Mirabal and friends thrill audience
On a bitter cold Saturday afternoon — Taoseños crowded into the Taos Community Auditorium to hear the music of Christmas and experience the therapy of friendly company. At the end of the performance, hope and love replaced bitterness.
Robert Mirabal and his friends, who traveled from around the county, entertained us with humor, grace and — yes, love. He and Chris Arellano, Max Gomez, Michael Hearne, performing with friends and family, spoke of the deep emotional ties among our Northern New Mexico cultures. Their music evoked the bonds that unite them, the land, and its traditions.
Chris Arellano, accompanied by family members, began the concert with a classic Northern New Mexico canción. The rhythms and harmonies lasted all afternoon. During each individual’s set, other performers stepped onstage to accompany them. All were stunning in their casual luminosity.
Mirabal was the center of compassion. He blessed the audience with an offering of corn seed — “non-GMO, just like me.” Then followed a dedication to Mentor Williams, a Taoseño of no small accomplishment who passed away this year. The whole group, joined by the audience, sang his famous chorus, “I want to get lost in you rock and roll and drift away.”
Who could have imagined a more poignant ending. All this magic was sponsored by the town of Taos. As the audience filed out, a great weight had lifted, spirits soared, and a few eyes misted with gratitude for this generous offering. As corny as it sounds, music soothed the savage beast of our worries even after we left the concert hall. Bravo!
