Concrete Blonde in a Subdued Semi-Reunion

It was no surprise that Johnette Napolitano was the main attraction at the teaming of Concrete Blonde and Los Illegals on Monday at the House of Blues. It was mainly her audience that filled the club for this semi-reunion of Concrete Blonde, in which Napolitano and guitarist Jim Mankey joined forces with one of L.A.’s pioneering Latin punk bands.

Napolitano has lost none of her attitude and stage presence in the three years since Concrete Blonde ended its run as one of L.A.’s most significant bands. The problem with this joint venture is its overemphasis on the Mexican and Spanish musical side.

On Monday they sang when they should have been screaming, and insinuated instead of exploding. When they just let go and rocked, things smoked. The show’s highlight wasn’t the new material--which sounded more convincing than it does on their just-released album--but older songs, especially a memorable version of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song,” which couldn’t have been more appropriate for this Cinco de Mayo party.

The opening act was Maria Fatal, L.A.’s most popular rock en espan~ol band, whose recent second album was produced by Napolitano and members of Los Illegals.

Visibly nervous at their first local show in front of a mostly English-speaking audience, the band soon discovered that its main obstacle wasn’t the crowd but a less-than-ideal sound--a constant throughout the evening. While the headliners had enough fire to overcome technical shortcomings, Maria Fatal, for all its songwriting and instrumental prowess, was unable to find its explosiveness and edge.