November/December 2018 - Turn it Up: Wherefore Art Thou, Lady Romeo
I was very excited to interview the members of Lady Romeo after catching one of their sets at the StANNEd Up for Comedy event at the El Rey Theater this year. This five-person ensemble consists of a drummer, Lewis Cano, lead singer, Carrie Leonard de Aguirre, guitarist, Danger K Varoz, violinist, Ian Hudson, and bassist Jason Green. The band, started by Varoz and Leonard de Aguirre in 2016, looks at a particular description for itself. “Our band is what you would get if a kitten had sex with Prince in space,” says Leonard de Aguirre. Varoz shared how the band came together. “We began as an acoustic duo and we played a few parties and small shows,” says Varoz. “We eventually decided that we wanted a fuller sound and began recruiting other other members - Ian on the violin was first, then Lewis on drums, and finally Jason on bass. We have been playing together for about a year now.”
As explained on their Facebook page, Lady Romeo "plays smooth yacht rock, danceable vibe jams and R&B music that will get you laid tonight." Varoz loves the sound that the band provides. “Lady Romeo is an eclectic fusion of R&B and rock and roll with some reggae, Celtic and dance flavor. We call our music ‘smooth.’”
When it comes to the band’s musical influences, both Varoz and Leonard de Aguirre gave an array of examples. “We definitely all bring a lot of different influences to the group,” shared Varoz. “Carrie [Leonard de Aguirre] and I both love pop music and classic R&B, while the bassist, Jason, grew up loving 80's alternative rock, new wave and the music of the 80s British invasion. Drummer Lewis Cano is into experimental alternative rock and I'm pretty sure our violinist, Ian, likes all music indiscriminately.” Leonard de Aguirre added, “People should listen to our music at least weekly. We love people, places and things and write music for dreamers and devils alike. Bring the whole family!”
Lady Romeo is excited about their future plans in terms of their music. Varoz shared that studio time is in their sights. “We're working on recording our first demo so that we can start getting booked on more serious shows. We've only just begun gigging around Albuquerque and we'd like to start getting out there and introducing ourselves to the city. The demo will help us decide what to put on our first album, which we'd like to record in the Spring.”
If you want to know why you should catch one of their live shows, Hudson gave his take on the topic. “When I play with Lady Romeo, I get to vibe with everyday people who are inspired to be great. We bring a sense of creative passion to our music and a performance that's relatable and easy to listen to. With meaning and feeling, Carrie's lyrics will take you on a journey of love and life. We jam smooth rock ballads and keep it sexy with a new eclectic sound.”
Keep your ears tuned for this band. I have a feeling they will be on the local scene for a long time to come. To learn more about their upcoming gigs visit them @LadyRomeoMusic on Facebook.