Fiel a la Vega
Encyclopedia
Fiel a la Vega is a Rock en Español
band from Puerto Rico
formed in 1994. Band members Tito Auger
and Ricky Laureano
come from the northern city of Vega Alta
, while brothers Pedro Arraiza
and Jorge Arraiza
come from the city of Vega Baja
, which is next to Vega Alta.
and Tito Auger
formed the band in 1994 after looking for success in the United States
. Returning to Puerto Rico
, they joined long-time friends Pedro
and Jorge Arraiza
(with whom they had played before in Los Arraiza Voladores) and officially started the band. After playing local gigs through the island, they started gaining the attention of the public and became one of the most sought bands in the island. Their television
debut was in Voces en Función
.
, adding percussionist Papo Román
to its line-up. The album
spawned hits like "Salimos de Aquí
" and "El Wanabí", both of which were released with videos. According to local newspaper
El Nuevo Día
, the album was among the Top 10 sellers of the year. In August 1996, the band played at Hard Rock Cafe
in Old San Juan. In 1997, their first album was certified gold
for selling 50,000 units.
Following the success of the album, the band held four sold-out concerts on July, 1997 in the Performing Arts Center of Guaynabo
. The concert was released months later as the band's follow-up album, titled El Concierto Acústico
. In the concert, the band played acoustic versions of the songs in their first album as well as covers from Latin American artists that influenced them such as Roy Brown
, Leon Gieco
, Silvio Rodríguez
, and Haciendo Punto en Otro Son
.
The band continued to enjoy the success playing in front of 30,000 people at the Claridad Festival. That night an attendance record at the festival was set. That same year, they participated in the annual special show of Banco Popular dedicated to Bobby Capó
. The band performed the song "Sale el Sol" in the show.
In 1998, amidst relentless touring they released A Quien Pueda Interesar
. The album was accompanied with videos for the songs "Bla, Bla, Bla", "Al Frente", and "El Panal". Following the success of this second album, they became the first Puerto Rican band to headline and sell out the Roberto Clemente Coliseum
. The concert was held on June 6, 1998.
In November of the same year, they returned to the Roberto Clemente Coliseum, sharing the stage with local bands Haciendo Punto en Otro Son
and Moliendo Vidrio
. During the concert, the bands alternated sets performing the hit songs of each other, ending with a huge "junte" of all of the musicians singing several songs of each band. The concert was recorded and released later as an album titled Un Junte para la Historia
.
where they performed their music with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra
. In the concert, they played their hits as well as covers from Rubén Blades
, Danny Rivera
, Silvio Rodríguez
, and Puerto Rican Salsa
superstars El Gran Combo
. At that time, the band finished negotiating a record deal with EMI Latin
. Soon after, they released Tres
being their only CD with a major label. The band produced the hit single "Canción en la Arena", "Solamente" and "Desde el Comienzo".
In April, 2000, the band toured the East Coast of the United States
with shows in Miami, Orlando
, New York
, and Washington, DC. In June, 2000, upon returning to Puerto Rico
, the band held a concert at the Rubén Rodríguez Coliseum in Bayamón
. In August, 2001, they collaborated with other artists in a song titled "Canción para Vieques", about the Navy-Vieques protests.
. A month later, they released their second live album
titled El Concierto Sinfónico
. They followed it with presentations in the island and in Florida
, while they began to work in their fourth studio album. The album La Prosperidad
was released independently in December, 2002 with the single "Hay que Edificar". They supported it with a national tour through all the island finishing on May 31, 2002, with a concert at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum
.
In 2005, writer and long-time personal friend of the band Edgardo Soto released a biography of the band that coincided with the release of their 10th anniversary album, Desde el Comienzo: 1994-2004
.
On October 11, 2006, percussionist Papo Román communicated by a letter to his " friends, press, musicians and dear fieles" that he will be quitting the band after ten long years with them. He stated that, despite not regretting the time spent with the band, he needed to slow down and dedicate time to his family. Román is the father of six children, two of them teenage daughters.
In 2007, the band was selected along with several Latin
rock
groups to be part of a marketing campaign from Absolut Vodka
. The campaign features the popular Absolut bottle silhouette using the motif of Fiel a la Vega's first album
. The other bands selected were Los Amigos Invisibles
(Venezuela
), Charly García
(Argentina
), Los Jaivas
(Chile
) and Aterciopelados
(Colombia
).
