Live review: Pascuala Ilabaca Y Fauna at RNCM

By Ellie Sherwood

Pascuala has created several albums of delightful music that integrates traditional Chilean sounds with pop, jazz, rock and Indian music, but listening to her and the band’s records did not prepare me in the slightest for the energy, talent and seduction that poured from the musicians when on stage.
As soon as Pascuala picked up her accordion and embraced the first notes, the band sprung to life and responded to her every musical gesture whilst also maintaining a sense of individual creativity. The connection between the musicians was palpable, and it was especially enjoyable to watch Pascuala dance over to the guitarist, or the clarinettist, and engage in a musical exchange that was highly intimate and exciting. Pascuala herself is a phenomenal and engaging musician to watch and listen to. Her accordion playing was flawless, and the way she moved whilst holding the instrument was incredibly sensual and moving. Her voice was pure and beautiful, and not once did I wish she was singing in English; on the contrary, the sound of Spanish and Quechuan lyrics was so aesthetically soothing that I enjoyed not understanding every word and the emotional meaning of each song was perfectly conveyed through the music. The band proved that they could play a massive variety of colours, and one of the highlights of the evening was when Pascuala began the second half with a stunning performance of ‘La Luna Siempre Es Tan Linda’, which is serene and tranquil compared to her more feisty carnival-inspired numbers. The fiesta atmosphere was certainly not lost however, as by the end of the gig Pascuala had a large group of audience members up and dancing at the side of the stage.
The formal divide between the performers and audience could have been a barrier for the music to be completely communicated and absorbed, but the fact that people of all different ages and backgrounds were either dancing on their feet or grooving in their seats exemplifies the success of the evening. Pascuala Ilabaca y Fauna created an experience of pure happiness and elation, and I very much urge all music-lovers to seek out future performances to encounter Pascuala’s remarkable music.

First show on tour: Pascuala Ilabaca at RNCM