by Sorrel Moseley-Williams
Herald staff

Ale Franov, a balding yet jolly looking fellow, and his electro-acoustic band were a bit like a salad in need of some dressing, but there’s nothing wrong with experimenting, given that they were the opening act on the first night of Limbo, the independent music festival, which is now in its second year.
The electro-acoustic combo started off slowly, melancholically, but the main man’s mixing up of electronic and acoustic guitar, often playing his instruments laid out across his lap, and rising vocals became more up tempo as it began its descent down. In a post-gig chat, Franov agreed they should have started off stronger, instead of aiming for a gradual building of momentum. Maybe next time. Still, this is an independent music festival which means that some curious yapping from his laptop-managing niece isn’t worthy of the paper we’re printed on. At all.

MAIN COURSE. Following this light starter that whetted the palate but didn’t quite fill up the audience, lips were a-licking as the remaining hungry punters took their seats around tables in Ultra, chomping at the bit for the tastier, more substantial main course of electro-folk trio Tremor, comprising founder Leonardo Martinelli (charango, guitar), Camilo Carabajal (bombo legüero, and Gerardo Farez (keyboards and melodica) who spoke to the Herald last week about Limbo.
The bombo legüero is an intrinsic part of Tremor’s innovative musical style as well as the on-stage performance — Carabajal, beating his drum as if his life depended on it, quickly stripped down to a vest top, so passionate and demanding was his performance — and alongside Martinelli, who moved swiftly between acoustic guitar and charango mid-song, these are the instruments that add that special folkloric spice to their musical genre.
Carabajal, with his long black beard and sideburns and bald crown, is captivating to watch — his large drum belted round his waist practically reaches the floor, and he’s more riveting side-on as his drum sticks reflect under green lasers, creating a ghostly image of dozens of sticks all beating at once. And frankly he looked like he was drumming enough for 10 men.
But that’s not to say the other two pale into insignificance. The trio all physically differ: front man Martinelli tidy, neat and bespectacled, verging on OCD with his perfectly trimmed goatee, while tech-keyboard whiz Farez is the mad professor, uncontrolled bouffant bouncing away while he taps at his keyboard to create frenzied techno sounds against the Andean charango and the Argentine bombo legüero.
And these three musicians, who coincidentally are all drummers besides the other instruments they play, and their vocal-free folklore beat their way through second album Viajante, receiving whoops and cheers after every slickly performed track. Very appetising, but space to dance would have been appreciated.
Hungry for more? Although their run with Limbo is over, they’re back this Friday, so fill up then.

WHERE &
WHEN

Tremor play Friday, September 11 at Real, Peron 1281. Electro sets from residents DJ Mañana and Latina Turner. Admission $20.