y’all! Now it's time to feel good-yes, yes y'all!) which got the crowd moving to its infectious beat and obliging the infectious chorus with an enthusiastic sing-a-long. SHOWS AND LINKS:
Los Nahuatlatos
(no links or show dates were available at this time)
Pop Pistol
http://www.poppistol.com
http://www.myspace.com/poppistol
February 21, 2010 Sam's Burger Joint 7:00 P.M.
ASTEX
http://www.myspace.com/astex
March 13, 2010 Luminaria 8:00 P.M.
Mexican Stepgrandfather
http://www.myspace.com/