Last night the package tour of Combo Chimbita and Pachyman rolled into San Diego’s Barrio Logan; a trendy area just outside of Downtown. A show like this would normally go to a more traditional venue, but not in this case for the space in question – Corazón del Barrio. Normally a new(ish) venue is a bit refreshing because it’s a break from expectations one can get from going to the same group of venues in your hometown. For a pair of artists who combined are creating an atmosphere of good vibes and dancing, with their modern takes on dub, cumbia, and tropical rhythmic music.
Pachyman, who has released four critically acclaimed albums, with the most recent one Switched On which was released last year (2023), went on after opening band Healing Gems. The set started off strong after a long delay due to technical difficulties with the sound. Despite having technical difficulties, Pachyman worked through the issues and delivered on a fun and engaging 50-minute set leading up to Combo Chimbita. The sold out room came with a lot of energy that you couldn’t ignore, and even Pachyman seemed to embrace the raucous nature of the crowd.
By the time Combo Chimbita hit the stage, it was after 10PM and the audience of mostly inebriated individuals were ready to move to the cumbia-inspired music. Carolina Oliveros made her statement entrance with the Guacharaca, a percussion instrument native to Colombia. The crowd and band were ready to converge to create a magical night of music, but the band was riddled with sound issues through the majority of their set. At one point, Carolina stopped the music to give the crowd a speech about how the night isn’t always in your control but we should enjoy the night as much as we possibly can. And despite the sound issues, that’s what the band provided for everyone in attendance.
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