I attended an AC/DC tribute concert this month, curious about the hype this traveling band named Rock or Bust, from Canada, was creating around town. They performed at an impromptu concert at Tikki Todd, a well-loved expat sports bar and event center in El Centenario. It was the second event, an encore from the success and requests they received in Baja.
How did they end up here? My curiosity deepened even further when the band’s manager sold the shirts off their backs to appease excited fans who would not take “Sold Out” for an answer, insisting on buying the last two t-shirts, even if they were used.
As someone raised on an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, where they democratized the telecommunications market in 1998, I was not familiar with most of the songs playing, yet what I witnessed, aside from the magnetic energy of the performance, was a real connection between the band and the audience.
During my interview with Kim Kahl, lead vocalist, and his wife Monica, who manages the band, I got the scoop on their Mexican connection, upcoming concerts in Baja and why they are seriously considering moving here from Canada.
The duo has been travelling to Mexico for years, visiting friends, and half joking about doing a concert locally one day. When the opportunity presented itself to play and simultaneously support a local charity in Los Cobos two years ago, they got a taste of what performing to a Mexican audience felt like and have been coming back for more ever since.
To my question, “What’s the main difference between a Mexican and Canadian audience?”, Kim answered: “I love performing everywhere. I love performing in Canada, and our Canadian audience is engaging, fun, and respectful. Playing in Mexico is a whole different experience. Both the locals and foreigners at our concerts in Mexico are extremely passionate, appreciative, and generous. People here are more affectionate, loving, and are of service. It’s an experience with the audience that continues beyond the concert.”
Touring with an international crew can be expensive and only being back in Canada for just one day, Kim and Monica are already considering, planning, and discussing the different ways to reduce the production costs on their next local event, while continuing to offer us an affordable, authentic, and professional AC/DC tribute.
What I appreciated the most during our conversation was their sincere and genuine desire to understand the local culture and inquire about how they can add value to this region beyond their musical influence. This is a mindset that I love celebrating in others, and with an open heart, I wish Kim and Monica the best in their Mexican adventures, and La Paz happily welcomes you. – Naailah Auladin.
For more on my work: www.naailahauladin.com
Naailah Auladin is a life and relationship doula in La Paz, specializing in trauma, crisis, and mental health. She focuses on teaching and inspiring individuals to take responsibility and ownership in participating in their civic duties, focusing on the well-being of the self first, as she believes that fostering and maintaining well-managed emotional, mental, and physical health is our first civic duty.