Los Jaivas at Lollapalooza 2012 | Photos and music review
"We come from Chile, South America, and we hope you will enjoy our music!" guitarist/vocalist Mario Mutis exclaimed at the start of psych-folk troubadours Los Jaivas' set, who opened day two with swirling, soaring grooves that got the whole crowd dancing. There was a particularly enthusiastic South American presence in the crowd, many of whom waved Chilean flags and futbol jerseys to the trippy, ethnic sounds.
Like Brazilian crossover act Os Mutantes, who David Byrne resurrected stateside about 15 years ago, Los Jaivas presumably have a huge following on their home turf. Onlookers at the Bud Light stage were more than game to follow the peppy pipers' leads, clapping and bouncing along to bongo solos and piano breakdowns in the scorching sun. Drummer Juanita Parra (daughter of the band's late drummer Gabriel Parra) wins the best dressed award. In a sort of snaking body armor woven from vines, and fabulous electric-blue eye makeup, the kit woman's graceful hits doubled as interpretive dance moves as the rest of the band, dressed in white, took turns wailing on a host of instruments—flutes, shakers, and horns among them—at the front of the stage. In a long lineup of indie and dance acts, the international flair brought by these six players was a welcome change up in the Lolla routine. And it's the only show I've seen so far where the audience stayed to whoop and holler long after the band bid them adieu with a very genuine thank you (as well as a gracias, merci, grazie and danke).
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