Este Vato more than just dudes

"Este vato" translates to "this dude". Just looking at the six-piece Spanish fusion band, you would think that they are just some regular dudes. They are unassuming and very approachable. But on stage, Este Vato is a fiery blend of rock, hip-hop, cumbia and reggae.  

With their infectious live shows, Este Vato has quickly become one of the most well-known Latin bands in Austin. Formed in 2008, Este Vato is part of the ever-evolving Latin music scene. The group stands out with it's ability to play a wide range of sounds from the classic cumbia dance song to the more rock-heavy anthems. This versatility of their sound stems from each band member's unique musical background ranging from the heavy metal to traditional tejano.

"If you mix everyone's idea of Latin music and influences and styles and mix it all together, the final product is Este Vato music," said bassist Rocky Reyna.

Este Vato enjoyed their first break in early 2009, performing in Myspace Latino Remezcla.com En Tu Cuidad tour which has the band opening for punk rock stars Girl in Coma.

"That show helped us get a lot of exposure. It was definitely easier for us to get shows with local Latin bands," said Reyna.

Since that show, the band has continued to have success receiving attention from local Latino media such as GoHispano.com and Austin Vida. 

The guys now find themselves headlining or co-headlining their own show at various Latino music venues, but unlike most bilingual bands, Este Vato has also found itself often playing in many of the Red River venues including Beauty Bar, and Beerland, among others, but the reception has remained the same.

"We been lucky enough to have a good reception for our shows, and I think the fact that we have all these genres, we have this different sound that allows to play with rock bands and allows us to play hip-hop bands," said Reyna. "It's not necessarily something they can understand because not everyone speaks Spanish, but it's something they can feel."

Este Vato is currently promoting their debut self–titled album released in February 2010, which has helped bring even more buzz around this relatively young band. But even with this first album, the band is already looking forward to the future.

"Within the next couple of years, we want to drop a full length [album] that's professionally engineered and sounds ok, and one we'll shop around to record labels and hopefully get a deal," said Reyna.

So for anyone looking for an all-out cumbia dance party or some rock en español or everything in between, Este Vatos have you covered.