Boogaloo Assassins Concert Review
by Aztec Parrot
Boogaloo Assassins at the Lodge Room in Highland Park, April 14, 2023. // Photo by @phtoman
Boogaloo Assassins are a 12-piece Latin Boogaloo, Salsa, and Latin Soul group from Los Angeles, California
10 Years ago, the Boogaloo Assassins released a 7-inch cover of the
classic Dawn Penn song, “You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No)” which rocked
the SoCal radio airwaves just before the popularity of music
streaming. With the release of their debut album, Old Love Dies Hard,
the Assassins took their mean rent party boogaloo, funky salsa dura 12
piece band everywhere including backing Fania legends Joe Bataan and
Roberto Roena. The run peaked with an appearance at Salsa Parque,
Colombia’s premiere salsa event in 2019.
[Insert COVID] Damn!
After a well-deserved adjournment into other projects, and the
anticipation for their long awaited 2nd album, the Boogaloo Assassins
threw a house party, and brought back the electric feeling of la
pachanga with a long awaited show at Highland Park’s Lodge Room. The
12 piece ensemble, complete with a 4 part coro, started their show
within their wheelhouse unloading boogaloo, son montuno, charanga and
some funky timba tinted soul. At one point frontman Charles Farrar
asked the sharply dressed and sweaty crowd, “Does everybody have a
drink?” and conducted an official toast to start the party. The
Assassins definitely swing by the signs of happy movement by the sold
out crowd to their seasoned sound.
They ushered in the nostalgia energy with a cover of the Joe Bataan’s
arrangement of the classic standard “I Wish You Love Part 1 & 2” which
starts with a slow crooning by singer Bobby Soul and ends in a smoking
uptempo mambo. The crowd danced in appreciation and enjoyed the band’s
heartfelt efforts to rock the house. Besides the energy of an excited
and energetic crowd of dancers, the Boogaloo Assassins proved that
their brand of funky latin soul pari music can still torch the dance
floor but also survive a pandemic without losing a step. See this band
when you can. Bring your dance shoes and two towels.
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