Baracking Obama

(Originally published on MOLI 5/22/8)

Politicians have to do a certain amount of pandering. That’s why Barack Obama now wears a flag pin, and John McCain has gone on an ethical staffing spree. But more important than catering to constituencies is staying ahead of the curve of public opinion. In other words: leading.

And as good, albeit unlikely, a sign as any that Obama will be our country’s next leader is his opening act when he speaks at Sunrise’s Bank Atlantic Center on Friday: the Spam All Stars.

In South Florida, and in the global jam-band circuit, the Spam All Stars are well known to be the best Latin funk band led by a DJ, ever. DJ Le Spam (aka Andrew Yeomanson) leads his multinational ensemble through what he calls electronic descarga. The improvisational grooves are mostly rooted in Cuban music, but there’s hip-hop, rock, dub, etc., in there as well. Ever since they first established a Thursday night residency at the Little Havana nightclub Hoy Como Ayer some seven years ago, the All Stars have typified the progressive, eclectic embrace of a Miami demographic that loves Cuban culture – but isn’t necessarily down with the bomb-throwing tactics of the old-guard exile community.

In other words, having the All Stars warm the crowd up plays to the Latin vote that all the candidates, who are converging on South Florida this week like sharks around a bloody game fish, will be sucking up to. But it’s a Latin vote for change; Spam’s not Willy Chirino, or Gloria Estefan. Spam All Stars provide the soundtrack for a new Miami: a town that is now predominantly Spanish-speaking, yes, but that’s as much due to recent immigrants from other Latin American countries as to the generations who fled Castro decades ago. Plus, the children of those ‘60s exiles have come of age, and like most second-generation immigrants, they don’t necessarily share the world views of their parents.

As Ana Menendez urged in her excellent Miami Herald column, when you come to Miami, please don’t just talk about Cuba. “Whatever you do, for the love of God, please do not pick up any maracas,” Menendez counsels.

Perhaps, before Obama takes the stage, Spam will spin “Si Se Puede,” the recent anthem by another South Florida band, Guajiro – a song that features electric guitars, not maracas. “Si Se Puede” is the Spanish translation of “Yes I Can.” It’s a bilingual hardcore answer to the will.i.am Obama tribute. Guajiro are three Cuban Americans, and one Irish drummer, from Hialeah who play Rancid/Clash/Green Day-influenced punk. They don’t wear Che Guevera shirts – but they are down with Barack.

I believe the last time Obama spoke at an event like this in South Florida was for the Miami Book Fair in 2006; he was at downtown’s Gusman Theater, and it was one hot ticket. The BAC is about three times as large as the Gusman, able to hold about 15,000 (depending on the setup). It’s a place for rock stars; the last time I was there I saw Bruce Springsteen. And right now, Obama is America’s number one idol.

This entry was posted on September 11, 2008 at 10:10 am and is filed under Populism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.