Performing in the 2012 Green Show Wednesday, August 22.

Traditional Mexican instruments! Punk! Rock! Alexandro Hernandez, Cat Méndez, Vaneza Calderón,and Alyson Montez

¡Aparato! was formed in the summer of 2009 by Alexandro D. Hernández (electric guitar and jaranas) and Nancy "Cat" Méndez (vocals, electric guitar,  melodica, and jaranas).  In the latter portion of 2011, Vaneza Calderón joins ¡Aparato! to introduce the acoustic mariachi bass (guitarrón) into their ethereal punk sound. Alyson Montez, on the electric violin, will be a special treat to this ensemble by adding her electric melodies to the overall experimental sound. This band unites traditional Mexican instruments such as the jarana jarocha and jarana huasteca into the rock band format.

¡Aparato! strives toward a style that is unique to the Chican-Latin experience in the U.S. by bridging the terrestrial with the ethereal, with the goal to motivate and inspire the listener through music and encourage social transformation. The lyrical content not only encompasses heartfelt human emotion, the hidden transcript of imagination via space themes, but also contains a strong desire for social justice and human dignity.

¡Aparato! works in solidarity with social justice causes such as women’s rights, the Korean Cort Guitar Workers ACTION!, The Anti-Mall: People B4 Profit, and international migrant/student rights such as the DREAM Act.

Cat began as a teenager performing cumbias and other traditional sounds until converting completely into punk rock madness as a young adult. Vaneza combines her many years as a high profile mariachi musician with her special love for rock n' roll. Classically trained, Alyson combines her technique and folk experience with her love for heavy metal. Hernández hails from the Tex-Mex border and brings his experience in Mexican son and all forms of rock to compliment the ¡Aparato! sound and concept.

www.aparatomusic.com

www.alysonmontez.com