In March 2007, the band recorded a live concert at the Ambassador Hotel in San Juan
. At the end of the year, the concert was released in a DVD
titled Sesiones: 10 Años Acústicos y Eléctricos
. Also, according to their website, they started working on a new album.
In April 2008, the band played at the Movistar Music Fest 2008 in Panama
, with Tego Calderón
, Calle 13
, and Zion.
In early 2010, the band released the first single from their next album. The album, titled Equilibrio
, was released on February 9, 2010. On December of that year, the band started a series of concerts on the cities of San Juan
, Ponce
, and Mayaguez
. The concert in San Juan was supposed to be held at the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras, but due to ongoing strikes and protests at the university against the government, the band moved it to the Centro de Bellas Artes in Caguas
. During the concert, lead singer Tito Auger heavily criticized the government for its handling of the crisis at the university and the current state of the country. "In recent years, it has been made more evident that the alleged democracy that protects us is only a mask for the media, a simple slogan
. We are dominated by a plutocracy
, which is an industrial, business, and political class, that is getting stronger and richer" said Auger.
Rock en Español
Rock en español is the Spanish-language rock music. While the term is used widely in English, it is used in Spanish mainly to distinguish such music from "Anglo rock." It is a style of rock music that developed in Latin American countries and Latino communities, along with other genres like...
band from Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
formed in 1994. Band members Tito Auger
Tito Auger
Alfonso "Tito" Auger Vega is a Puerto Rican musician most known for being the lead singer of the Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega. Auger is also the band's main songwriter, together with Ricky Laureano....
and Ricky Laureano
Ricky Laureano
Ricky Laureano is a Puerto Rican musician most known for being the guitarist and one of the main songwriters of the Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega.-Biography:...
come from the northern city of Vega Alta
Vega Alta, Puerto Rico
Vega Alta is a municipality of Puerto Rico. Vega Alta is located on the northern coast of the island, north of Morovis and Corozal; east of Vega Baja; and west of Dorado with an area of . Vega Alta is spread over seven wards and Vega Alta Pueblo...
, while brothers Pedro Arraiza
Pedro Arraiza
Pedro Arraiza is a Puerto Rican musician most known for being the drummer of the Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega.-Biography and Career:...
and Jorge Arraiza
Jorge Arraiza
Jorge Arraiza is a Puerto Rican musician most known for being the bassist of the Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega.-Biography:...
come from the city of Vega Baja
Vega Baja, Puerto Rico
Vega Baja is a municipality in north central Puerto Rico located in the northern coast, north of Morovis; east of Manatí; and west of Vega Alta. Vega Baja is spread over 13 wards and Vega Baja Pueblo...
, which is next to Vega Alta.
Early years (1994-1995)
Childhood friends Ricky LaureanoRicky Laureano
Ricky Laureano is a Puerto Rican musician most known for being the guitarist and one of the main songwriters of the Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega.-Biography:...
and Tito Auger
Tito Auger
Alfonso "Tito" Auger Vega is a Puerto Rican musician most known for being the lead singer of the Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega. Auger is also the band's main songwriter, together with Ricky Laureano....
formed the band in 1994 after looking for success in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Returning to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, they joined long-time friends Pedro
Pedro Arraiza
Pedro Arraiza is a Puerto Rican musician most known for being the drummer of the Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega.-Biography and Career:...
and Jorge Arraiza
Jorge Arraiza
Jorge Arraiza is a Puerto Rican musician most known for being the bassist of the Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega.-Biography:...
(with whom they had played before in Los Arraiza Voladores) and officially started the band. After playing local gigs through the island, they started gaining the attention of the public and became one of the most sought bands in the island. Their television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
debut was in Voces en Función
Voces en Función
Voces en Función was a Puerto Rican singing competition series and Variety show hosted by Puerto Rican singer Lou Briel, televised from 1995 to 2001 on PBS member station WIPR-TV & WIPM-TV.-Format:...
.
First Albums and Success (1996-1998)
In April, 1996, the band released their eponymous album Fiel a la VegaFiel a la Vega (album)
Fiel a la Vega is the debut album from Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega, released in 1996. The album is still considered one of the most influential albums in Rock en Español.-Track listing:All songs written by Tito Auger, except where noted....
