“They apparently were really happy with the success of last year and the overall energy that we brought to the series,” says Wonky Power founder Mario Rodriguez. “We are happy that they asked us again and hopefully it goes well again this year so we can get invited back next year but we will see.”
The series will kick off this Thursday May 2 serving as a precursor to Cinco De Mayo,with performances by Austin’s nine piece, Latin funk collective Grupo Fantasma. Houston’s own Grupo Vadenagi, a family band made up of four sisters who play a mix of traditional Norteno music and cumbia with a modern edge.
Last year was their first year teaming up with a big partner like Discovery Green and UHD and Rodriguez admits there was a learning curve for Wonky Power who typically put on their own events year long at their venue and through their sister venue Axelrad.
“It was a big learning experience for all of us," says Rodriguez. “They were happy, we were happy and the artists were all happy to be on that stage.”
Much like last year, and everything fueled by Wonky Power, the lineup for the weekly Thursday series is incredible and really shows off Rodriguez and his small team’s ability to build relationships with artists and represent a diverse range of musical sounds while providing great opportunities for smaller acts to join more established groups on stage.
Following their opening night, the series will continue with a three band bill featuring French born and Austin based country crooner Theo Lawrence, funky soul duo of Kalu & The Electric Joint and Houston’s own rockers The Creeps.
The third weekend is an all Houston lineup with performances by Vortxz, Astragal and Blossom Aloe making for a night of dreamy pop rock with all three bands on different wavelengths of a similar spectrum.
Finally the series will conclude with Austin’s one man soulful pop artist Mobley, San Antonio’s throwback soul band Joaquin and the Glowliners and Houston’s upbeat, dancey pop queen Sugar Joiko.
Last year, Wonky Power held online voting submissions to select bands to showcase on the Discovery Green stage for a concert that took place in November as well as providing three bands a spot on this UHD Thursday Series with The Creeps, Blossom Aloe and Sugar Joiko amassing the most votes.
All of the performing bands represent different genres and levels of exposure but are held together by the common thread of originality and sincerity in their craft, something Wonky Power seems to have a great eye for when booking events.
“We were trying to do something that was very special,” explains Rodriguez. “We wanted to do something where if anybody that was not from Houston were to come to Houston and walk through the park that night, they would have had a little bit of different styles of music in one night.”
Rodriguez and his team at Wonky Power wanted to again show off not only our city’s diversity but also their own wide range of musical tastes and influences as an organization, something that has always made Wonky Power stand out from the rest and no doubt has led them on the heels of celebrating their tenth anniversary.
Since they began, Rodriguez and his team at Wonky Power have thrived on being different not only from the bands they bring in or pump up in their own hometown but also with the energy they bring to shows by adding their own touch with in house, created visuals, an element that will again be part of the UHD Thursday Night concert series.
When asked how he keeps on top of all of the new music that is constantly being pumped into the world, Rodriguez has a boots on the ground approach by going to actually see live music every chance he gets and not skimming through suggested bands, but actually taking the time to delve into them and get to know what they’re about.
“I’m not just going to listen to the artist, I’m actually going to take the time to listen to the artist, see how good they are and dig a little deeper. I think that it's very important to always stay ahead of what's happening or what might happen with music because it’s ever changing and it’s changing a lot faster these days with technology.”
With Wonky Power only growing in strength, Rodriguez describes how they are broadening their vision from putting on great shows and popular monthly dance parties like their Noche de Cumbia nights, to putting on their own festival next spring."I think that it's very important to always stay ahead of what's happening or what might happen with music because it’s ever changing and it’s changing a lot faster these days with technology.”
tweet this
“We've gathered and made so many beautiful relationships with artists, musicians, writers
editors and people that help the community through different organizations throughout all these years. I think we can actually do this and maybe make it successful and continue it every year. A lot of artists I know would love to be a part of it. We are very excited, it's just a little scary because it's going to be something new,” he says of the future festival.
Until then, Houstonians can see what Wonky Power is all about with this year's Thursday Night UHD Concerts. “We’re ready, we are solid and we hope to see people out there. We are very excited for it and we want the whole Houston community to come out, have a good time and enjoy some music.”
The UHD Thursday Night Concerts will take place weekly beginning on Thursday, May 2 with Grupo Fantasma and Grupo Vaemagi at Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney, 7 p.m, free.
