Enter a New Dragon

According to Emilio Morales, the dragonfly is a rather insignificant insect in Mexican culture. So when the Mexico City native was invited to start a rock en espan~ol club on Sundays at Hollywood’s Dragonfly, the first thing that had to go was the name. Five weeks ago Las Noches del Dragon (the nights of the dragon) was born, and it’s safe to say, Hollywood will never be the same.

It’s about time. The music bubbling up from L.A.’s Latino underground has been strong for years, but this is the first time a notable club has offered to give the scene a permanent home. Morales, once a member of Maria Fatal, now lives in Long Beach and is the publisher of America’s premier rock en espan~ol magazine, La Banda Elastica. He’s been chronicling the movement for four years.

Morales had been approached by other clubs but turned them down because each had a demanding dress code--an element that was in direct contradiction to the rebellious spirit of the music. Dragonfly made no mandates.

Las Noches del Dragon is the first full-blown rock en espan~ol club to happen weekly at one of the area’s hip, alternative music clubs, but the music itself is forcing the change. An awesomely energetic and inspiring blend of traditional Latin styles, ska, jazz, punk and rock, rock en espan~ol is the most electrifying sound these parts have heard in years. (For more rock en espan~ol spots, see Club Hoppin’ on the next page.)

To be sure, when’s the last time you saw someone stage-dive at Dragonfly? A visit to the club on Easter revealed a sight that contained all the beauty and the urgency of the late ‘70s punk movement, and just like that earlier scene, which spawned such disparate artists as Los Lobos and X, it may all be tagged by one name, but it wasn’t one form of music.

Since the club’s inception, fans have been flocking to Dragonfly to hear the widely ranging music, from the explosive world-beat punk of Los Olvidados to the Afro-Cuban ska-jazz sound of Yeska to Calavera, the rock en espan~ol cousin of the Reverend Horton Heat.

Morales also invites bands from such countries as Colombia, Venezuela and Mexico to perform at Las Noches del Dragon, and by doing so, he reveals to the local audience how big the movement actually is.

A look at the fans tells you as much about the music as the sounds coming from the stage. This isn’t the place for stereotypes but rather a celebration of individuality. Within the largely Latino grouping are ‘70s-style punks, longhaired rockers, ‘60s-styled mods, two-tone ska fans and “Leave It to Beaver”-era types. There’s no majority; it’s an all-comers party.

The scene is for this moment in time--hold your breath--absolutely perfect. It’s somehow so inherently L.A. to see a member of Pastilla (translation: “pill”), a young Pomona-based rock en espan~ol band and a crowd favorite, wearing an SST T-shirt, singing exclusively in Spanish while an African American member of the band Ozomatli cheers him on stage-side.

Perhaps the scene can be best summed up by Los Olvidados (the forgotten ones), a band composed mostly of Mexican immigrants who grew up in the San Gabriel Valley. Employing Middle Eastern rhythms, classic Mexican folk and a punk spirit, their songs describe the struggle and confusion of fitting in to their adopted country, but less with anger than with insightful honesty. It’s a quality that fans, who never fail to form a mosh pit when they perform, openly identify with.

Upcoming shows include Sunday’s lineup with Chencha Berrinches, Voz D’Mano, Chiles and Viacrucis. On April 13, Aterciopelados (the smooth ones), Colombia’s most popular rock en espan~ol band, is scheduled to perform.

The only glitch to Las Noches del Dragon is about half of the rock en espan~ol fan base is under 21, and Dragonfly is a 21-and-over nightclub. It’s a problem for the tight-knit Latin rock community, but if all goes well, this club will be the groundbreaker for more to follow.

BE THERE

Las Noches del Dragon at Dragonfly on Sundays, 6510 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, (213) 466-6111. 21 & over, $7 cover.