VOLUMEN CERO has been at the forefront of Latinos that perform nontraditional music. In 2004, Volumen Cero became one of the first Latin Alternative groups ever to be profiled on MTV’s Advance Warning, which aired on MTV and MTV2. In 2005, Volumen Cero received Latin Grammy Nominations for best rock album by a duo or group for their critically acclaimed album Estelar and guitarist Marthin Chan was also nominated for best rock song, as writer for JD Natasha’s “Lagrimas.” With the release of their third album Estelar, the band’s first single “Autos” spent over 10 weeks in the #1 spot and 20 weeks in the top 3 of R&R’s Latin Rock Chart. 

THE MAY FIRE San Francisco has done it again. Once more the great city by the Bay has fashioned a musical product worth buzzing over. Right And Wrong has captured and liberated local listeners with sassy songs and adrenaline filled choruses, which echo that of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs Fever To Tell. Their liveliness has been compared to that of Metric and it’s quite apparent that there’s no end in sight for the young band. – Zero Magazine 

MONTE NEGRO - You are what you eat.  Monte Negro, a bilingual Los Angeles based rock band, has devoured enough music genres over the years to do justice to the bilingual and bicultural musicians that constitute the group.  Digesting healthy portions of Jane’s Addiction, The Cure, The Clash, and the Sex Pistols, Monte Negro has also piled onto its proverbial plate Latin-alternative rockers such as Caifanes, Los Fabuloso Cadillacs, Maldita Vecindad, Mano Negra, Soda Stereo, and Spinetta.  As with any good meal, Monte Negro combines sophisticated taste influences with unique combinations of flavor, and stews it all together with time and a pinch of luck.

LUALTA  "In 2002, local sextet Lualta received a San Diego Music Award nomination for "Best New Artist." After one listen to the band’s latest, five-song EP "Catapult" (Red Camera Recordings), it is immediately evident why. Lualta creates a kaleidoscope of layered styles and textures that is simultaneously engaging and sedating. Songs tend to start out light and easy before exploding into an electrifying fusion of psychedelic, R&B and garage rock. Hazy, druggy guitars mutate into down-and-dirty, pedal-heavy hooks and melt with tender, melodic keyboards. Lualta’s solid instrumentation, combined with lead singer Michael Hernandez’s pleasantly screechy, cigarette-scorched vocals, induces hypnotic reverie then jerks you awake."-Claire Caraska, SignOn San Diego
 

CHANA Influenced as much by Stereolab and Gorillaz as by Aterciopelados and Julieta Venegas, Chana is an LA-based singer whose tropical sound could be described as global hip-pop. Born in New York City and reared by a party-loving Dominican family, her father's salsa and R&B records were a sonic constant while growing up. After coming to LA, Chana began collaborating with producer Marthin Chan, whose previous work with Volumen Cero had earned him a Latin Grammy nomination. Working out of Chan's garage in Echo Park, the duo began collaborating in 2005, and were aided by friend Jorge Elbrecht of the New York art collective Lansing-Dreiden. Their first batch of demos includes "No Me Mandes Flores," which sounds like Andrea Echeverri fronting a funk band; "A Veces," whose swampy sonics and bouncy bass give off a dub feel; and "Icaro," a jagged, thrilling rush of pop. 

 VELORIO The energy of the live shows, the variety of the songs, and the diversity of the audience all reflect the many praxes of Velorio the band.  Velorio manifests the linguistic power of music to unite people, tongues and ideas

FIRME (pronounced “Fear-May”) has been energizing crowds across California for 10 years, honing their distinct sound.  Firme’s trademark sound often slides seductively from rock, to reggae, to Latin, and bring you back full circle. 

NO WAY JOSE is a Southern California punk band that has been building a buzz in the LA music scene. NWJ mixes their Southern California punk, Tex-Mex, and Mexican-American influences to create their own sound they call "Spanglish Punk." 

NOVELA writes music that is designed for the fan of 50’s rock, 60’s soul, British pop, Ye Ye, and Jangle rock.  Sounding at times like a healthier Serge Gainsbourg or a less attractive Scott Walker, and being unapologetic to it’s heroes for it’s blatant musical thievery, Novela writes music that captures the thoughts that we all go home to at night. 

 Sergio Iglesias and the Latin Love MACHINE: “Armed with a toilet plunger and a rotating band of musicians, Sergio Iglesias is here to ruin the party. Maybe you've seen Sergio Iglesias and Los Magnificos fill the Hemlock Tavern with a joyful, festive cacophony. Or caught Sergio Iglesias and Los Bulliciosos nearly destroy the City College of San Francisco campus. If you were lucky, you might've seen Iglesias  with his signature plunger and a tape player perform solo in and outside the Civic Center, Powell, and Montgomery BART stations, wailing atop trash cans, plunging the ground, and bewildering tourists and locals alike. But even if you did see all these shows, you still never know what to expect except to be surprised.” –-Sarah Han - SF Bay Guardian