Instrumental rock roots in distinctive flavors

Los Straitjackets, who bill themselves as America's Instrumental Rock & Roll Combo, wear Mexican Lucha Libre (pro wrestling) masks and make hot vintage music inspired by Mexico City's great garage and rockabilly madmen of the 1960s (like Los Rockin' Devils and Los Teen Tops), as well as the border country rock of Freddy Fender. We’ve heard them at The Ark together with Big Sandy and Marshall Crenshaw, but it’s been a while since we’ve heard their solo show. Los Straitjackets have released 18 albums, dating back to 1996’s “Viva,” and their live show is a great place to fill in the holes in your collection.

Special guests are The Jake La Botz Trio, and their show is just as diverse! Jake grew up in Chicago and studied the blues under the likes of David “Honeyboy” Edwards, “Homesick” James, and “Maxwell Street” Jimmy Davis, and he’s shared bills with luminaries like Ray Charles, Etta James, Dr. John, Etta James, Mavis Staples, Buddy Guy, and Junior Wells. He’s also had decades of Buddhist training, and the title of his latest album, “Hair on Fire,” refers to the Buddhist maxim that you should practice as if your hair were on fire. Buddhist blues? You’ll have to come and find out.


Please visit https://mutotix.umich.edu/4209/4210 for more detail.