Let me tell you about last night at the Ryman Auditorium. That place is a vault of music legends, a portal to the past. I’d wandered in to see Rodrigo y Gabriela, a guitar-duo from Mexico who’ve been stringing together melodies since their early days on the crowded streets of Mexico City. They mix up flamenco rhythms with rock energy, tossing in some heavy metal vibes for good measure.
Seven studio albums and three live ones decorate their discography. Their latest, “In Between Thoughts… A New World,” it’s chock-full of tunes that’ll get your feet tapping and your soul soaring. Rodrigo y Gabriela dove straight into their new album, tracks like “True Nature” and “The Eye That Catches The Dream” weaving a sonic tapestry that enveloped the room. Every song, every note, was a story told through the language of their guitars, their melodies filling in for the absence of vocals. It’s a beautiful, hypnotic dance between the two instruments that’ll leave you hooked.
You’ve never seen anyone work a guitar like Gabriela does. A maestro in her own right, she handles the acoustic like a part of her soul, her fingers dancing over the strings in a mesmerizing ballet. Rodrigo, he’s no slouch either, switching between electric and acoustic like it’s second nature. The pair, they’re a force to be reckoned with, their unique energy electrifying the room.
This wasn’t their first rodeo at the Ryman, but this June night was something else. The performance was a cosmic journey. It felt as though they were channeling the old spirits of the Ryman, those long-gone souls who’d strummed and hummed on that very stage.Their music, it’s a trip. It slams into you, sweeps you off to distant lands of endless deserts, age-old cities, sky-kissing mountains. You just ride the wave, let the tunes wash over you, scrubbing away the day’s grit.
As the night neared its end, Rodrigo y Gabriela revisited some beloved hits from their earlier albums, drawing the crowd to its feet. At Gabriela’s signal, we all broke into synchronized clapping, transforming the Ryman into a veritable Big Bang of sound and rhythm.
You could almost see the magic washing over Rodrigo and Gabriela, carrying us along with them. The mastery with which they coaxed new melodies from their guitars was mesmerizing, blurring the line between musician and instrument. It felt as if they’d become one with their guitars, discovering a fresh sound in each stroke, each pluck.
If Rodrigo y Gabriela are performing anywhere near you, go. Don’t think twice. It’s an experience like no other, the closest thing to a psychedelic journey without the unfortunate aftermath. It’s a night of entrancing rhythm and connection that’ll stick with you long after the final note has faded.
