Perro Sombra: “We want to… strengthen the local scene” with the DMV Music Alliance

By Jacqueline Jedrych and first published on Alchemical Records on 11/29/2022

Among the performers at the?DMV Music Alliance’s upcoming benefit concert?is Perro Sombra, or “Shadow Dog” in Spanish, a Latin rock band.?

Daniel Gomez covers lead vocals and guitar, and Francisco Foschi and Lula Neira are bass. Gomez and Foschi are both multi-instrumentalists, even sometimes swapping bass and guitar on stage.

According to the band, “Francisco’s first instrument was the drums, and he was “forced” to change instruments because his neighbors kept calling the police on him.”

Gomez is a native to Caracas, Venezuela, where he fronted a Latin rock cover band before moving to the United States at 16. He joined the burgeoning “Rock en Espa?ol” scene and fell in love with writing music. He joined a couple of bands, where he handled the tracks almost idependently from writing to production. After returning from North Carolina for college, he formed Botta, with whom he recorded four albums to critical acclaim and developed a loyal fanbase.

Foschi joined Kaoz in 1997, a band which found rapid commercial success after playing at the MTV Latin-American Beach Parties. They signed with Sony Music and changed their name to Los de Adentro, with their debut album going platinum in their home country of Colombia. Foschi left the band a year after the recording of their second album, and moved from Miami to Washington, D.C. He joined another band, The Monas, who also found commercial success.

Founding members Daniel Gomez and Francisco Foschi often ran into each other in the close D.C. music scene, but it wasn’t until Daniel’s previous band dissolved in 2017 that they got the opportunity to make music together. They met at a Draco Rosa show, and after writing over 20 songs during the following months, they released their debut album.

With their first album complete, they sought a bassist to add depth and flavor to their tracks. After seemingly endless auditions, Gomez called upon his long-time friend Lula Neira to join, and she fit instantly.

Neira hails from Bogotá, Colombia, and started playing bass at age 13. She studied music at Jorge Tadeo Lozano University, where she learned from legendary bassists and leaders in the industry. Neira quickly became involved in the D.C. music scene, renowned for her versatility in style. She joined local fusion band Zakke, playing alongside established international acts, such as Jarabe de Palo, Los Amigos Invisibles, Ozomatli, Aterciopelados, Los Rabanes, Los Autenticos Decadentes, Vilma Palma e Vampiros, and Rawayana.

Perro Sombra remains a staple in the D.C. music scene. On December 8, they will take the stage at the DMV Music Alliance’s fundraiser concert, DMV Music Benefits All. They enthusiastically support the Alliance’s mission “to strengthen the DMV music scene and empower our local artists to grow, collaborate and get their artistic efforts out to the world.”

In advance of the event, they look forward to getting to know other bands, sponsors, and organizations involved in the event and hope to “lay the foundation for future collaborations.”

“We want to contribute to this great cause, strengthen the local scene and learn more about other artists,” the group explained.?

Time-weathered performers, they are professionals on the stage. To prepare for each show, they hold one or two rehearsals on the week of the show, usually rehearsing a longer set list that gets distilled to the final list during the last rehearsal, sometimes even on the fly.?

“Before a show, we typically fast for at least 24 hours and submerged in a sensory deprivation tank for at least 30 minutes on the day of the show. We then enter a deep state of meditation in which we stay anywhere between two to four hours, finally breaking fast with organic Goji berries dipped in Manuka honey and a shot of wheatgrass right before going on stage,” they joked.?

“Sometimes we skip all that and just drink a beer and do a quick group hug.”

The group is always excited to perform, but the DMV Alliance concert is special. They are excited to make new connections and fans, especially in the DMV area.

“People singing along to our songs is always very special, but it is also great making a connection with new fans or people that never heard us before,” they explain. “We also occasionally enjoy “going off script” and doing alternative live versions of the songs.”

They recently released their second video from their sophomore album, and are recording the second half of the album. They also hope to hold some international shows after its 2023 release.?To stay updated on where the band is playing next, check out the band’s?website?or?social media!