Venue: Birchmere, The
3701 Mt. Vernon Ave.
Alexandria, Virginia
703-549-7500
www.birchmere.com
Nearest Metro(s):

The name evokes fiery action, and their music surely backs it up. Pistolera — Spanish for gun holster — is a New York City quartet that fuses folky Latin pop, funk, cumbia, banda and rock with Mexican rancheras. While traditional rancheras are slow-paced, Pistolera frontwoman Sandra Lilia Velázquez — who sports tattoos on her left shoulder and a pistol necklace – cranks up the speed of this genre with her Les Paul guitar and her deep intoxicating voice, while her bandmates rock out on drums, accordion, and bass. Their latest single “Nuevos Ojos” is an infectious, foot-stomping ranchera with fantastic use of the accordion — a very danceable track that will surely add firepower to their high-energy live performances. — Alfredo Flores