CONCERT REVIEW: Quintana Roo, Grenoble, France February 10th, 1995

- Ali Sinclair

Quintana Roo returned to the Entre-Pot on Friday night to the scene of the recording of their first CD like homecoming heroes. They returned to a full house, with people waiting outside trying to get in; tables and chairs scraped off the floor to provide more standing-room; even several groupie-lookalikes with skin-tight silver-plated clothing and scalpel-red nails, who'd been waiting impatiently at the door for the club to open.

The show was opened by Jean-Philippe, guitarist with another local band, who gently invoked the spirit of the evening with a touch of inspired solo flamenco. Then Quintana Roo arrived on stage, and the awoken spirit of Spain and Mexico was singing, dancing, stamping its feet and rock'n'rolling for the next two-and-a-half hours - and lingering in the ears and memories of the four-hundred people who were there to clap, to dance, to cheer and to whistle for more. Even the hardened drinkers who prop up the bar night after night, regardless of the music, were enthusiastically stomping and cheering and tapping their glasses like castanets.

A mixture of new songs and old favorites. "Iznajar" and "Caminos Azules", always powerful and haunting, Pierre's vocals were strong and clear with the bass pounding out a Spanish rhythm. The new songs, such as "Onirismo" and "Tierra de Nadie" were well-received and well-performed as the songs that were recorded at the Entre-Pot fourteen months ago. Like a team of matadors in the bullring of the concert hall, each member of the band came forward, teased, tormented and left their mark on the crowd, then blended back into formation: Greg's soaring guitar solos, Jean's vocals on "Direccion Unica" and his "Anonimo" drum solo, Christophe's happy-dancing guitar and percussion and Pierre's flute were all part of a team, slaying the audience yet leaving them crying for more.

Three encores were demanded and given. It was after one o'clock in the morning, and still the crowd called for more; Quintana Roo came back for one final, rousing encore that set the whole room dancing.

Their CD, Live at the Entre-Pot, is available in France from the FNAC chain of record stores.

Quintana Roo can be seen throughout France at the following sites: March 2-3 Cantina, Chamonix March 9-10 Simrock, Flens March 11 St. Geoire en Faucignl March 24 Bonneville April 1 Festival, Chambery April 14 La Marmite, Preuilly April 15 Le Vintilo, Bourges April 21 Le Perfecto, Bourges May 11 Summum, Grenoble May 12 L'Oddito, Rouen May 17 L'Oddito, Havre May 18 Jazz Rock Cafe, Havre May 20 Retro Bar, Caen