I’ve missed a lot of things during this forced shutdown and at the top of that list has to be seeing and hearing the great performers that are a part of the Palladium family. It is these folks, who rely on shows like ours for their livelihood, who have borne the brunt of this dark period.
I’m looking forward to getting them back on the Palladium stage later this summer. For now, you can spend time with them through a series of blog posts that will feature some of our favorite performers.
Today I visit with three musicians who certainly qualify as members of the Palladium musical family. Mark Feinman, Alejandro Arenas and John O’Leary are known collectively as La Lucha and the Side Door was to be the site of their album release party, with famous musicians gathering from around the country to be part of it.
We hope to have a new date sometime later this summer to celebrate that upcoming release. Until then, enjoy a this brief encounter with the guys from La Lucha.
PALLADIUMPAUL: When was your last paying music gig?
LALUCHA: The last gig we got paid for was actually one we didn’t get to play. We had just gotten done with soundcheck on Thursday, March 12th for the first night of the Sarasota Jazz Festival. While having dinner before the first set, we got the news that the festival had been cancelled.
PP: Do you have a paying gig coming up in the next month?
LL: No…and this trend seems to be extending further than June. It’s tricky to determine when is a safe time and place to perform. We are playing things by ear and there may be a couple of opportunities for virtual performances. We are all trying to figure out what the new normal is or will be, so as this situation gets extended we have to be resourceful.
PP: What has kept you busy during this shutdown?
LL : In terms of music, we are working on a couple of different projects, both as a band and as individuals. We’ll have more news down the road, but we are planning a few online concerts. Most importantly, we have been preparing for the release of our new album for Arbors Records. The title is “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” and the official release is June 12th. We have had a good number of pre-orders, which has been wonderful because we are donating part of the proceeds to Feeding Tampa Bay. People have been very generous and we are very fortunate to be in a position to help.
PP: Has there been a silver lining, personally, for you?
LL: We all appreciate the opportunity to slow down a bit and spend time with the family. We have been very fortunate to be able to navigate this difficult time with our wives and children safe and healthy. Something we hope happens is that people become even more eager for live music when we are able to get back to performing in person. There is nothing like the energy of a live audience. In the meantime, we hope they get to enjoy our new album in the comfort and safety of their homes.
PP: Is there anything you’d like to share with your Palladium fans?
LL: We miss you all! It’s been rough not being able to perform for you all and having to postpone our album release concert back on April 23rd was very difficult. But we are still creating music and can’t wait to share it with you face to face…but at a safe distance! We hope you’re all staying safe and healthy.
PP: How can we hear your new album since the release show has been delayed?
If you are interested in hearing our new album, pre-orders are still available at www.LaLuchaMusic.com and will be available on all music platforms June 12th. Our first single Por La Tarde featuring Ken Peplowski & Diego Figueiredo is available on Friday, May 22nd
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