"Tijuana is a border town that has experienced the good, the bad and the ugly of drugs and immigration policy -- the ripple effects of 9/11.
Less tourism from the gringos also meant less money coming in. There was a lot of paranoia and an increase of drug violence on the streets. Tijuana
was deemed a ghost town riddled with shootouts, and as a result the hustle and bustle waned on Avenida Revolucion. Despite the bad times, Tijuana's
musical youth have fought the monotony of doom-and-gloom news by creating heart-thumping party music that hugs the traditional sounds of Mexico.
Lifestyles started shifting and a new music era was born. Less became more. Young adults sought the solace and safety of the Internet and their
computers. For the first time, the nightlife scene was geared towards locals over tourists. Clubs were out, dive bars were in.
With the economy down, artists had less to work with, but the simplicity and portability of the computer as an instrument revived musical creativity
to a whole new level. Songs were actually being sequenced and recorded in the bedrooms of Tijuana. Mipsters (Mexican hipsters) had something new to be
happy about : dancing to 'ruidosón.' Local bars like La Sexta, La Mezcalera and La Chupateria started booking ruidosón musicians to revive the
nightlife money.
The term 'ruidosón' was coined in 2008 by Moisés Horta, bassist of Los Macuanos, while talking on MSN chat with Tony Gallardo of María y José.
Ruidosón is made up of two Spanish words: ruido (noise) and són (roots). For Los Macuanos, the sound embodies two musical movements: L.A. noise and
traditional regional Mexican music. It truly is a genre that flexes its bicultural muscles. For many ruidosón artists, their feet are grounded in two
places: Tijuana and the U.S., making their music even more textured.
Ruidosón is the heir apparent to Nortec Collective's pioneering sound. Omar Lizarraga of the duo Sonido Travesura admits, "Nortec put the world's
attention and cameras on Tijuana. They built the art in this city." Lizarraga continues, "Here [in Tijuana] things are never stagnant. And instead
they begin to build -- if anything they're always in motion. In our case we feel completely absorbed in our city. In the end you realize Tijuana is
our [musical] laboratory."
Dita Quiñones is a multimedia journalist with a passion for Latin alternative and hip-hop music news. In addition to SoundDiego, she contributes to
Latina, FOX News Latino, Poder and HipHopDx. She is also the founder of the infamous music and politrix blog GN$F! Follow Dita on Twitter."pointdog - 7-31-2012 at 06:34 AM
Thanks! Nortec Collective was my favorite south of the border contemporary group years back. I wish I was not so intimidated by navigating Tijuana.
I'd like to check out this "ruidosón".SFandH - 7-31-2012 at 06:50 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by pointdog
Thanks! Nortec Collective was my favorite south of the border contemporary group years back. I wish I was not so intimidated by navigating Tijuana.
I'd like to check out this "ruidosón".
I'm not sure because I've never done it, but I think what you're looking for are the night clubs on 6th street within a couple of blocks of the
Revolucion Ave. intersection. Six blocks south of the arch. Park at the border, walk across and take a cab, $5 - $10 maybe, to 6th and Revolucion and
take it from there. Or ask the cabbie to take you to the night clubs on 6th Street. They are close to Revolucion. I've heard the college aged more
upscale locals are lining up to get into these clubs on the weekends. I'm more in tune with TJ hipsters that still listen to Carlos Santana. Hope he
plays his hometown again.
[Edited on 7-31-2012 by SFandH]Ken Cooke - 7-31-2012 at 05:39 PM
I have experienced the "New" Tijuana, and it is still full of life and sincerity. The people make it what it is. I visited a bar behind Hotel Nelson
(at 1st and Revoluccion) to see Transvestite performers shaking and lip-syncing.
6th and Revoluccion is definitely the "In" spot with plenty of patrons on the weekends. Calle Revoluccion is now an entirely different nightspot than
it was in the 1990s to pre-9/11. The crowds are back, but they emanate from Tijuana-area and not San Diego like they once did.willardguy - 7-31-2012 at 05:48 PM
so when you were done with the transvestites did you go next door for the real deal?Ken Cooke - 7-31-2012 at 07:03 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by willardguy
so when you were done with the transvestites did you go next door for the real deal?
No, I was with my Wife and several friends. This wouldn't go over well with the Mrs.