, adding percussionist Papo Román
Papo Román
Víctor "Papo" Román is a Puerto Rican musician most known for being the percussionist of the Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega.-Biography and Career:...
to its line-up. The album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
spawned hits like "Salimos de Aquí
Salimos de Aquí
"Salimos de Aquí" is a song written and composed by Puerto Rican rock band Fiel A La Vega. It was their first single from their first album, in 1996, and is considered one of their biggest hits to date. It was written by band singer Tito Auger. The title means "We Came Out of Here".The song is a...
" and "El Wanabí", both of which were released with videos. According to local newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
El Nuevo Día
El Nuevo Día
El Nuevo Día is a Puerto Rican newspaper based in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico and distributed daily throughout Puerto Rico and some parts of the United States.- History :...
, the album was among the Top 10 sellers of the year. In August 1996, the band played at Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe is a chain of theme restaurants founded in 1971 by Americans Peter Morton & Isaac Tigrett. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll memorabilia, a tradition which expanded to others in the chain. In 2006, Hard Rock was sold to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and...
in Old San Juan. In 1997, their first album was certified gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
for selling 50,000 units.
Following the success of the album, the band held four sold-out concerts on July, 1997 in the Performing Arts Center of Guaynabo
Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Guaynabo is a municipality in the northern part of Puerto Rico, located in the northern coast of the island, north of Aguas Buenas; south of Cataño; east of Bayamón; and west of San Juan...
. The concert was released months later as the band's follow-up album, titled El Concierto Acústico
El Concierto Acústico
El Concierto Acústico is the first live album by Puerto Rican rock band Fiel a la Vega, and their second album overall. The album was recorded at the Performing Arts Center in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico during the concerts the band held from July 19-21, 1997...
. In the concert, the band played acoustic versions of the songs in their first album as well as covers from Latin American artists that influenced them such as Roy Brown
Roy Brown (Puerto Rican musician)
Roy Brown Ramírez is a composer, singer and a fervent believer in the cause for the independence of Puerto Rico. Some of his songs have been performed by several renowned international artists.- Early years :...
, Leon Gieco
León Gieco
Raúl Alberto Antonio Gieco, better known as León Gieco is a pop-folk music composer and interpreter. He is known for mixing popular folkloric genres with Argentine rock, and for lyrics with social and political connotations...
, Silvio Rodríguez
Silvio Rodríguez
Silvio Rodríguez Domínguez is a Cuban musician, and a leader of the nueva trova movement.He is considered Cuba's best known folk singer and known for his highly eloquent and symbolic lyrics. Many of his songs have become classics in Latin American music, such as Ojalá, Playa Girón, Unicornio and...
, and Haciendo Punto en Otro Son
Haciendo Punto en Otro Son
Haciendo Punto en Otro Son is a Nueva Trova band from Puerto Rico, founded in 1975. They recorded fourteen albums and performed in Latin America, the Caribbean and USA....
.
The band continued to enjoy the success playing in front of 30,000 people at the Claridad Festival. That night an attendance record at the festival was set. That same year, they participated in the annual special show of Banco Popular dedicated to Bobby Capó
Bobby Capó
Félix Manuel Rodríguez Capó , better known as Bobby Capó, was an internationally known singer and songwriter from Puerto Rico...
. The band performed the song "Sale el Sol" in the show.
In 1998, amidst relentless touring they released A Quien Pueda Interesar
A Quien Pueda Interesar
A Quien Pueda Interesar is the second studio album released by Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega. It was released independently in 1998.The album features lead guitarist Ricky Laureano in a more prominent role with lead vocals in "Voces de Sol"....
. The album was accompanied with videos for the songs "Bla, Bla, Bla", "Al Frente", and "El Panal". Following the success of this second album, they became the first Puerto Rican band to headline and sell out the Roberto Clemente Coliseum
Roberto Clemente Coliseum
The Roberto Clemente Coliseum is a sporting events and concert arena in San Juan, Puerto Rico.It was, for many years, Puerto Rico's largest indoor event facility, and it continues being one of the largest....
. The concert was held on June 6, 1998.
