Cuarteto de Nos, one of the most recognized bands in Uruguayan and Latin American rock, arrives in Brooklyn on November 16 as part of its ASÍ SOY YO tour. With more than four decades of experience, the group has built its own identity based on alternative rock, humor, irreverent lyrics and characters with which several generations of followers have identified. His proposal has also transcended the borders of Uruguay, with a growing presence among young audiences in Latin America and the United States.
The presentation in Warsaw promises a tour of different stages of the band, including songs from Raro, the album that marked a turning point in their career and which turns 20 this year, as well as songs from their most recent productions. In an interview with Noticia, Cuarteto de Nos spoke about their relationship with the young audience, the validity of their songs and what they are preparing for their meeting with fans in Brooklyn. Read the full interview and find out what those attending the concert can expect.
For those who may be discovering Cuarteto de Nos for the first time, how would you describe the band and what do you think has kept them relevant for so many years?
With Cuarteto de Nos we define ourselves on the networks as a strange rock band, and I really like that definition. I think it sums up the concept of the band in one word.
Musically we are a band very close to alternative rock, but we borrow from other genres when the song warrants it. Above all, we have very striking lyrics that deal with topics that are not commonplace and with which young people feel very identified.
Furthermore, we continue to reach a very young audience, something that is unusual for a rock band with such a long history. At each show, between 70 and 75 percent of the audience are under 20 years old, many teenagers and preteens who identify with the characters and stories in the songs.
After so many years and so many albums, what do you feel you still want to do or explore as a band?
We have never been a band to set very long-term goals. We are always focused on what’s next: a new album, a show, a city or a tour.
We have been growing slowly but surely. We started in very small places and today we make very large arenas and even stadiums in some countries. I think people recognize that natural and organic path.
Now we are finishing a tour of Latin America, which will culminate with a show at the Costanera, on the Rambla in Montevideo, on December 19. And we are already working on new songs to continue with this adventure. The idea is to record something next year, possibly for the second semester.
They will be on November 16 in Warsaw, Brooklyn. What does it mean to you to perform in New York and what can fans—including those who are discovering you now—expect from that concert?
It is always a pleasure and a challenge to play in the United States or in other non-Spanish speaking places, although, obviously, there is a large Latin audience.
In New York, Miami and Chicago it has happened to us that Spanish teachers, whose native language is English, use our letters to teach the language. After the shows they even showed us the tests they give their students. It’s very comforting to see that.
The show we are doing is, honestly, the best we have given so far. It has a lot of emphasis on our last album, but also on the Raro songs and the intermediate albums.
It is a powerful show that includes rock, hip hop, more emotional songs and performances with that theatrical part that we like so much. The Warsaw setting will allow us to do this because we will have the people very close.
For those who have already seen us, it will be a quite different show than last year. And for those who see us for the first time, it will be a very good gateway to the wonderful world of the characters of Cuarteto de Nos.
Songs like “Ya No Sé Qué Hace Conmigo” and “Yendo a la Casa de Damián” continue to reach new generations. What do you think it is about those songs that makes people still identify with them?
“Now I Don’t Know What to Do With Me”, “Yendo a la Casa de Damián” and “Invierno del 92” have remained relevant over the years, like many of Raro’s songs. There are also later themes that are still valid after 15, 18 or 20 years.
Young audiences generally discover us through the latest albums, but then they begin to delve into the past and find these songs, which have arrangements and a sound that make them very current.
On a lyrical level they also have that timelessness. “Ya No Sé Qué Hace Conmigo” and “Yendo a la Casa de Damián” could be songs written a week ago and people would understand perfectly what they are talking about.
“Ya No Sé Qué Do Conmigo” is even a very good entry point for someone who doesn’t know Cuarteto de Nos, because it brings together many of our ingredients: the verses mix folk music with electronic elements and end in a punk rock chorus with distorted guitars. And the lyrics speak of characters full of contradictions and ambiguities.
