Wednesday 29th May 2009 @ The Bell, Bath

The Bell, aside from being my favourite pub in Bath, is always a great place to be on a Wednesday night when there’s live music. Of all the times I’ve been however, this was the best. In fact it was the best live set I’ve seen in a long, long time. Partly perhaps because we’d gone to The Bell on a whim and had no idea what would be on, but mostly because the band were really something else. When we turned up at the door, the upbeat funk sound emanating from Tim’s guitar pulled us inside.

Compadres are a Bristol based Latin-music-playing trio. Raul, from Uruguay, sung vocals and played bass as well as tapping his foot on the woodblock which kinda looked like a skateboard wheel tapping against a cow bell. Tim was on the guitar, permeating the performance with Santana-esque solos and the Peruvian, friendly faced Sandro, was on drums.

Image: Abi Barfield

It’s great when bands are relaxed and Compadres were definitely so, as well as being very charismatic. You bounce off it! Everyone, although most seated as there’s no real dance floor in The Bell, were moving their torsos and toes to the rhythm.

The band played many of their own songs as well as a couple of tracks such as El Cuarto De Tula and Chan Chan, made famous by Beuna Vista Social Club. There was only a short break in the middle of their two hour set.

After they’d finished, I discussed Latin music briefly with Sandro and we agreed that there really isn’t much great Latin music happening in the UK at the moment. There’s a big gap there and I think Compadres could fill it beautifully. They are playing Mr. Wolfs on 13th June and I for one will be there in my dancing shoes!

www.myspace.com/compadreslatinos

Sophie Collard