Raul Malo was in the San Antonio, airport recently, surrounded by members of the military traveling home for the holidays. As he listened to the happy din, he happened to catch a closed-caption news report on one of the airport televisions in which a politician was lamenting the U.S. withdrawal of troops. That report filled him with such anger, that he called a friend of his and soon arranged a way to report the individual soldier’s points of view through song.
“It’s just a gift,” said Malo of the video he made of the classic holiday song “I’ll be Home for Christmas” and posted on his website. “It’s not even a gift, it’s a thank you. It’s not to raise money. I just wanted to show that there are people here who appreciate all they have done for us.”
| Onstage |
| Raul Malo |
| When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday |
| Where: The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria |
| Info: $29.50; 202-397-SEAT; ticketmaster.com |
| Want to know more about David Nail and his Towson gig? Check out washingtonexaminer.com for the story. |
Malo has never been shy about choosing his own path. He proudly classifies himself, and other in the alt-country music world that he literally created, as misfits. Yet this train with square wheels straight from the holiday classic ‘Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer’ finds freedom in non-conformity that allows him to more fully extend his musical artistry.
Fans that attended a Malo concert last fall at the Birchmere in Alexandria seemingly wouldn’t have it any other way. Whether Malo was treating them to the country oriented tunes he made famous as front man of the Mavericks or treating them to his solo work that often includes swirls of Latin, Texas-tinged and traditional country influences.
On this trip through the area, Malo promises that he’ll also mix up the set list playing plenty of holiday songs as well as some of his self-penned classics. It was just a few years ago that Malo released a holiday album himself as a way to add his voice to the classic tunes that vocalists from Frank Sinatra to Dolly Parton have sung through the years.
Sure, there are those that criticize such efforts. The Stone Temple Pilots’ Scott Weiland has just endured a bounty of abuse for his recent holiday record. Again, though, Malo doesn’t take those naysayers seriously.
“I always liked to hear the songs during the holidays, different artists versions of those songs,” he said. “Everyone from Elvis to Bono has recorded them. There are always haters but I love those songs….[Those that attend this concert] will hear a couple Christmas songs, for sure. We are out there trying to spread a little cheer…I love those songs.”