In November of the same year, they returned to the Roberto Clemente Coliseum, sharing the stage with local bands Haciendo Punto en Otro Son
Haciendo Punto en Otro Son
Haciendo Punto en Otro Son is a Nueva Trova band from Puerto Rico, founded in 1975. They recorded fourteen albums and performed in Latin America, the Caribbean and USA....
and Moliendo Vidrio
Moliendo Vidrio
Moliendo Vidrio is a Nueva Trova band from Puerto Rico, founded in 1975.Band members included Gary Núñez, Sunshine Logroño, Rosita Velázquez, Iván Martínez, Pedro Villalón and Carmen Nydia Velázquez, among many others...
. During the concert, the bands alternated sets performing the hit songs of each other, ending with a huge "junte" of all of the musicians singing several songs of each band. The concert was recorded and released later as an album titled Un Junte para la Historia
Un Junte para la Historia
Un Junte para la Historia was a concert from three Puerto Rican bands: Fiel a la Vega, Haciendo Punto en Otro Son, and Moliendo Vidrio, celebrated in Puerto Rico on November 29, 1998. The concert was then released as a DVD, and a CD....
.
Deal with EMI Latin (1999-2001)
In March, 1999, the band organized a series of concerts at the Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts CenterLuis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center
The Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center, or Centro de Bellas Artes Luis A. Ferré in Spanish, is a multi-use performance centre located Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico. It features three main concert and theater halls for performing arts displays, including ballet, plays, operas and concerts, as...
where they performed their music with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra
Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra
The Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra is Puerto Rico’s foremost musical ensemble, and one of the most renowned orchestras of the Americas...
. In the concert, they played their hits as well as covers from Rubén Blades
Rubén Blades
Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, lawyer, actor, Latin jazz musician, and politician, performing musically most often in the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres...
, Danny Rivera
Danny Rivera
Danny Rivera is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter who was born in San Juan whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is well-known in Puerto Rico for his political activism.-Musical career:...
, Silvio Rodríguez
Silvio Rodríguez
Silvio Rodríguez Domínguez is a Cuban musician, and a leader of the nueva trova movement.He is considered Cuba's best known folk singer and known for his highly eloquent and symbolic lyrics. Many of his songs have become classics in Latin American music, such as Ojalá, Playa Girón, Unicornio and...
, and Puerto Rican Salsa
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
superstars El Gran Combo
El Gran Combo
El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, commonly known as El Gran Combo, is a Puerto Rican Salsa music orchestra. It is Puerto Rico's most successful musical group, and one of the most popular salsa orchestras across Latin America...
. At that time, the band finished negotiating a record deal with EMI Latin
EMI Latin
EMI Televisa Music, also known as EMI Latin and EMI International, is a subsidiary of EMI which focuses on Latin American music....
. Soon after, they released Tres
Tres (album)
Tres is the third studio album released by Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega. It was released in 1999 by EMI Latin and is the first album the band releases on an international label....
being their only CD with a major label. The band produced the hit single "Canción en la Arena", "Solamente" and "Desde el Comienzo".
In April, 2000, the band toured the East Coast of the United States
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
with shows in Miami, Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and Washington, DC. In June, 2000, upon returning to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, the band held a concert at the Rubén Rodríguez Coliseum in Bayamón
Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Bayamón is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the northern coastal valley, north of Aguas Buenas and Comerío; south of Toa Baja and Cataño; west of Guaynabo; and east of Toa Alta and Naranjito. Bayamón is spread over 11 wards and Bayamón Pueblo...
. In August, 2001, they collaborated with other artists in a song titled "Canción para Vieques", about the Navy-Vieques protests.
Recent Years (2001-)
In November, 2001, they parted ways with EMI LatinEMI Latin
EMI Televisa Music, also known as EMI Latin and EMI International, is a subsidiary of EMI which focuses on Latin American music....
. A month later, they released their second live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
titled El Concierto Sinfónico
El Concierto Sinfónico
El Concierto Sinfónico is the second live album by Puerto Rican rock band Fiel a la Vega, and their fourth album overall. The album was recorded with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra at the Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center in Santurce, Puerto Rico during the concerts the band held from March...
