B-Side Players

This San Diego-based outfit is surely tired of the constant comparisons they've garnered to Ozomatli. But the similarities are hard to ignore; after all, both groups have brown people in their ranks ... brown people who speak Spanish. And both groups put forward a power-to-the-people message via intoxicatingly effective live performances that incorporate a poly-ethnic range of musical styles. So yeah, they're pretty much the same band. Except they're not at all. The B-Sides put across a decidedly party-friendly vibe, one that's amplified by their unusual blending of rock en español, reggae, cumbia and a touch of silky soul. A propulsive (and large) rhythm section drives the proceedings, and the infectious warmth this seven-strong outfit shares on stage easily spills over into the crowd.