Tito Auger & Ricky Laureano

February 25, 2019 in concert photos, concert review

Once again Central Florida welcomed Puerto Rican singer-songwriters Tito Auger and Ricky Laureano, only this time performing together and for a special purpose.

Noche Borincana con Tito Auger y Ricky Laureano was a special event produced by Brincando El Charco, and held last Saturday, February 23, at Ellipsis Brewing in Orlando.

Revisiting their obligatory repertoire from Fiel a la Vega, with a few surprises, Auger and Laureano performed non-stop for almost two hours. Albeit in a somewhat intimate and unusual setting, their delivery is always strong and dedicated, no matter if they’re in front of thousands or just a few hundred.

Two acoustic guitars, two loud voices, a harmonica, and a few pedals were more than enough to temporarily transport the audience to a special place. A place were many have come from, sometimes carrying less luggage.

After a few mandatory encores, the night ended with a special rendition of the emblematic Verde Luz. Joined briefly by fellow Puerto Rican singer Hermes Croatto, it was the perfect sendoff for all the diaspora in attendance. For Doña Carmen, the youngest nonagenarian in the world who traveled over a hundred miles to be there. For my dad, who was not there. And for a few fleeting tearful eyes that will always be present.

All proceeds from Noche Borincana will go to the Ricky Martin Foundation and their housing reconstruction efforts in Puerto Rico.

More about Tito Auger:

Official site: TitoAuger.com
Instagram: @TitoAuger
Twitter: @TitoAuger

More about Ricky Laureano:

More about Brincando el Charco:

Bohemia @ the Park

October 02, 2018 in concert photos

The inaugural Bohemia @ the Park was held last Sunday, September 30, 2018 at the Ralph V. Chisholm Regional Park, in St. Cloud, FL.

The first of a series of upcoming events in Central Florida had the participation of American Idol-alum Alyssa Raghu, and Puerto Rican singer-songwriters Gabriel Casiano-Gabkas, Yaire, and Ricky Laureano.

Although a free event, all proceeds from donations and sales went to help La Casa de Todos, Inc., an organization/shelter in Puerto Rico providing help for abused children and domestic violence survivors.

The gathering was a production of Brincando el Charco, an entertainment company and weekly podcast created in Central Florida, aiming to unite the Puerto Rican diaspora in the United States and all over the world. More events will come soon. Stay tuned!

Additional images have been posted on Facebook.

More about Brincando el Charco:

Facebook: BrincandoElCharco
Instagram: @BrincandoElCharco

More about Gabriel Casiano-Gabkas:

More about Alyssa Raghu:

More about Yaire:

Facebook: YaireMusic
Instagram: @YaireMusic
Twitter: @YaireMusic

More about Ricky Laureano:

Fiel a la Vega

April 18, 2017 in concert review, concert photos

House of Blues Orlando welcomed Puerto Rican rock band Fiel a la Vega last Saturday, April 15, when they performed to a nearly sold-out crowd.

The stop was a continuation of their retrospective presentations that began on the Island late last year, marking the twentieth anniversary of their formation as a group and their eponymous debut album.

It would be far easier to make a list of the songs they didn't play, including the expected acoustic set of covers that is already ingrained in people's minds.

Fiel a la Vega is: Tito Auger (vocals, guitar), Ricky Laureano (vocals, lead guitar), Jorge Arraiza (bass, backing vocals), and Pedro Arraiza (drums, backing vocals). They were also accompanied by Francisco González on keyboards.

The local Puerto Rican diaspora is always eager to absorb and react enthusiastically to anything that brings them closer to the Island. Auger promised the crowd that they would be received and welcomed back home with open arms, at any moment, independently from any circumstance that drove them away in the first place. After singing his heart out and giving their all on stage, the feeling was definitely mutual.

In a show more than three hours long, Fiel a la Vega's message was loud and clear. A message delivered with the same energy as when they started more than twenty years ago. A message of social and political awareness. A message of national pride and love for the country. A message about the direness of its current situation. A message of hope for what's next.

That's where we come from.

Y eso no es de donde quiera.