|
NEXTnc's conversation with Alan Vasquez |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Written by Erin Frustaci
|
|
Thursday, 31 May 2007 |
|
|
|
|
 Alan Vasquez plays acoustranic funk with a Latin trance flare. Confused? In essence, Vasquez’s music is acoustic and electric guitars, bass and electronic equipment looped together in a mesh of energized sounds.
“I listen to so much different music. I’m like a sponge,” Vasquez said.
While his sound may be difficult to describe, the feeling it evokes is not. “It’s really positive,” he said. “When people leave, I want them to feel vibrant and radiant.”
The 26-year-old musician moved to Fort Collins from Chicago with his wife about a year ago. He has passionately pursued a solo career for the last three and a half years. On May 19, he performed a show at the Aggie with a full band.
“It could be a new thing for me,” Vasquez said. “I would love to see everything fall in place; for this band to happen. It was a different experience I’ve never felt before.”
Still, the musician is continuing with his solo career with his first headlining show at the Aggie on June 2.
“To be honest, I don’t look into the future too much,” he said. “I know I’m on the musical path right now... I just kind of live for the now. But if nothing comes of it, I still enjoyed every second.”
————
TO GO TO HIS SHOW
Alan Vasquez
with Maxwell Hughes
and DJ A-Naut
8 p.m. June 2 at the Aggie Theater.
————— NEXTnc's Conversation with Alan Vasquez —————
NEXTnc: Have you ever been naked in public? What happened?
VASQUEZ: No I haven’t— not really. I had a good time in a hotel hot tub once.
NEXTnc: What are all of the instruments you play and how did you learn to play so many?
VASQUEZ: I play the six-string and 12-string acoustic, the electric guitar, bass guitar and mandolin. Then I have a whole arsenal of electronic equipment — just gadgets.
I started with the guitar. When I left for college, my crazy friend Ben gave me his bass, so I had that in my hands. Electric guitar is just a different touch. Then, the mandolin, I haven’t really learned yet. I’m just feeling it out. It all began by feeling the bass. I danced with my fingers a little bit, then I’ve been studying on my own. Books are full of information.
NEXTnc: How would you compare the music scene in Fort Collins to the music scene in Chicago?
VASQUEZ: Chicago is the best. It has anything you want and any kind music you want. It has amazing musicians. It’s unfair to compare Fort Collins to that. Chicago is the third biggest city in the country. It’s known for it’s music. Fort Collins is more comparable as a college town to where I went to school. I am getting to know musicians around here. They have accepted me with open arms. You can feel the family quicker here. Here feels like it’s tighter knit... I’m still getting to know the scene. I’ve only been here a year. I’m just getting into it. One thing that sucks is I do play a lot, so I miss a lot. I haven’t spent enough time out in the scene.
NEXTnc: Do you ever get stage fright? Why or why not?
VASQUEZ: No. I get pumped at every show. I can’t wait to play. I dealt with stage fright early on. It takes time. It always does. Now, 10 minutes before showtime, I’m a little ball of energy, hopping around. There’s really nothing you can do but play shows. Experience builds it. It’s easier to come around when it’s just me on stage. I was forced to kick the stage fright early on.
NEXTnc: Does it ever get lonely being a one-man band?
VASQUEZ: No, it never gets lonely and definitely not the travels. I love the travels. Something about being on the road all the time really feels right to me... You can just reflect a little bit. It gives me time to balance myself. Anymore, I don’t have much alone time. When I’m driving, I’m in the zone. I feel really good that way.
I also meet people really easily on the road. I just walk around and talk to people. How can that be lonely? I’ve met some really great friends through this... You caught me at a crossroads. I just got a band together and we had our first show. The feeling I had at that show was really exciting. I was more jazzed than I have been in a long time. I’m still trying to soak in what happened and where we are going to take it. I’m still going with the solo thing full force until something is set for sure. | Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. |
|
|  | "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only truth." | |
|  | We're not that bright, even though in our own little world, we're geniuses. We like 80s hair bands and one-hit wonders, but among us we have respectable tastes, too. Metallica, Iron Maiden, U2. Pursuit of all things trivial is a lifestyle, not just a game. We like some sports, love other sports, and can find something to say about anything. We watch TV and movies and we've read a book or two, even a few classics (Yes, Classic Comics count!)
We call it insight, you call it what you will. | |
|  | Felix Wong is an outdoor enthusiast living in Fort Collins. A mechanical engineer by day, he is especially passionate about bicycling, running, and backpacking. | |
|  | Hola Amigos! I'm Sandra. I like to believe that people are 70 percent good and 30 percent dumb. I'm stickin to that story. Reading this blog might make you want to be good, but probably just dumb. | |
|  | Donovan Henderson is editor of NEXTnc. | |
|  | Here at Nextnc we have some characters. Get a sneak peak behind the curtain and find out what amusing antics our staffers get themselves into on a weekly basis. | |
|  | What is up FoCo?
I am a recent college graduate of Minnesota State University Moorhead. After recieving my B.A. in English and Mass Communications this past August I moved down to Colorado.
I enjoy long walks on the beach, candlelight dinners, and heavy metal. My hobbies include reading and writing, music, movies, and getting drunk. Some of my favorite contemporary authors include Bret Easton Ellis, Chuck Palahniuk, and Kurt Vonnegut. My top movies are anything directed by Kubrick. I enjoy listening to anything that rocks.
Right now I am just trying to get to know Colorado and FoCo better. Mostly in order to find the best drink specials on each day that ends in Y. So if you know where I can get a cheap drunk on, let me know!
--Drew | |
|  | Life's little morsels of inspiration, observation and encouragement seen through the eyes of the Nextnc reporter.
| |
|  | Ms. Giles currently lives in Colorado where she stars in her own private reality show. She writes aphoristic accounts of her life, taken completely out of context, and embellished with characters and situations disguised to resemble something close to interesting. | |
|  | over and out | |
| | My name is Michelle Turley and I'm 28 years old. I live in Severance with my hubbie, Brandon. We have 2 dogs and a cat. We enjoy camping, four-wheeling, and just being in the mountains. I like to cook, clean (go figure), flea market, and play poker. I have so much to say about poker... | |
|
|
