By: Emily María Díaz
New York City is home to some of the most niche live concert experiences across the East Coast. The right headliner yields the power to transport audiences back to the rural crevices of their homeland, a significant period throughout their teenage years, or in the case of Pascuala Ilabaca y Fauna, into a psychedelic lightshow of Chilean folkloric culture.
The Sultan Room in Brooklyn, New York, hosted Pascuala’s concert last week on Tuesday. An indie crowd of dedicated Pascuala fans embraced the space, and while some were Spanish-speaking, others attended simply to enjoy a diverse cultural experience. As I watched fans from all walks of life immerse themselves throughout the night, it is safe to say she appeals to a wide demographic. The concert consisted of two sets with a 30- minute intermission period. The first half of the night highlighted her hits and fan-favorite songs, while the second half was a “psychedelic light show,” as described by Pascuala herself.
Live performances require ebbs and flows. And Pascuala started this set off strong by pleasing the crowd with her hit, «El Baile del Kkoyaruna». As she continued, she sprinkled slowed downed renditions of newer music such as, «Sin Mi» and personal testimonies of her inspiration for music in between more high-energy performances of songs like, «Por Que Se Fue la Paloma» and «TeTraigo Flores». Throughout her short conversations with the crowd about her music, she highlighted her vocation of raising awareness about femicide and the blatant homophobia which crowds the music industry and Chilean culture. It was refreshing to experience such an intimate concert in which not only the music was celebrated but social advocacy and allyship.
Pascuala alternated between playing her accordion and relying on her band to carry the instrumentals in the first half of this concert. Not only did this highlight their onstage chemistry as a musical ensemble, but it allowed Pascuala to indulge the crowd with her infectious dancing. When they played one of her earlier records, «Rezos de Montegrade,»in particular, Pascuala amped up the crowd and danced alongside her bandmates, who riffed off one another on stage.
As the second half of the concert began, audiences were immediately immersed in the rhythmic light show which was promised at the start of the night. This final half consisted of sonic and visual performances in which Pascuala Ilabaca y Fauna fully utilized The Sultan Room’s light display and experimented with the resonance of their instruments and speakers. At one point, the venue’s floors vibrated harmonically with Pascuala’s hypnotic vocals. She sang nonlyrical ballads, slower-paced records like «Ya No Estamos Para Mentiras,» and unreleased music such as «Paseo/Deseo,» a track she premiered on Facebook but has yet to release. Through this thoughtful setlist, consisting of fan-favorite music and experimental vocal work, Pascuala Ilabaca y Fauna’s Brooklyn concert was truly a delight.
The U.S leg of this tour ends mid-July in Lake Placid, NY with shows in Canada, Spain, Portugal, Germany, and France throughout the rest of the summer. So, grab a ticket while you still can!
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