If Ali Gua Gua’s name sounds familiar, it may be because she’s been mentioned on this blog many times in various incarnations: DJ-about-town DJ Guagüis, one-woman electroclash act Afrodyke (a “autopiracy” cover of former collaborator Afrodite), and as the lead singer of our favorite queer cumbia punk band, the Kumbia Queers. If you like Ali Gua Gua’s later work, or if you just like tough-ass chicks with guitars, come see Ultrasonicas play their hits in a queer venue.

Ultrasonicas; Thursday, April 7, 2011, 11pm; Cabaretito Fusion, 77 Londres, Zona Rosa; 5511 1613, no cover for women

Also making the list is Chavela Vargas, legendary ranchera singer, who at 91 has recorded a new album in which she collaborates with various other musicians. The radio segment discusses her decades-long career, interrupted for many years by her battles with alcoholism, the heart-wrenching tone of her voice, and her creative relationship with Spanish film director Pedro Almodóvar. Disappointingly, it doesn’t even mention the fact that she is openly lesbian: she came out ten years ago at the age of 81.

Despite this omission, the segment is still worth checking out, as are all the musicians mentioned.

Sorry for the long hiatus here at Macha Mexico, but what better to lure us out of hibernation than the Kumbia Queers‘ new Mexican tour!

That’s right, Macha Mexico’s favorite queer-core Mexican/Argentine cumbia/punk band is back in Mexico for a month long tour. The majority of the shows are in Mexico City (with a few She Devils shows mixed in), but they’ll also heading north to Querétaro and Guanajuato, south to Oaxaca, east to Cuernavaca, and west to Veracruz.  Check out the Kumbia Queers’ website for complete dates and details of the Mexico: Te Quiero de a Madre tour.

The tour kicks off this weekend when the Kumbia Queers perform at Vive Latino, the tenth incarnation of Mexico City’s annual international festival of rock en español at the Foro Sol. This is a huge festival drawing big names in Spanish-language music. The names that most caught my attention were rocker/accordionist Julieta Venegas, gay-friend Puerto Rican reggeaton duo Calle 13, and chilango klezmer geniuses Klezmerson. (Find times and stages at the complete schedule for Vive Latino.)

The Kumbia Queers will be opening Sunday afternoon’s shows on the escenario azul at 1:00 pm, so go and show them some macha love!

Lesbian March*

For about four years (as I can recall)  this march has been celebrated as an alternative to the larger Gay Pride march in June that some consider more a carnival than a political protest. The motos of this march organized entirely by women are “Say no to the marketing of sexual diversity”; “Stop violent acts of the church, schools, medical science, family and political parties against women’s bodies”; “Stop feminicide all over the country”; “Against obligatory heterosexuality”, and “Stop total subordination of women in the world”.

In the past years, this march has been criticized because of the organizers’ reluctance to allow men’s participation–notwithstanding their political affiliation or good intentions. Apparently, this year things will change since men will be allowed to walk, although behind the main group.

Lesbian March,  from Zócalo to Monumento a la Revolución, 4 pm. If you want more information click here.

Chick’s Party

Never been there, but it advertises itself as “the best party for girls”. It offers an aerial dance show, go-go dancers, and a comfortable area to smoke and “make friends”. Karaoke from 7 to 9 pm and a couple of DJ’s will be playing the rest of the night. If you think this is not enough they also have valet parking….! My guess is that the scene would be similar to that of Lipstck, but you’ll have to find out.

Chick’s Party, Av. Chapultepec 456, near metro Sevilla. Cover: 80 pesos.

Rock Femenino

If you are looking for a more relaxed experience Foro Alicia is a great option. For more than ten years this legendary venue has been known as one of the few spaces in Mexico City where new groups of all musical genres can reach a quite diverse audience: rock, hip-hop, ska, rockabilly, cumbia, surf… you name it. This time, Los Leopardos (rockabilly), Black Violettes (rock) and famous Ultrasonicas will be playing. The last group features Ali Gua Gua, who also sings with our loved Kumbia Queers. This is definitely a great opportunity to dive within the alternative music scene of DF.

Rock Femenino, Multiforo Alicia, Av. Cuauhtémoc 91-A, Col. Roma, Tel. 55112100, Cover: 70 pesos.

*Thanks Catron for sharing this info with us.

Tonight, the Centro Cultural España hosts the She Devils, a band that has a long history in the Argentinian punk scene. If you happen to be in the city, we highly recommend you shout and jump at the strong rythms created by Patricia Pietrafiesa (bass and voice), Pilar (guitar) and Inés (drums): three experienced women with infinite amount of energy on the stage.

However, if you are not a punk kind of person, and you’d rather to dance to a fresh cumbia, wait a few days more and go to the Pata Negra next Tuesday to dance to the Kumbia Queers sweet music. You won’t regret it.

She Devils at Centro Cultural España (CCE), April 2nd, 8 pm, Guatemala 18, Centro Histórico. Behind the Cathedral. Zócalo Metro station.

Kumbia Queers at Pata Negra, April 9th, 10 pm, Tamaulipas 30 at Juan Escutia, Col. Condesa. Patriotismo Metro station.

Everyon’s favorite Mexican/Argentine kumbia punk band, the Kumbia Queers, play tonight at 9pm in the Centro Cultural de España in the Centro Historico.

This band, composed of members of the Mexican dyke punk band Las Ultrasonicas and Argentine dyke punk band the She Devils, are really worth catching if you are in Mexico City at the same time as one of their shows. They describe themselves as “six ‘punk and rollers’ who got bored of playing rock and decided to explore their ‘queer and kumbia sides,’ writing kumbia songs by chicas, for chicas.”

Here is the music video of their hit song “Chica del Calendario” starring Mexico City queer performance artist Alejandra Bogue.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGNll2RQc6g]

In addition to their own original numbers, the Kumbia Queers also do amazing queer kumbia covers of the Cure’s “Love Song,” Madonna’s “La Isla Bonita” (which is transformed into “La Isla con Chicas”), and Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’”. Their shows are always fun and high energy; sometimes it’s hard to decide whether to dance to their music or just watch them perform.

Be warned, girls have been known to take their shirts off during the song “El Veraneo”…

(For those who don’t want to miss the opening night of the Second Annual Rock and Sexual Diversity Film Festival tonight, don’t worry, the Kumbia Queers also have shows in the Distrito Federal on September 4th, 7th, and 13th, as well as a mini-tour in the midwest of the United States in late September.)

Centro Cultural de España is located at Guatemala 18, behind the Cathedral Metropolitano in the Centro Historico. Free admission.