El Aventurero

It’s late on a wet and windy Friday night in one of London’s less glamorous nightspots and Octavio ‘El Aventurero’ González is wrapped up well against the English winter weather.

Swaddled in a big jacket and a with a woolly hat pulled down low, he looks like any other young man in his mid-twenties – but in an hour’s time he will come on stage dressed as a charro – in the style of a traditional Mexican cowboy, in a specially-made suit with silvery adornments and a sweeping sombrero.

The crowd, mainly London-based Latinos and friends, here to celebrate Dia de los Muertos, are in for a real treat.

González, who had to cut short a series of planned performances in the UK earlier this year, is back to complete his tour and is in excellent voice.

One of the most exciting young singers to follow the classic ranchero/bolero tradition, González – who has a mature honey-toned voice – could also, when togged up in his traje, easily give Alejandro Fernandez a run for his money.

He has already notched up a wide fan base and been asked to sing at next year’s World Cup.

As a proud Lagunero and devoted fan of his home team, Torreon, he is clearly hoping that the Mexican football team (hopefully with former Lagunero Jared Borgetti, the first Mexican to join the English Premiership) make it through the competition’s early stages.

But music is his first love. “I didn’t come from a particularly musical family, but I always sung as a child,” he tells Mexicanwave.

“My parents didn’t sing, but I grew up listening to great artists like Pedro Infante. Later, I formed a group with two of my brothers and some friends.

“I moved to Mexico City and started to sing at cockfights and then in a restaurant in Garibaldi (the city-centre square where roaming Mariachi groups can be hired by the song or by the night) and things started to take off.

“The most popular songs are my favourites, like ‘El Rey’ and ‘Coplas’.

“In my act I have a screen and we show old stars from the Golden Age like Jorge Negrete and Sara Garcia and we battle it out in song. It’s a fun way of bringing these great personalities to new audiences.”

Octavio González’s second album Mexico Lindo y Querido is out now.

He plays Downstairs at Mestizo Restaurant and Tequila Bar on Tuesday 15 November. Doors open 18:00 (Happy Hour until 20:00) Show starts 21:00. Admission is free at the door.

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