Parasol

Cuerda Cultura, Guadalajara, México
29 September 2023

The fans on the courtyard were extremely eager to see Babas Tutsipop up on the stage. Born in the thick of the pandemic, the band is a relatively new project. Still, it was evident that it has an abundant and remarkably hardcore following. The crowd was packed upfront with everybody attempting to get the best possible view of the performers.

The set kicks off with most of the songs from “Colección de Rimas”, their most recent EP released earlier in 2023. Their music is a joyful, upbeat pop with lots of synthesizer sounds that spontaneously divert into psychedelia. In fact, their set-up includes at least three of the aforementioned devices split between Brenda Arenas and Citlalli Ixchel. At the lead microphone and guitar is Ana Vera, while the drums and backing vocals are on Jorge Toledo. Together, they put this extremely charismatic, light-hearted act, that would seem too easy to put into the synth-pop drawer; but actually goes beyond any genderization, both musically and identity-wise.

The first surprise of the evening arrives when for the song “Mía”, Nat Eliot—who stars on the music video—takes on the stage to sing a duet. This is followed by the tracks Babita, Fantasma and Suave Acento, each one with a different guest on vocals, trombone, and guitar respectively. The night is already a party when the band announces they’ll be playing their first ever cover: their very own, slightly dreamy version of Flan’s Bazar. Everyone in attendance sings along, despite all of them being too young to have experienced this hit when in it took over the top spot of every chart across the Hispanic world in 1985. An approved test for its quality as timeless classic.

The vitality of the performance keeps ascending with the never-before-played track Nena. This is followed by another guest appearance for Somos Flores. For this number, three members of the Coro Femenino Mayahuel accompany the group on stage. The song has a very danceable Cumbia backbeat, and it is Latin-American style protest on the grievously rampant violence against women.

The show goes on with their newest single, Tu Liga del Pelo for which they had their instrument stands decked out with scrunchies to throw at the concertgoers. For the next piece, Todo lo Que Pasa, yet another invitee is brought up on the platform before the show ends with Sobrenatural (and some crowd-surfing for Ana). Babas Tutsipop and all their guests provided copious amounts of fun tonight, even if their most devoted followers would still want more.