For bands with 10 members, just managing to get everyone to practice at the same time can be a monumental achievement.
That makes the globetrotting, 150-show annual schedule of the Austin, Texas-based Latin funk orchestra Grupo Fantasma all the more impressive.
“It’s definitely a tough job,” said guitarist Beto Martinez, laughing. “When you get somewhere like Europe, and we don’t have phone contact and there are tight deadlines for transportation to catch trains for planes, it gets kind of crazy.”
Tonight, they will squeeze onto the stage at Miller Plaza as this week’s Nightfall headliner.
Grupo Fantasma formed in Austin in 2000 out of two other bands, The Blue Noise Band and The Blimp. Before joining up full-time, the two bands would unite for one-off special events, Martinez said.
After forming Grupo Fantasma, they applied their background in rock music to create a progressive, nontraditional take on Cumbia music.
“We were pretty young, and we brought this fun, raucous kind of show that people enjoy and could let loose at and have a great time,” Martinez said.
Since then, the band has gone on to achieve great acclaim, including a stint as the house band at Prince’s 3121 Club in Las Vegas, slots at the Montreal Jazz Festival and Bonnaroo as well as a Grammy nomination for their 2008 album, “Sonidos Gold.”
Wherever they’re playing, the hassle of wrangling such a large group on the road is worth the payoff when their sheer presence leaves an inevitable impression, Martinez said.
“We could never pare it down,” he said. “It’s the sound we’ve honed and developed, and I don’t think we could do it minus any of the guys we have right now.”
RELATED LINKS
http://www.grupofantasma.com
IF YOU GO
* What: Nightfall concert featuring Grupo Fantasma.
* When: 8 p.m. today; Concerning Lions opens at 7 p.m.
* Where: Miller Plaza, corner of M.L. King Boulevard, Market and Cherry streets.
* Admission: Free.
* Phone: 265-0771.
* Venue website: www.nightfallchattanooga.com.
* Related links at fyi.timesfreepress.com.
OPENING ACT
Concerning Lions is a Chattanooga/Nashville hybrid quintet playing indie folk/jazz/rock. The band consists of Nathan Miller (drums), Brian Beise (lead vocalist), Daniel Hallum (banjo), Jonathan Durham (guitar/bass) and Chase Gamble (guitar).
WHAT’S NEXT
Grupo Fantasma’s is touring heavily in support of its latest album, “El Existential,” released in May. They’ll start working on a side project called Brown Out, at the conclusion of the tour, said guitarist Beto Martinez.
DISCOGRAPHY
2002: “Grupo Fantasma”
2004: “Movimiento Popular”
2006: “Comes Alive”
2008: “Sonidos Gold”
2010: “El Existential”