Well, it's about damn time someone from San Diego took the time make a documentary about the music scenes in Tijuana and Mexicali, even if it's low-budget and amateurish looking. Local startup film company Snail Trail Media sets out to quench their curiosities of the music culture living in each bordertown.
Its first 15-minute short, “Blue Balls in Mexicali,” is available on YouTube and features Snail Trail Media partners Chad Deal and Hugo Fierro narrating and interviewing. The second short, "Tijuana: Caution, Wet Stripes," focuses on Tijuana musicians and will have a trailer debut at the first “Slug & Tug” event. It features performances by and interviews with Los Macuanos, Shantelle, Dani Shivers and Madam Ur y Sus Hombres.
Deal, producer at Snail Trail Media and a San Diego local, explains the company's purpose. “Our art/music collaborations are the snail trail that we leave behind.” He continues, “We went and slugged around Mexicali and Tijuana and now we are tugging some of our favorite artists and musicians back to San Diego.”
Snail Trail Media will also be releasing a full-length of Madame Ur y Sus Hombres' performance and interview. Madame Ur, A.K.A. Azzul Monraz, is a fascinating vocalist to watch, using her voice as full-on instrument – we're talking as in trumpet with the wah-wah sound. Deal says, “We both fell in love with Madame Ur’s sultry, dark cabaret sound on the first listen. We can only hope the video captures some of the energy in the room – I had chills almost the entire time!”
Slug & Tug is a FREE transborder cultural event on Saturday, Jan. 5. at 3524 Adams Avenue at 6 p.m. featuring street art and two screenings. Plus, live musical performances from Madame Ur (Tijuana) and Vampire Slayer (Mexicali). RSVP here.
WATCH “Blue Balls in Mexicali”
Dita Quiñones is a multimedia journalist with a passion for Latin alternative and hip-hop music news. In addition to SoundDiego, she contributes to Latina, FOX News Latino, Poder VidaVibrante, and HipHopDx. She is also the founder of the infamous music and politrix blog GN$F! Follow Dita on Twitter.
