Mexico City duo Jesse & Joy is only now starting to break in the U.S., but for their debut ACL taping the sibling singer/songwriters performed their healthy catalog of international hits for a studio audience that knew them well.
After cheekily introing themselves with a recording of Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries,” the pair and their band launched into the reggae-influenced pop of “Aqui Voy,” horns and harmonies flying. “Espacio Sideral” followed, a straightforward pop rocker that was the first, but definitely not the last, tune to have the audience sing part of the chorus unaccompanied. That song set the tone for the rest of the show, as Jesse & Joy rolled out a series of crowd-pleasing anthems and upbeat pop songs. “Me Voy,” “¿Con Quien Se Queda El Perro?” and “Esto Es Lo Que Soy” (complete with Jesse’s Big Rock Jump at the end) ratcheted the excitement up into the red, while the ballads “Me Quiero Enamorar” (“This next song is for anyone who’s in love, or wants to be,” remarked Jesse) and especially “La De La Mala Suerte” effortlessly swelled hearts.
Jesse & Joy left the stage after the rousing single “Llorar,” a duet between the two siblings. That wasn’t the end, however. The demands of the crowd for more brought the band back for three final anthems: “Chocolate,” “Ya No Quiero” and, fueled by call-and-response between Joy and the audience, the huge hit “¡Corre!” After tossing out a stuffed dog wearing an autographed T-shirt to a lucky patron and having their picture taken in front of the crowd, Jesse & Joy and band exited for the final time to the strains of the theme from Raiders of the Lost Ark. If that seems self-aggrandizing, given the excitement level of their fans following this show, we’d say they earned it.
Jesse & Joy may not be as well-known in the States as they are in the rest of the world, but we guarantee that will change when this episode airs in the fall – don’t miss it!