When tourism is soft in the southern Mexico colonial city of Oaxaca, those in the hospitality industry have to think out of the box to pay the bills. After all, tourism is all that Oaxaca has to support its economy; survival means adaptation and innovation. So when Chef Pilar Cabrera (Casa de Los Sabores Cooking School) and Luis Espinosa, owners of popular downtown Oaxaca restaurant La Olla, learned of an opportunity to have a good old fashioned American country, blues and rock band play in their upstairs bar level, they jumped at the chance.
The usual La Olla weekend-night troubadour strumming soft Latin tunes just doesn’t draw enough people especially when tourists are a scarce commodity. And you can altogether forget the marimba, the Andes-style music and even the mariachis. But hire the likes of Bughouse, and see what happens. On a recent Saturday evening, Bughouse not only completely filled the restaurant’s wine bar / bistro level with a healthy mix of foreigners and residents as well as native born Mexicans, but there was overflow – relegated to tables set up in the exterior hallway area.
Who is Bughouse and What are They Doing in Oaxaca?
Bughouse is Marcia Goldenberg on vocals, Bill Stair bass and mandolin, Doctor Alberto Zamacona on drum box, Mikey Hillard on lead guitar and vocals, and Steve Lafler on rhythm guitar and vocals. Goldenberg once opened for Bill Monroe, the legendary Bluegrass great. The way she belted out not only blues, but also country and rock tunes, illustrated that she’s the real deal. It was indeed an honor to have her sing in Oaxaca.
Three of the band members are permanent residents of Oaxaca who regularly jam with other expats. Bill Stair hales from Bristol, England, but lived in New York City for 20 years. He is a career professional musician and recording producer who has played at the legendary punk rock club CBGB's in the East Village. Stair also directs Bughouse rehearsals. Alberto Zamacona is a doctor practicing in Oaxaca. He was born in Los Angeles, went to high school in Kentucky, and college in Indiana. Steve Lafler is a cartoonist/graphic novelist who has been living in Oaxaca since August, 2007.
Goldenberg and Hillard have been visiting Oaxaca since 2007, as guests of Lafler and his wife. Goldenberg, a lecturer in the Department of Nursing at the University of Southeastern Maine, sang with country bands in the eighties. Mikey Hillard is a labor history expert and professor of economics at Southeastern.
How Did Bughouse Bring the House Down at La Olla?
Bughouse played one long set of about 1 ½ hours, to a packed house. Goldenberg sang a number of country tunes such as The Bottle Let Me Down by Merle Haggard, You Win Again by Hank Williams, I Lost It by Lucinda Williams and Wild & Blue by The Mekons. She also did a soulful rendition of Chuck Berry’s Nadine. Lafler sang some songs by Cracker including Mr. Wrong and Eye of Fatima, Velvet Underground’s Waiting for The Man, as well as three of his own tunes. For an encore, Goldenberg crooned The Beatles’ Oh Darling.
What Can La Olla and Other Restaurants in Oaxaca Learn from the Bughouse Experience?
La Olla has learned to adapt and innovate. The evening provided Don Luis and Chef Pilar with an opportunity to showcase their restaurant to some American residents who had not previously patronized La Olla, and to offer their regular Oaxacan customers something new and exciting. It was also a way for them to pry open the closet to satisfy their secret yearnings for that old fashioned rock & roll, country and blues. Who would have thought?
The evening provided an opportunity for La Olla to promote its full menu to new faces, and to inaugurate its menú botanero, a selection of lighter snacks, to all. The ceviche verde, the tostadas topped with crumbled salchicha oaxaqueña, and the aromatic hierba santa leaf wrapped around small quesillo balls resting on a tangy salsa, were each particularly impressive. Of course it all goes down nicely with beer, margaritas, domestic spirits such as mezcal or tequila, or a bottle of Argentinian malbec.
A suggestion for the next time Bughouse is in town? Extend the evening by convincing the band to do two sets, which without a doubt will heighten the energy level (if that’s possible), double the entertainment value of the evening, and of course increase sales during a time in Oaxaca when increased revenue is sorely in need.
Alvin Starkman - Alvin Starkman runs Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast. He is a paid contributing writer for Mexico Today (http://www.mexicotoday.org).
