Sunday night I witnessed one of only three US stops on Café Tacuba’s 20:20 Tour. This pivotal Mexican band has been together for twenty years and is celebrating this milestone by playing shows in twenty cities all over North and South America as well as Europe. When I found out they weren’t coming to Boston, I bought a bus ticket to New York City and reserved my room in the closest hostel without missing a beat. It would be my third time seeing the band and the show turned out to be worth way more than what the trip cost. Manhattan was pulsating from start to finish with the Hammerstein Ballroom as its heart.

It also happens to have my lucky number on the cover.

I first fell in love with Café Tacuba’s unique sound in 2003 when their album Cuatro Caminos came out. I was bored with the music I found in Newbury Comics‘ negligible Latin section. (Love the store guys, but Latin music isn’t all Shakira and Maná!) After reading the sticker on the front of the CD (a quote from some music review hailing Cuatro Caminos as “The Latin Kid A“), I bought the album. It quickly became one of few CDs I consistently enjoy listening to from start to finish. Unfortunately for me, the band almost never played shows further north than Texas and California since the bulk of their fan base was, logically, Mexican. I assumed I would never see them live… until Sino came out in 2007, and they began to tour once again. I didn’t just get to see them live: I got to see them twice in as many years.

It was worth the four year wait. Café Tacuba puts on the most captivating and honest live show on earth, if you ask me. It’s as if they love each and every member of their audience as a friend and want nothing more than to share their songs and spirit so that everyone can experience the pure fun that drives them to do what they do.

One thing that makes their shows so enjoyable is that if you like Latin music, electronic, rock, pop or even metal, Café Tacuba has a song for you. Thanks in part to their long, dynamic history together, their songs represent an impressive range of genres and sounds. And each is played with the same vibrant energy; an energy that I can’t even fathom keeping up. After an almost three hour long set last night, it looked like bassist Quique’s frantic and constant playing hadn’t even caused him to break a sweat through his dress shirt.

Rubén looking down at us.

The band opened with one of their dramatic instrumental pieces which became “El Borrego,” already a fast and aggressive tune. I said to myself, “We’re in for a ride,” as I jumped and thrashed with the crowd. It took about 15 seconds for a mosh pit to form directly on my left, which I managed to avoid.

As the show progressed the audience was treated to beloved songs both old and new. Many were combined as medleys, leaving time for even more songs to be played during the set. Personally I don’t like medleys, but it was still thrilling to hear so many old classics mixed in carefully with the newer tracks.

I was pretty much drenched in sweat by the end of the third song. (I’m telling myself that it was all my own sweat but deep down I’m not convinced.) We were packed together like sardines, separated only by the occasional crowd shift caused by someone crowd surfing or falling their way out of the ocean of people. The few rests we took as a unit were for the slow ballads, notably “Eres” and “Esa Noche.” I have a suspicion that Café Tacuba planned their set list around these much needed breaks.

Quique doing his thing.

One thing that set this show apart from the two I’ve seen previously was the quality of the light show. The video screens behind the band kept busy throughout the night while a huge, lighted, colorful spiral was raised and lowered off to the side. Their stage setup was enourmous and it was a success. Another welcome addition to the event was guest Alejandro Flores on violin and vocals during a select few songs. If you’re into Latin music you probably know his name, and even more surely his voice. Flores has made himself a household name during his own lengthy career.

As the show drew to a close I was growing increasingly nervous because the band had yet to play “La Ingrata.” No Café Tacuba show is complete without hundreds of people shouting “¡Ingrata! ¡Ingrata! ¡Ingrata!” until it’s finally played.  Last night’s cheers assured me that I was about to get squished very soon. My legs were tired but, fortunately, everyone else was pretty wiped out by this point too, so the chaos that usually ensues during “La Ingrata” was slightly tamer than normal.

On the bus ride home I drifted in and out of sleep, literally daydreaming about meeting the band.  (I know, what a dork!) To be honest if it happened I wouldn’t know what to do. I’m sure I’d take a deep breath before stumbling through the Spanish I’ve allowed to get rusty over the past few years.

Me with "Señor México" as we were calling him. This guy was pretty jazzed up.

I sincerely recommend you give Café Tacuba a listen for yourself. I couldn’t be happier that I decided to go all the way to New York, especially since I’ve heard it’s likely fans won’t see any touring from the band for a while now. Hopefully I won’t have to wait another four years. If you get the chance to see them live, take it, even if you don’t speak Spanish. ¿Qué mejor manera hay de aprenderlo? (What better way is there to learn?)