Concert Review: La Santa Cecilia Blesses S.O.B’s
Watching La Santa Cecilia, I realized what makes them special; they make us all feel like our grandparents. Yes, that may seem humorous or small to you, but, growing up, I remember my grandmother blasting “boleros” and singing them out loud as if romance had filled her heart. Their ability to make the colorful, textures of love come to life through elegance filled their SOB’s audience.
Singing out loud, dancing so close to your lover you might as well be one, and sipping on your beer as if it was the drink of God, La Santa Cecilia create an ambiance that is both emotionally exhilarating and venting. You want to cry through “Nunca Mas” or “Como Dios Manda” because, while the tempo and instrumentals can range from vibrantly up to smoothly sullen, Marisol Hernandez’s voice hooks our hearts for its veined sentiments. She has an “inner llanto” in her voice that reminds me of Chavela Vargas, La India, or Maria Dolores Pradera; women that turned inner turmoil into outer beauty. While tragedy is NEVER a good or gorgeous thing, throughout any heartbreak, humanity shines to show its unwavering presence. Through Marisol, it shines brightly.
La Santa Cecilia – Amor Eterno (En Vivo)
Hernandez is a perfect front woman; bringing forth the warmth of a wise friend and higher sophistication of an accomplished professor. Note: I chose “teachers” analogies to reference. While you may not think it, we all need to learn how to feel. Naturally, humans’ feel, but how to feel our pain, our joys, and our loves are the lessons that Santa Cecilia carried in songs and stories. It was no wonder people showed in droves; it can be too rare when a good, danceable beat meets a wealth of human knowledge. Yes, I want to dance and get-down, but I do wish their were more verses that helped my soul lift up. Hence, La Santa Cecilia shows that Spanish Music may be globally defined by its heart-thumping rhythms, but it is its voice that keeps it pumping and gushing with spirit.
Como Dios Manda (En Vivo)
Like I said, La Santa Cecilia made me feel like I was my grandmother; sophisticatedly bringing forth an “old-shool” feel-fest with fresh modern presentation. We danced, we laughed, we commiserated over the highs and lows of being human and being Latinx, and then we all left S.O.B’s feeling a little less lonely and a lot more like love, itself. For More Information On La Santa Cecilia Click Here.
