Rodrigo y Gabriela

Rodrigo y Gabriela (Rodrigo and Gabriela), is a Mexican musical duo who specialize in playing fast, rhythmic acoustic guitars. The duo's members are Rodrigo Sanchez, lead guitar, and Gabriela Quintero, rhythm guitar and percussion. Both live a vegan lifestyle and support animal rights. They regularly dismiss being classified in a particular genre of music, preferring to say they play a fusion of many influences.

The duo met in Mexico City while playing in a thrash metal band called Tierra Ácida. Growing frustrated with the limited scope of the domestic music scene, they moved to Europe where they were well received. The musicians gained a reputation by playing in the pubs and bars of Dublin, Ireland, and despite their unusual style, gained a cult following.

In 2001 they recorded and self-released their debut album, “Foc,” which was followed in 2002 by “re-Foc,”which featured re-recorded versions of tracks that appeared on “Foc,” while others were written for this album.

Their first live album, “Live: Manchester and Dublin” was issued in 2004. They received their break when Damien Rice approached them to provide the support for the Irish music festival Oxegen. In 2005, they toured extensively in festivals around the United Kingdom and beyond.

The self-titled album, “Rodrigo y Gabriela,” was released in 2006 and entered the Irish Albums chart at #1. “Rodrigo y Gabriela,” which was produced by John Leckie, included covers of Led Zeppelin's “Stairway to Heaven” and Metallica's “Orion.”

A second live album, “Live in Japan” was released in October 2008 and included 14 tracks as well as a bonus DVD containing five videos. They released the album, “11:11,” in September, 2009. Alex Skolnick of Testament guested on the album, as did Strunz & Farah. Each song on the album was a tribute to an artist that has inspired both Rodrigo and Gabriela.

In July 2011, Rodrigo y Gabriela released another live album entitled “Live in France.”