The Fullerton College Music Department presented the highly anticipated Cabana Boys inside the Campus Theatre on Saturday, Nov. 18.
The venue filled up quickly with audience members, giving the event a great turnout.
Spectators were eager to watch the Cabana Boys perform. Nine minutes passed from the initial start time of the concert and there was still no sign of the Cabana Boys.
However, once the clock hit 7:40 p.m., the stage curtain were drawn back and the Cabana Boys immediately began playing their first song of the night “Garaje Gato” by Gordon Goodwin. Loud cheering, clapping and yelling followed.
The group oozed confidence in their playing and it felt like they had been performing together their entire lives.
The Latin presence in “Garaje Gato” was strong as the atmosphere and tone felt like you were a tourist visiting Costa Rica.
Guitar player, Gabe Barraza, closed his eyes during his solo and seemed to play by what he felt in the moment.
“I was crazy nervous because this was my first ever school performance ever,” Barraza said. “Nico and I are in our own band. I’m used to playing and performing with him, not at school.”
Up next was pianist Rob Mullin’s own song “Cool Water.” Special guest Gio Thomson was brought out to perform the vocals. Her voice was the cherry on top to the performance. The instruments complimented her voice beautifully.
After “Cool Water” finished, Scotty Piper was featured on the bass. “Kill it,” yelled drummer Nico Vazquez as a signal. Piper then rocked the place quite literally, since the volume of his bass was so powerful it shook the entire theatre. The audience loved every second of it.
One of the standout songs of the night was “The Crystal Ship” arranged by Mullins. The beginning of the song sounded like something out of a James Bond movie since it was so mysterious. Thomson effortlessly hit high notes throughout the performance. As a result, she received an affectionate ovation from the audience.
The song following was “Cot In The Act.” Mullins set the tone for the song with his peaceful piano playing early on which definitely got a couple foots tapping. The pace picked up later with a crazy guitar solo by Barraza. He gave it his all and the audience knew it. The whistles, yells and grunts were proof.
The final piece of the night was “Samba Cya,” which was another song composed by Goodwin. The song featured a couple of arrangements that started off low-pitched every time, but ended on a high note. “Samba Cya” left smiles on audience member’s faces and was a great song to finish the night.
“It was extremely entertaining,” said 24-year-old Julia Smith. “They are so good at what they do. I can’t believe how talented they are, I felt like I paid $100 to go to a professional performance.”
For more information on upcoming events please visit the Fullerton College Music Department’s website. If you want to listen to the Cabana Boys, you can check out their album “On Fire!” on iTunes.
