El Vez @ Newtown Social Club

El Vez

Newtown Social Club

Sydney, AUS

December 26, 2015

1977.

The Germs play their first show ever opening for The Zeros, followed by The Weirdos.          

A wet dream come alive for any KBD-style punk rock aficionado. 

A 17 year-old young hopeful named Robert Lopez was playing guitar for The Zeros. 

Fast forward 24 years. 

Robert releases a 7" called Esta Bien Mamacita under the moniker El Vez, mixing an Elvis Presley homage with his Latin-American musical heritage. 

The 7" is released on the independent garage rock and punk label Sympathy for the Record Industry. 

A promotional copy of the aforementioned slab of vinyl found its way to groundbreaking Placebo Radio Show, a radio show moderated by the affected, rumbling voices of the Toyota Herges bros, the more agreeable input of the lead singer of ABC Diabolo and other luminaries from Germany's smallest Federal State. 

Placebo often provided the first German coverage to international punk, hardcore and other fringe acts. 

It was the first time yours truly was exposed to El Vez.

Fast forward another 24 years. 

Boxing day, 2015.

El Vez materializes in a Santa suit, flanked by his charming back-up singers, The Elvettes, and sustained by a stoical, tight backing band. 

High kicks, splitso jumps, costume changes, an array of cover versions and medleys with altered lyrics to suit his mild political activism. 

A potpourri of pop and rock quotations.

Robert Lopez, baby boomer who recently legally qualified for "senior discounts," is pulling it all off with ease and gusto.

Si - not unlike a quesadilla it is intentionally cheesy at times, but overall his energetic show is like Mexican cuisine: Well done basic staples, the occasional flavourful kick and a colorful presentation.

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Photo by KAVV