With only two acoustic guitars, Rodrigo y Gabriela create more energy than most rock bands. Their music can best be described as a mix of guitars with flamenco, rock and metal influences, but they prefer to call it ‘fusion music'. Initially, the press paid little attention to them, but after their sensational performance at the Pukkelpop festival two years ago, the Belgian audience was thrilled. Word-of-mouth advertising did the rest. Meanwhile, they also gave explosive concerts in the Ancienne Belgique concert hall two years in a row.

Both hail from Mexico City and met as teen metal fanatics. Rodrigo Sanchez was then playing in the metal band Tierra Acida and Gabriela Quintero joined the band. Tierra Acida split up and Rodrigo and Gabriela decided to take a step into the unknown and travel to Europe. Their first port of call was Dublin, where they are still based today. They played on the street, in bars, at parties, in people's homes and even at weddings. There was a move to Copenhagen and later to Barcelona. Damien Rice, who was then one of their busking friends, asked the duo to perform at the Oxegen festival. This turned out to be the breakthrough for Rodrigo and Gabriela and from then on, everything went very quickly for the guitarists.

The duo had already released three albums: Foc, Live in Manchester and Dublin and re-Foc, before the release of the album Rodrigo y Gabriela (2006), produced by John Leckie (Radiohead, Muse, New Order). Last year, Rodrigo y Gabriela Live in Japan followed. Rodrigo always plays the melody. They are known for their alternative covers of songs from Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, etc., but Rodrigo y Gabriela original songs can be counted on to inspire as well. The idiosyncratic approach to music, be it flamenco, metal, rock or a ballad, ensures that these guitar virtuosos effortlessly engage the audience.

Rodrigo Sánchez (acoustic guitar), Gabriela Quintero (acoustic guitar)