Colombian Pop Band Morat Rocks The U.S.
Si Ayer Fuera Hoy Tour Dazzles in Charlotte and Beyond
The next generation of Latin rock and pop is upon us and their name is Morat. With a folky, pop-rock sound, the band has quickly skyrocketed to the top becoming the most-streamed Latin pop-rock band in the world. Their Si Ayer Fuera Hoy Tour recently wrapped here in the States as Morat won over legions of new fans as they brought their energetic and dynamic live show to cities around America including a stop right here in Charlotte.
The chart-topping young band just finished their biggest U.S. tour to date and has their sites set on the rest of the world as they are quickly selling out stadiums and arenas across Latin America. After checking out their concert at Ovens Auditorium, it’s easy to see why. Here’s a rundown of their Charlotte tour stop.
The near-capacity crowd at Ovens Auditorium was comprised of thousands of screaming, young, Latina women and girls. Some came in groups, others were accompanied by their boyfriends or even parents for what I’m sure was an unforgettable experience. The merchandise lines were busy and I saw a variety of Morat merchandise and hats being shown off in style. It’s clear that this band has a rabid fanbase here in the Charlotte area and they came out in a show of support for their favorite band.
I was a little concerned about the language barrier as my Spanish is limited at best, but that proved to be a futile concern. More on that a bit later. There was no opening act for this performance but the audience was held in high anticipation by a huge curtain covering the entire stage. As the lights dimmed across the venue, a spotlight shone on the stage. Through the curtain, you could see the drummer Martin Vargas Morales. As the music began, the audience roared in excitement as the curtain dropped revealing the stage and it was on.
Morat’s music reminded me a bit of just about any pop boy band in history but with a definitive Latin flair. The members of Morat are extremely talented musicians and they transported us on a musical journey throughout the evening. Although 99% of what I heard both lyrically and from the musicians between songs was in Spanish, I still felt like I was in the moment. For me on this night, the music was universal. It didn’t matter that I didn’t understand every word or every phrase. I could pick keywords out, of course, love being one of them. But for tonight, I just let the music envelop me and went with it. Getting lost in the notes and the sentiments transcended any language barrier I may have had. Morat has the ability to connect with the audience on an intimate level even in a large theater and we all felt that connection, as if we were all one entity in time.
While we enjoyed the gorgeous vocals and distinctive strings of banjo and ukulele from Juan Pablo Isaza Pineros and Juan Pablo Villamil Cortez, we were captivated by the driving bass lines of Simon Vargas Morales.
Morat was top-notch in every way, not just musically but production-wise as well. Simon was all over the stage, slinging his bass in the air and fist-bumping fans in the front. We also had all the bells and whistles expected from a top-tier rock show with lights, fog, and special effects accompanied by huge screens at the rear of the stage. Morales’s drumkit was a thing of beauty, with geometric-shaped colored drums as he tore it up throughout the evening. At one point during the evening, they even made it rain on stage.
The fans of course loved every moment of the show from the anticipation that built before the curtain dropped to the final song of the night. Everyone was on their feet, hands in the air, dancing and swaying to the glorious melodies. For me, the night was proof indeed that music is the universal language. If you missed them this time, don’t worry. I’m confident the band will make its way back to the U.S. for another exciting run of dates at some point in the not-so-distant future.
See the Full Gallery of the Night Here!
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