This Valentine’s Day, Club Rio is spreading the love to Moab residents with a night of free live music from world-fusion duo Andre and the Omedas.
While the band often tours with four or more musicians, Andrea Burggraf and Max Quinones are the flesh and bones of the Gypsy folk-rock group – Burggraf composing lyrical and melodic ballads and Quinones arranging and producing them into a final full, dynamic and ambient sound.
The duo released their first E.P. under Andre and the Omedas entitled “Midnight Eyes” only last month. The E.P. can be found on Spotify, Soundcloud and Youtube.
Andre and the Omedas features Burggraf on guitar and vocals; Quinones on violin and production; Christian Szabo on drums; and Marco Corti on bass.
Within seconds of the first track, one feels as though they are onboard a train, weaving through the Latin rhythms of a Southwestern desert. When Eastern-influenced violin enters, it evokes the inner Gypsy, and a dream-like transcendence prepares the listener for the folkloric journey that’s about to begin. Burggraf’s vocals are soulful and sensual, but quick and light – successfully carrying out the intricate and colorful metaphors of travels near and far, within and without, in English and in Spanish.
Burggraf is originally from Salt Lake City and Quinones is from Chile, though he moved to Switzerland when he was 20. The two musicians met in Costa Rica in 2013, both in their 20s and both playing violin for two different musical projects. Since then, they have found themselves interweaving life paths and establishing their music together throughout Switzerland, the U.S., Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, Croatia and places in between.
“Yes, we are a couple,” Burggraf said. With a sense of humor, she added, “But we won’t be proclaiming the importance of romantic love in the name of this holiday. This show is intended to be for everyone to enjoy.”
She said the duo plan on playing some love songs, as love is an integral part of life.
One such song, inspired by the Utah desert, is one of Burggraf’s originals entitled, “Take the Wheel.”
The song tells the story of how her grandparents met.
“They met in a car crash in southern Utah,” she said. “He had broken his arm and she broke her leg, so they started sharing a car and carpooling to high school together. She steered and he worked the pedals.”
Burggraf has played several shows in the Moab area over the past couple of years under her own name. Her first live performance was at the Moab Grassroots Music Exchange in 2014.
“Andrea is awesome,” said Dax Clifford, who attended that event. “She’s played a few shows over the years and it’s been fun hearing her songs return with new styles to them. Each time she comes back she’s got new stuff, too, and she’s grown so much.”
Quinones got his first taste of Moab in the summer of 2017 when the couple stopped through for his first river rafting trip. Burggraf had written a song about rafting the Grand Canyon by this time, entitled “Fine Lines.”
Quinones wanted in on a similar experience.
“It was such a good time,” he said. “The people really love the music and it’s so beautiful.”
Quinones said he is looking forward to returning to play three events within two days in Moab. The two public events include an appearance at a Fat Tuesday party at World Famous Woody’s Tavern on Tuesday, Feb. 13, and their main event at Club Rio on Valentine’s Day.
“The show will start at 9 p.m. and there’s no cover,” Rio manager Pat Flanigan said. “It’s a free show for locals before season starts.”
Andre and the Omedas come to Moab in support of new E.P.
“Each time she comes back she’s got new stuff, too, and she’s grown so much.”
When: Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 9 p.m.
Where: Club Rio, 2 S. 100 West
Cost: No cover charge
facebook.com/andreandtheomedas/
