Based in San Francisco, Makrú makes music that reflects the group’s origins from around the world, blending rumba flamenca, ska, reggae, cumbia, and more. Their music is a daily practice as well as a way to express their beliefs in equality and unity and to support the causes they believe in.
Ahead of the group’s set as a trio this Saturday, July 5th at the New Farm, co-hosted by Bay Beats (San Francisco Public Library) and White Crate, we heard from bandleader Raúl Vargas about the girl who sent him to the Mission, the power of musical expression, and some of his favorite local artist-centered communities.
What’s your earliest memory of connecting with music?
Listening to my mom’s tapes. Always very diverse.
Where did you grow up? If you moved here, when and why did you move to the Bay?
I grew up in Madrid, Spain. When I was 22, I started traveling, and during a stop in Sydney, I met a girl. I told her that one of the stops on my round-the-world trip would be Los Angeles. She said, “That’s cool, check it out. But after that, you have to go to San Francisco, to the Mission District. There’s a travelers’ and artists’ house there that will change everything.”
Does living in the Bay Area influence your music?
Big time. It hasn’t just influenced the kind of music I play; moving here immediately opened my eyes. I realized it was actually possible to make a living as a musician, something that had only felt like a distant dream before.
Why do you make music?
I started kind of late (17 years old). Once I picked up the guitar, it just took over. From that moment on, playing and making music became part of my everyday life. Stopping was never an option. Over time, I realized that beyond being a calling and a personal need, music was also a powerful tool for expressing myself and supporting the causes I believe in.
Have you played at the New Farm before?
I have, just once, been invited by some friends that I played with sometimes, who were friends with Andy. It’s a very unique and special place. I love the vibe of people’s energy.
How has your experience with Bay Beats been?
Great, they included some of my albums in the San Francisco library last year, and I have played a solo gig with them this year. Everyone is super nice and friendly.
What do you love about the Bay Area music community?
I love how the community gets together and gets things done here. Being able to make a living as a musician the way I do here is something that I’m very grateful for cuz I know I wouldn’t be able to do it in Spain where I’m originally from.
I moved here in 2002, and back then, San Francisco was still full of artists and musicians. The community felt bigger and stronger, and there were more music venues. I’d love to see some of that spirit return, for the city to look a bit like that again.
Are there any artist-centered communities in the Bay that you love?
San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM), Mission Arts Performance Project (MAPP), CounterPulse, the Lab, Gray Area, Open Studios, Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, San Francisco Public Library (SFPL)
Do you have any new releases coming up?
Not with Makrú at the moment but I do with my solo project Raultrasound and with my Spanish Latin fusion duo Dos Bandoleros I have something as well.
Do you have any hopes or predictions for the local music scene?
I see how the music is coming back slowly. I’m optimistic about it but we have to keep working hard.