. They followed it with presentations in the island and in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, while they began to work in their fourth studio album. The album La Prosperidad
La Prosperidad
La Prosperidad is the fourth studio album released by Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega. It was released independently in 2002.Lead guitarist Ricky Laureano is again featured in a more prominent role writing four songs, and co-writing another 3 with singer Tito Auger...
was released independently in December, 2002 with the single "Hay que Edificar". They supported it with a national tour through all the island finishing on May 31, 2002, with a concert at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum
Roberto Clemente Coliseum
The Roberto Clemente Coliseum is a sporting events and concert arena in San Juan, Puerto Rico.It was, for many years, Puerto Rico's largest indoor event facility, and it continues being one of the largest....
.
In 2005, writer and long-time personal friend of the band Edgardo Soto released a biography of the band that coincided with the release of their 10th anniversary album, Desde el Comienzo: 1994-2004
Desde el Comienzo: 1994-2004
Desde el Comienzo: 1994–2004 is a compilation of greatest hits released by Puerto Rican rock band Fiel a la Vega in 2005.The album includes 10 hits taken from the band's four previous studio albums, including a re-recording of the band's hit "El Wanabí"...
.
On October 11, 2006, percussionist Papo Román communicated by a letter to his " friends, press, musicians and dear fieles" that he will be quitting the band after ten long years with them. He stated that, despite not regretting the time spent with the band, he needed to slow down and dedicate time to his family. Román is the father of six children, two of them teenage daughters.
In 2007, the band was selected along with several Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
groups to be part of a marketing campaign from Absolut Vodka
Absolut Vodka
Absolut Vodka is a brand of vodka, produced near Åhus, Skåne, in southern Sweden. Since July 2008 the company has been owned by the French firm Pernod Ricard who bought V&S Group from the Swedish government....
. The campaign features the popular Absolut bottle silhouette using the motif of Fiel a la Vega's first album
Fiel a la Vega (album)
Fiel a la Vega is the debut album from Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega, released in 1996. The album is still considered one of the most influential albums in Rock en Español.-Track listing:All songs written by Tito Auger, except where noted....
. The other bands selected were Los Amigos Invisibles
Los Amigos Invisibles
Los Amigos Invisibles is a multiple-Grammy nominated and Latin Grammy winning Venezuelan band that plays a blend of disco, acid jazz and funk mixed with Latin rhythms...
(Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
), Charly García
Charly García
Charly García is a singer-songwriter, pianist and keyboardist from Argentina with a long career in rock music, forming successful groups such as Sui Generis and Serú Girán, cult status groups like La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros, and as a solo musician.-Early years:Charly García was the eldest son in...
(Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
), Los Jaivas
Los Jaivas
Los Jaivas are a Chilean musical group who perform in folk, rock, and progressive rock styles.-History:Los Jaivas appeared in Chilean music in 1963 as a progressive-rock-andino group, mixing rock with South American ancestral music...
(Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
) and Aterciopelados
Aterciopelados
Aterciopelados , also referred to as los Aterciopelados on some albums and other promotional materials, are a rock band from Colombia. Led by Andrea Echeverri and Héctor Buitrago, they have been one of the first rock bands from Colombia to gain international notice and is among the country's top...
(Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
).
In March 2007, the band recorded a live concert at the Ambassador Hotel in San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. At the end of the year, the concert was released in a DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
titled Sesiones: 10 Años Acústicos y Eléctricos
Sesiones: 10 Años Acústicos y Eléctricos
Sesiones: 10 Años Acústicos y Eléctricos is a live recording released by Puerto Rican rock band Fiel a la Vega on December 18, 2007. It was recorded at the Ambassador Hotel on March, 2007 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.-Track listing:...
. Also, according to their website, they started working on a new album.
In April 2008, the band played at the Movistar Music Fest 2008 in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, with Tego Calderón
Tego Calderón
Tegui Calderón Rosario is a Puerto Rican rapper and actor.-Early life:Calderón was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, the son of Pilar Rosario Parrilla, a schoolteacher, and Esteban Calderón Ilarraza, a government worker for Puerto Rico's Department of Health. Moving at a young age from his native...
, Calle 13
Calle 13 (band)
Calle 13 is a band formed by stepbrothers René Pérez Joglar , who calls himself Residente and Eduardo José Cabra Martínez , who calls himself Visitante Calle 13 is a band formed by stepbrothers René Pérez Joglar (born February 23, 1978 in Hato Rey, a subsection of San Juan, Puerto Rico), who calls...
