Toros band in santiago.

AZB

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Jan 2, 2002
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Last night my friend and I stumbled upon Toros band in shakabana, purely by accident. The whole santiago was dead. Bars were empty, tribecca cafe had 4 people inside, the rest of the places had only men. BIU pub had the chopo group Prodigio playing and they were charging 250 pesos / head. I was allowed to enter free but my friend was asked to pay. he wouldn't pay for the chopo act so we had to leave.
We ended up in shakabana where the toros band was scheduled to play. I think the entrance was like 500 plus but we were both allowed in for free. The place is small so one could see the group up close. The band started around 12:30am and kicked off with their hot merengue hits. It seem every song they sing is a big hit in DR and in the rest of the latin american world. These guys played a mix of merengue, musica typica and even bachata, but with style and good taste. They never looked cheap and always charged with energy. I even liked their bachata songs.
In my opinion Toros band is one of the finest merengue bands in DR. Dominicans should be very proud of them.
Now I have heard Anthony Santos had filled up madison square garden once in NY? Wow, this proves my point, 98% Dom-yorks are pure chopos. When Dom-yorks come to santiago to visit their families, they always come to cien fuego, las colinas, monterico and other ghetto places. So it seems most santiaguero dom-yorks are from ghettos of santiago, no wonder they love bachata to death. They come to bars in santiago and force the DJ to play bachata and dance to it as if we all are loving it. Is it true you folks pay 100 dollars to see Krisspy and jovanny polanco? I heard villalona's tickets were sold for 250 dollars in black market when the show was sold out.
You folks should come here and see them all for free.
AZB
 

trina

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Jan 3, 2002
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I love Los Toros Band, they just seem to get better and better, with their latest release, "Indentenibles" - how fitting. Not only are they a great merengue band, but I love their bachatas, too. I think Hector Acosta (el Torito) has the finest voice in the DR (arguably, I could say the same for Rubby Perez). I'm jealous!!!
 

Marianopolita

Former Spanish forum Mod 2010-2021
Dec 26, 2003
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Trina...

Is Indetenibles your favorite Toros Band album because you talk about it all the time? Mind you I think it's a great album but it's not my favorite by that group. My two favorite Toros Band albums are: Pa' la calle and No hay problema. A pasito lento is good too.

Just think what that group would be like without Hector Acosta because if you remember the controversy about two years ago he was threatening to leave and came pretty close to doing so too. Luckily it did not happen!


-Lesley D-
 

Jon S.

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Jan 25, 2003
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Hector has always been a class act on stage.....

But he butchers up the Spanish tongue, specially when he wins an award of some sort. That's besides the point, the point is that the band does a great job without looking trashy or ghetto.
 

Marianopolita

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Rubby P?rez.. a class A act

I consider Rubby P?rez to be a legendary merengue artist. He has the repertoire to prove it. I must say I have completely enjoyed his albums from the last five years. Rhythmically all are a true display of Dominican merengue. I sincerely recommend the following albums to anyone who is looking for GOOD music: Vuelve el merengue, Volando alto, El cantante and his most recent production Tonto coraz?n.

-Lesley D-



trina said:
I love Los Toros Band, they just seem to get better and better, with their latest release, "Indentenibles" - how fitting. Not only are they a great merengue band, but I love their bachatas, too. I think Hector Acosta (el Torito) has the finest voice in the DR (arguably, I could say the same for Rubby Perez). I'm jealous!!!
 

miguel

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Jul 2, 2003
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Si, indeed!

AZB said:
In my opinion Toros band is one of the finest merengue bands in DR. Dominicans should be very proud of them.
AZB, as a fan of Los Toros Bands since they became a group many years ago, I can honestly tell you that IMO (note: IMO), they are, maybe, the third best band came from the DR. I have all their cd's and I can honeslty say that they are getting better and better.

"El enanito" has one of the best and purest voice that I have ever heard.

As a proud hater of bachatas, I found myself, a few years ago, listening to their bachatas and, man was I surprised. I loved them. But to be honest, I tried listening to other bachateros and came to the conclusion that I still hate bachatas but also found that I am biased since I would listen to bachatas from merengueros and not from bachateros. I guess it's the sound of the voice, but who cares, no bachateros bachatas for this non-chopo man.
 

AZB

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miguel said:
"El enanito" has one of the best and purest voice that I have ever heard.
This must be he little guy among the 3 singers. Yes, this guy can sing, I was surprised the glass didn't get shattered during high notes. He can make any song sound like a hit. This group is a class act and they enjoy singing all types of dominican folk music. Their main course was merengue but they were mixing in musica typica from time to time and then they would throw in a bachata here and there. Like I said earlier, they played all songs in style and in good taste, they never sounded cheap. The bachateros in contrast are cheap ghetto bands who gear their music towards barrio folks. their music is usually played in cheap carwashes and whore houses.
Toros band took the same music and polished it up. the quality is simply beyond comparison with main stream bachata.
I once saw anthony santos in a barrio, playing in front of a million chopos. he came on stage with a body guard who stood by his side throughout the whole concert holding an Uzi machine gun. What a super chopo. He looked like a cheap pimp from the movies.
Anyway, getting back to Toros band. They are great and extremely talented.
Girls, there was this one tall guy who showed up in the bar wearing a cowboy outfit, expensive cowboy boots and a hat. he was muscular down to his tow nails. he even had musches poping out of his butt. Women were looking at him with poping eyes. i think he was one of the singers of aventura. he was greeted by the owner and was taken to the front in VIP section. I was thinking of all of you sankie loving DR1 ladies. i know many would have just fainted.
 

trina

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Lesley D said:
Is Indetenibles your favorite Toros Band album because you talk about it all the time? Mind you I think it's a great album but it's not my favorite by that group. My two favorite Toros Band albums are: Pa' la calle and No hay problema. A pasito lento is good too.

Just think what that group would be like without Hector Acosta because if you remember the controversy about two years ago he was threatening to leave and came pretty close to doing so too. Luckily it did not happen!


-Lesley D-


Yes, Lesley, I've followed Los Toros for years, and Indetenibles is by far my favorite...I don't know what it is, other than the fact that there's not one song or lyric that I dislike on the whole album. Every album they've produced has it's fair share of excellent songs, but to me, this one tops them all.

The group would not survive without Hector Acosta. To think, when he started out, he tried to make it as a vocalist in other bands, trying out, but no one wanted him because he was "desmasiado chiquito y feo". He went on his own, cut his first album, and there was no looking back...and all that rejected him, were knocking down his door.
 

Marianopolita

Former Spanish forum Mod 2010-2021
Dec 26, 2003
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Trina....

I agree with you completely regarding Hector Acosta and his success. There is no question about he and his band will be around for a while. As for groups knocking on his door let them knock. I saw him an interview a few years ago when he was considering leaving the band and he mentioned the turmoil and strife he experienced before really getting off ground and he said it bothered him the most when he did not make the cut for Los Hermanos Rosario. But he does not have to worry because he has just as much if not more talent than Los Hnos R. Not to take away credit from them because I think they paid their dues too and they have some nice historical music in their repertoire. That is another band that I really like although in the last few years they have only two albums.


-LDG-