Venezuela's Hottest Party Band to Play London 7 Feb

LAI playing 'Mentiras' live in Buenos Aires

London is bracing for a Venezuelan invasion as the hottest Latin-party band in the universe, Los Amigos Invisibles, prepares to rock the UK capital to its ultra-funk foundations with a single live show at the Garage on Friday 7 February.

Tickets priced £25 are on sale through Latino Life but don't hang about as they're selling faster than hot buttered arepas.

To get a taste of the full Amigos experience, here's a video of the track 'Mentiras' from an LAI gig in Argentina in 2010 where the boys blew the place apart with a trawl through their back catalogue.

Summer sounds don't come any fresher, funkier or funnier than the band's upbeat Latin grooves and music lovers can expect the Venezuelan party boys to shine a ray of South American sunshine over a grey, wet London in Islington on Friday.

It should be a very special gig as the UK is like a musical Mecca for Los Amigos Invisbles. Growing up in the Caribbean, in a country awash with merengue and salsa, the boys swam against the tide and immersed themselves in US rare grooves and music from the British acid-jazz scene.

Playing pool parties for their pals, they quickly learnt how to blend the sounds of early Santana, the Fania Allstars and 70s disco with 80s electronica and house music to create sexed-up songs with irresistible sing-along choruses.

Few other bands have the ability to tease Latin-lover dance moves from an audience, and even the stiffest British wallflower will find it hard to stay still when the music starts.

It's been seven years since LAI played a gig in the UK but luckily for us their latest album "Repeat After Me", has been a big hit, prompting a massive tour to bring what the Invisible Friends call la gozadera (the party fun) to their full panas (best mates) in Europe.

The boys have certainly been busy of late, picking up a Latin Grammy Award for Best Alternative Album for the CD "Comercial" and releasing a movie called "La Casa del Ritmo" to celebrate their 20 years of making great music.

Starting out as an indie-underground group playing acid-jazz-inspired funk and boogaloo for a Caracas in-crowd, the six members of Amigos Invisibles were catapulted to international stardom when ex-Talking Head Davis Byrne signed them to his Luaka Bop label in 1996 for the album "The New Sound of the Venezuelan Gozadera".

Since then they have recorded tracks with Masters at Work and Dimitri from Paris, played in over 60 countries, produced seven quality albums, and gained a reputation as one of the best Latin music acts performing live today.

To keep up with all the latest from Los Amigos Invisibles follow them on Twitter: @AmgsInvisibles

Venue: The Garage, 20-22 Highbury Corner, London, N5 1RD
Time: Doors open at 22:30
Nearest Tube: Highbury & Islington
Tickets: On sale via Ticketmaster

Musica Llanera - Caballo Viejo

UPDATE - 19/02/2014: Venezuela Bids Adios to a Much Loved Folk Legend

Probably one of Simon Diaz' most famous songs, Caballo Viejo (Old Horse), was allegedly written by the singer to a young beauty queen. He might be an old horse, goes the song, but he still fancies his chances. It has the typical Llanos accompaniment of maracas, harp and cuatro (small, four stringed guitar). The video couldn't be slushier, but if you're into soft-focus and longing looks across a plate of steaming arepas, this one is for you. The Gipsy Kings called this song "Bamboleo" and had a huge hit with it. But Simon Diaz wrote it.

Caballo Viejo
Translated by Russell Maddicks

When love arrives like this, in this way
you don't even realise
The genipap tree comes to life again
The guamacho tree flowers
and the rope snaps

The horse is put out to pasture
because he is old and tired
but they don't realize
that a heart that is tied
when the reins are released
becomes a runaway horse

And if the old horse meets
a chestnut filly
his heart is pulverized
He ignores the bridle
and he ignores the bit
and false reins don't stop him

When love arrives like this, in this way
you are not to blame
love has no schedule
or a date on the calendar
when desires are joined

The horse is put out to pasture
and his days are numbered
he crosses the plains
with a hurried step
to meet his filly
who has poisoned him

The colt has time for time
but because he's too old
the old horse cannot
lose the flower he's given
because when this life is over
there are no more chances

Report: Simon Diaz to be honoured at Latin Grammy Awards

Click here for a video of "Angustia" by Simon Diaz remixed by Babylon Motorhome