, and Zion.
In early 2010, the band released the first single from their next album. The album, titled Equilibrio
Equilibrio (album)
Equilibrio is the fifth studio album from Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega. It was released independently on February 9, 2010.-Concept:...
, was released on February 9, 2010. On December of that year, the band started a series of concerts on the cities of San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, and Mayaguez
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Mayagüez is the eighth-largest municipality of Puerto Rico. Originally founded as "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria" it is also known as "La Sultana del Oeste" , "Ciudad de las Aguas Puras" , or "Ciudad del Mangó"...
. The concert in San Juan was supposed to be held at the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras, but due to ongoing strikes and protests at the university against the government, the band moved it to the Centro de Bellas Artes in Caguas
Caguas, Puerto Rico
Caguas , founded in 1775, is a city and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Central Mountain Range of Puerto Rico, south of San Juan and Trujillo Alto, west of Gurabo and San Lorenzo, east of Aguas Buenas, Cidra, and Cayey....
. During the concert, lead singer Tito Auger heavily criticized the government for its handling of the crisis at the university and the current state of the country. "In recent years, it has been made more evident that the alleged democracy that protects us is only a mask for the media, a simple slogan
Slogan
A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a political, commercial, religious and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose. The word slogan is derived from slogorn which was an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm . Slogans vary from the written and the...
. We are dominated by a plutocracy
Plutocracy
Plutocracy is rule by the wealthy, or power provided by wealth. The combination of both plutocracy and oligarchy is called plutarchy. The word plutocracy is derived from the Ancient Greek root ploutos, meaning wealth and kratos, meaning to rule or to govern.-Usage:The term plutocracy is generally...
, which is an industrial, business, and political class, that is getting stronger and richer" said Auger.
Current members
- Tito AugerTito AugerAlfonso "Tito" Auger Vega is a Puerto Rican musician most known for being the lead singer of the Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega. Auger is also the band's main songwriter, together with Ricky Laureano....
- VocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, rhythm guitarsGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Ricky LaureanoRicky LaureanoRicky Laureano is a Puerto Rican musician most known for being the guitarist and one of the main songwriters of the Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega.-Biography:...
- VocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, lead guitarsGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Jorge ArraizaJorge ArraizaJorge Arraiza is a Puerto Rican musician most known for being the bassist of the Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega.-Biography:...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, background vocals - Pedro ArraizaPedro ArraizaPedro Arraiza is a Puerto Rican musician most known for being the drummer of the Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega.-Biography and Career:...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, background vocals
Studio albums
- Fiel a la VegaFiel a la Vega (album)Fiel a la Vega is the debut album from Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega, released in 1996. The album is still considered one of the most influential albums in Rock en Español.-Track listing:All songs written by Tito Auger, except where noted....
(April, 1996) - A Quien Pueda InteresarA Quien Pueda InteresarA Quien Pueda Interesar is the second studio album released by Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega. It was released independently in 1998.The album features lead guitarist Ricky Laureano in a more prominent role with lead vocals in "Voces de Sol"....
(May 1, 1998) - TresTres (album)Tres is the third studio album released by Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega. It was released in 1999 by EMI Latin and is the first album the band releases on an international label....
(November, 1999) - La ProsperidadLa ProsperidadLa Prosperidad is the fourth studio album released by Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega. It was released independently in 2002.Lead guitarist Ricky Laureano is again featured in a more prominent role writing four songs, and co-writing another 3 with singer Tito Auger...
(December, 2002) - EquilibrioEquilibrio (album)Equilibrio is the fifth studio album from Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega. It was released independently on February 9, 2010.-Concept:...
(February, 2010)
Live albums
- El Concierto AcústicoEl Concierto AcústicoEl Concierto Acústico is the first live album by Puerto Rican rock band Fiel a la Vega, and their second album overall. The album was recorded at the Performing Arts Center in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico during the concerts the band held from July 19-21, 1997...
(November, 1997) - El Concierto SinfónicoEl Concierto SinfónicoEl Concierto Sinfónico is the second live album by Puerto Rican rock band Fiel a la Vega, and their fourth album overall. The album was recorded with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra at the Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center in Santurce, Puerto Rico during the concerts the band held from March...
