La Oreja de Van Gogh ready to party with fans at Dodge Arena

Posted by: CorrienteLatina  Posted: 11-03-2006 Print Article Email to a friend RSS Twitter Facebook

When it comes to becoming the next crossover hit, it might seem like the music of La Oreja de Van Gogh is falling on deaf ears.

Not only is the Spanish pop group trying to solidify a fan base in the United States, but according to bassist Alvaro Fuentes, technology and music piracy have become formidable opponents.

"In this day and age, with the Internet and everything, it's not easy to sell records," he said in a telephone interview from Spain. "But guapa (the group's fourth studio album) has sold very well."

Looking at the numbers and LODVG's ascent to popularity worldwide, "very well" could be considered an understatement. After forming 10 years ago in San Sebastian, Spain, the group has dominated airwaves in Europe, South America and Central America. From their 1998 debut, Dile al Sol, to this summer's guapa, the group has netted regional awards in Spain and international music awards, including the Best Latin Group at the Latin Grammys and Best Group or Duet at the MTV Video Music Awards Latin America in 2004.

The group has toured around the world, Fuentes said, from Santiago, Chile to Tokyo, Japan. They've made several stops in the United States before, in places like New York and Houston, but their western tour, kicking off Saturday in Puerto Rico, is more inclusive, with stops in El Paso, Universal City, California and Las Vegas, with a stop Thursday at Dodge Arena in Hidalgo.

"We're very, very happy to be performing in the States," Fuentes said. "We've been traveling there since 1999. There's a lot of music there, and it's hard to get into (that scene), but we've got a little space in the States, and we'd love to make it a big space."

Radio play for LODVG has increased since their third album, Lo que te conté mientras que te hacias la dormida brought with it two top 10 hits, "Rosas" and "Puedes Contar Conmigo," which peaked at No. 4 and No. 5 respectively on Billboard's "Hot Latin Tracks" chart. "Rosas" has received the most play in the Rio Grande Valley, said program director for XHAVO-FM 101.5 Mario Facundo. The success of that single, coupled with their first appearance at Dodge Arena, should draw a large crowd, he said.

"They haven't made many tours in the States," he said. "This is their first time down here. I think by the day of the concert it should be pretty packed. If (fans) don't buy tickets now, they will the day of the show. They already want to know when we'll be giving tickets away."

While technology might work against musicians in some cases, it also has proven a boon to LODVG, as some fans Stateside have created Web sites dedicated to the group. Several years ago, Las Vegas resident Alfonso Rodriguez created www.nadiecomotu.com, a fan site/bulletin board, after moving to the United States from Mexico (The Web address means "No One Like You," and is also a single off the group's third CD).

"I decided to start the fan club here in the States, and it has been a very good experience," Rodriguez said. "I got to know a lot of people that like the same band that I like. It's hard to find people that like that type of music."

To date, Rodriguez's site has 450 members and has been listed on the band's official Web site. His hope, he said, is to expose more and more people stateside to their music, whose style they've probably never encountered before.

"La Oreja de Van Gogh has more quality to their songs," he said. "They don't have a thousand people working behind them to make them sound right."

Fuentes said LODVG's ultimate goal is to please people like Rodriguez. The group doesn't care how big they make it in the United States, he said, as long as the fans are happy.

"The big point is to say thanks to the people who have supported us," he said. "We want people to come out to the shows, and we'll have a party together."

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Kate Lohnes covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4427. For this and other local stories, visit www.themonitor.com.

La Oreja de Van Gogh
WHEN: 8 p.m. Thursday
WHERE: Dodge Arena, 2600 N. 10th St., Hidalgo
Cost: $35, $55, $75
For more info: Call Dodge Arena at (956)
688-3400 or
(866) RIO-TIXX


By: Kate Lohnes
Source: Monitor Staff Writer