Los Alcos on inspiration & supernatural forces
The love runs deep, and the vibes are high. Hailing from Austin, Texas, Latin psychedelic rock fusion and la familia banda, Los Alcos, are making their way on the Denver scene.
What began as a one-man band fronted by Alex Alcos has evolved into a stacked ensemble and multigenerational jam. Alex joined forces with his dad, David Alcocer II, lead guitarist — formerly of the 70s prog rock group Heyoka. The core duo collaborates with a talented cast of family, friends, and artists in Austin and now Denver.
Their latest album, ‘Dia De Los Alcos,’ is otherworldly and wild with tears of guitar. Songs of hope and freedom mix with those of sadness and rage over immigration and cultural strife. The tripiness of ‘Super Deluxe,’ and a jazzy instrumental called ‘Doom,’ each masterfully infused with a traditional Latin flair and vocal features by Alex and (Austin-based) Vanessa Burden.
There is a spotlight on sacred and supernatural forces, which Alex says he has encountered firsthand. ‘Duende’ herself is a mysterious spirit of the night, sometimes depicted with long, flowing hair. But ‘Duende’ is also the power of charm moving through a performance. It is an authenticity that inspires the audience — and breaks their heart — for all the beauty on stage.
Catch Los Alcos at Fast Friends Beer Co. in Austin (10.26) and at Ophelia’s in Denver (11.9)! And read more about them below in the Q&A with Alex:
Die Indie: Latin-psych, space-funk, groove-rock…where do these inspirations come from?
Alex: I’ve had the privilege of being exposed to a bunch of different styles of music and generations of musicians – my dad (lead guitarist) and my Tía (who was a DJ). I think I got my first drum kit when I was three years old and have been playing music and dancing to music for as long as I can remember. I love psych-rock and traditional Latin music, the original roots of rock and roll, and the improvisational aspects of jazz and jam bands.
How did you get started in Austin and how long have you been in Denver?
I started drumming around Austin in 2018 – was playing in a lot of bands and writing a bunch of music. I was a one-man-band for a while, playing all the instruments on loop. KUTX picked up one of our songs, and I think our first show with the whole band was maybe in 2019.
When COVID hit, I had a friend in Denver with an open door. I think I planned to stay for a few months, but I loved it. I was still able to write music, explore nature, and there was a lot less political turmoil [surrounding the pandemic] than in Texas. We owe a lot to Molly from KUVO Jazz. She heard us online and connected us with some great musicians here. We spent a couple years playing Sofar Sound shows and establishing the Denver sect of the band.
What kind of message are you hoping to spread, as an artist?
Music has been a strong force for me to be happy and to enjoy life. I believe we’re all on a vibration together, and it feels good to help elevate that. The underlying message is celebrating our culture and our love for each other. We’re a family, and we’re inviting people to join in that. I hope it’s motivating to see artists of all ages and backgrounds on the stage. We try to highlight voices that are underrepresented in our music, and I’m happy to share the stage with Vanessa Burden (vocals and lyrics, Austin) and Felisa Latin Soul (vocals, Denver).
What are you all focused on right now?
We have a couple new songs in the set that we want to get recorded. By 2025, we’ll have new songs to share and might release some demos in the meantime. And of course, we’ll be playing shows. This is my career, and you have to get gigs – they’re also just my favorite thing to do.
What makes the Denver music scene unique? What do you think it could benefit from?
It feels like you can kind of know everyone right now, it’s not too big. But I feel like it’s growing, and I’m happy to be a part of that. I would love to see more free shows around the city. Of course the musicians need to get paid, but making shows open to everyone is the dream.
What Denver artists do you admire?
Corner 3 Jazz (@corner3jazz)
Don Chicharrón @chicharron_don
Fruta Brutal @frutabrutal
Gio Chamba @giochamba
Kayla Marque @iamkaylamarque
Namebackwards (Enmanuel Alexander) @namebackwardss
Red Sage @redsagemusic
Ritmo Cascabel @ritmocascabel
The Mañanas @themananasband
Wild Love Tigress @thewildlovetigress
*Psst* Check out a playlist featuring these artists!
Last one - who does your album artwork? It’s very cool.
Yeah, that was Cat Barrera! She’s an Austin-based illustrator, but just designed Westword’s concert calendar, so is doing work in Denver now too.
