If home truly is where the heart is, Mazacote band leader David Lopez definitely has to share his between his Nicaraguan homeland and Canada, where he now lives.
Describing his move here with his family in 1988 as both a physical and cultural shock, Lopez uses his music to talk about the beauty of the land he came from and to speak for those who can’t talk for themselves, the people who live there.
“In the first years of my family’s life in Canada, the longing for that life I used to know was very strong,” Lopez shared of his heart’s pull to his homeland and the sentiment reflected throughout the band’s third album, Patria. “At the end of my first trip back to Nicaragua, it was hard to leave and return to Canada. Years have gone by, and although I don’t feel that way anymore, I wanted to capture that all-too-common longing and nostalgia many immigrants feel,” he continues. “It’s possible the memories may be tainted by hardship and suffering, but deep down that longing never goes away.”
Also because of the political nature of the album he’s not returning to Nicaragua anytime soon.
“As the father of two young kids I have to be careful to travel back home, it’s a bit of a political album now that it’s out there, we’ve kind of made a political statement not supporting what the government is doing towards the people,” said Lopez. “It’s critical to get that message out in our music, being outside of the country you don’t feel like you can do much so we’re trying to use our creativity to not only stand up for the people who can’t speak for themselves but also showcase the beauty of the country the good things about Nicaragua and the good things about the people of Nicaragua and their hospitality.”
On New Year’s Eve at the Lakeside Resort Penticton residents will have an opportunity to hear the hard-hitting, party/world and Latin group in person and be transported to warmer climes with their richly tropical and brass-soaked beats.
Their appearance is part of the Lakeside’s New Year’s Eve 2020 Carnivale extravaganza.
Together since 2009, the six-members have transitioned from a cover band to a musical force to be reckoned with, Patria having reached number one on the Canadian campus radio world music chart.
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“I think we’re just trying to be authentic as to who we are. We are from different parts of Latin America and Canada and we’ve sort of been able to blend all those styles all those experiences together to make it a unique Canadians sound if I can call it that,” said Lopez.
And the key to Mazacote’s concert success is audience involvement.
“That is the sign of a true party when we get the dancing going and the audience participation and it kind of feeds the band as well, it’s the style of music where everybody gets involved otherwise it doesn’t feel right,” he said.
Tickets for Carnivale, billed as Penticton’s largest New Year’s Eve party with street-style food stations and cabaret dancers, can be purchased at the Lakeside or online https://www.pentictonlakesideresort.com/events/nye-carnivale-party/
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