Rodrigo y Gabriela

Guitar duos rarely come as sonically expansive as Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero. Following the dissolution of their heavy metal four-piece Tierra Ácida in 1997, the pair decided to switch electric noise for nylon acoustics and go it alone, eventually relocating some 5,000 miles from Mexico to Ireland in order to pursue their new shared ambition. From busking on the streets of Dublin to topping the Irish charts in 2006 with their self-titled second album, performing in front of presidents and scoring for Hollywood blockbusters, their success serves as a stark reminder for how taking creative risks can pay unforeseen dividends. On a UK visit ahead of releasing fifth full-length Mettavolution, the two guitarists reflect on their journey so far and explain how the two-pronged attack of Gabriela’s engine-room rhythms and Rodrigo’s fret-burning leads brought mainstream success...

You’ve said in the past that you don’t consider yourselves flamenco or typically Latin musicians...

 : “There were more Latin flavours on our debut, especially in the rhythms. Though, to be honest, I grew up mainly playing heavier music. Everything I learned during those years I transferred from electric to acoustic. That in itself is an unorthodox approach to acoustic… together we