(December, 2001) - Sesiones: 10 Años Acústicos y EléctricosSesiones: 10 Años Acústicos y EléctricosSesiones: 10 Años Acústicos y Eléctricos is a live recording released by Puerto Rican rock band Fiel a la Vega on December 18, 2007. It was recorded at the Ambassador Hotel on March, 2007 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.-Track listing:...
(DVD, December 2007)
Other collaborations
- Siempre Piel Canela: La Música de Bobby Capó (1997, released by Banco Popular)
- Un Junte para la HistoriaUn Junte para la HistoriaUn Junte para la Historia was a concert from three Puerto Rican bands: Fiel a la Vega, Haciendo Punto en Otro Son, and Moliendo Vidrio, celebrated in Puerto Rico on November 29, 1998. The concert was then released as a DVD, and a CD....
(November, 1998)
Singles
| Year | Song | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "Salimos de Aquí Salimos de Aquí "Salimos de Aquí" is a song written and composed by Puerto Rican rock band Fiel A La Vega. It was their first single from their first album, in 1996, and is considered one of their biggest hits to date. It was written by band singer Tito Auger. The title means "We Came Out of Here".The song is a... " |
Fiel a la Vega Fiel a la Vega (album) Fiel a la Vega is the debut album from Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega, released in 1996. The album is still considered one of the most influential albums in Rock en Español.-Track listing:All songs written by Tito Auger, except where noted.... |
| "El Wanabí" | ||
| 1998 | "Bla, Bla, Bla" | A Quien Pueda Interesar A Quien Pueda Interesar A Quien Pueda Interesar is the second studio album released by Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega. It was released independently in 1998.The album features lead guitarist Ricky Laureano in a more prominent role with lead vocals in "Voces de Sol".... |
| "Al Frente" | ||
| "El Panal" | ||
| 1999 | "Canción en la Arena" | Tres Tres (album) Tres is the third studio album released by Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega. It was released in 1999 by EMI Latin and is the first album the band releases on an international label.... |
| 2000 | "Solamente" | |
| "Desde el Comienzo" | ||
| 2002 | "Hay Que Edificar" | La Prosperidad La Prosperidad La Prosperidad is the fourth studio album released by Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega. It was released independently in 2002.Lead guitarist Ricky Laureano is again featured in a more prominent role writing four songs, and co-writing another 3 with singer Tito Auger... |
| 2003 | "A Quien Pueda Interesar" | |
| "Maniqueismo" | ||
| 2010 | "Turísticamente Bien" | Equilibrio Equilibrio (album) Equilibrio is the fifth studio album from Rock en Español band Fiel a la Vega. It was released independently on February 9, 2010.-Concept:... |
1997
- Farándula Award: Best Local Rock Band.
- Artistas Award: Most Outstanding Band of the Year.
- Tu Música Award: Best National Rock Band.
- Tu Música Award: Ballad/Pop Song of the Year ("El Wanabí")
1998
- Tu Música Award: Best National Rock Band.
- Tu Música Award: Song of the Year ("Boricua en la Luna")
- Tu Música People's Choice Award.
2001
- ASCAP Award: Best Rock en EspañolRock en EspañolRock en español is the Spanish-language rock music. While the term is used widely in English, it is used in Spanish mainly to distinguish such music from "Anglo rock." It is a style of rock music that developed in Latin American countries and Latino communities, along with other genres like...
Song ("Canción en la Arena" written by Auger and Laureano)
Book
In 2005, writer Edgardo Soto released a biography of the band titled Salimos de Aquí: La Biografía de File a la Vega. The book includes facts about the band's formation and their rise to fame in the mid-90s.Release Information
- Soto, Edgardo. (2005) Salimos de Aquí: La Biografía de Fiel a la Vega. Terranova Editores; 1st Edition (ISBN 0976015897)
See also
- Music in Puerto Rico
- Puerto Rican rockPuerto Rican rockRock in Puerto Rico has been a product of direct and indirect influence from both American rock music and Latin rock music, and its fusion with other genres. Throughout history, the genre has suffered ups and downs having a significant peak in the 1990s...
- List of Puerto Rican songwriters