Belmez
The Mint
Los Angeles
Contact: Hotline, 310.666.1315; belmezentertainment@yahoo.com
Web: belmezentertainment.com
Material: Belmez is a fascinating name that fits this act to a tee. It's a village in Spain known for strange, haunting phenomena. In fact, if Criss Angel, the magical mindfreak, had a band this would be it. With a sound that combines Live with the Cure, this group creates material that resists ordinary labels. It's definitely rock, but it also indulges almost every sub-genre within that category. Being so unusual can be a double-edged sword, but Belmez manages to make it compelling in a curious way. Although the shape-shifting songs may be difficult to classify, they form a gateway for the doors of perception and affect the way you think about genre classifications.
Musicianship: This is an excellent band with loads of power and finesse.The players are so locked into one another their movements are often identical, in a natural, un-choreographed way. Joe Abraham is an intense and expressive vocalist, not unlike the Cure's Robert Smith. His bandmates support him and the music so well, they truly become one. At times during the set, their sound is so big and so dense, you'd swear you were sitting in an outdoor arena enjoying Lollapalooza.
Performance: It's tough to look beyond Abraham when this group is performing. Charismatic and captivating, he was the ultimate frontman. With a strong image and eerie stage presence, he played the part to the hilt.
Summary: Musically intriguing and visually perplexing, this act is hard to pin down. But, what isn't hard is recognizing a band that has something special. Though they confuse, they also enlighten. And, that peculiar aspect could bring Belmez the attention they deserve.
––Bernard Baur