Days of Rona: Mario Trubiano of Borracho
The statistics of COVID-19 change with every news cycle, and with growing numbers, stay-at-home isolation and a near-universal disruption to society on a global scale, it is ever more important to consider the human aspect of this coronavirus. Amid the sad surrealism of living through social distancing, quarantines and bans on gatherings of groups of any size, creative professionals — artists, musicians, promoters, club owners, techs, producers, and more — are seeing an effect like nothing witnessed in the last century, and as humanity as a whole deals with this calamity, some perspective on who, what, where, when and how we’re all getting through is a needed reminder of why we’re doing so in the first place.
Thus, Days of Rona, in some attempt to help document the state of things as they are now, both so help can be asked for and given where needed, and so that when this is over it can be remembered.
Thanks to all who participate. To read all the Days of Rona coverage, click here. — JJ Koczan
Days of Rona: Mario Trubiano of Borracho (Washington, D.C.)
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How are you dealing with this crisis as a band? Have you had to rework plans at all? How is everyone’s health so far?
Here we are about eight weeks in, and Borracho hasn’t had a lot of contact since just before the lockdown. We check in by text, and have done the requisite Zoom calls, but it hurts not be able to get in the jam space and play. Especially since we were just hitting our stride after the three years I lived in Peru. The current situation has delayed us finishing up recording on our new LP, which is almost completely recorded except for vocals on three songs. We were scheduled to finish that back on March 29, and while we’ve managed to proceed with mixing, the record won’t be done until we are able to get those tracks finished. But keeping hope for a release later this fall if things don’t deteriorate further. We’ve all been really following the stay home orders, so thankfully we are all healthy, as are our families.
What are the quarantine/isolation rules where you are?
In D.C. we have been on a stay home order since March 13. We all live in different parts of the city, so it depends a bit where you are, but things are quiet. Now that the weather is turning there’s a lot more exercise and outdoor activity, which can feel weirdly disconcerting. It’s totally natural, but in this context kinda freaks you out. The whole D.C./Maryland/Virginia area is generally in sync on the rules, but since there are so many government and professional jobs around here, a lot of people are able to work from home.
How have you seen the virus affecting the community around you and in music?
Well, right before the lockdown even happened D.C. had just lost the Rock and Roll Hotel, a fairly essential mid-sized venue where a lot of the national touring bands from our scene would regularly pass through. Small venues already had the cards stacked against them in D.C. proper, with major neighborhood demographic and economic shifts over the past 20 years, so I fear when they inevitably have to shut down from this crisis the city won’t be left with anyplace for local and smaller touring bands to play or hone their craft, and the scene will be hurt as a result. It obviously hurts not being able to go out to shows, connect with our friends from the local scene, and of course to play shows ourselves. The live streams haven’t been cutting it.
What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a band, or personally, or anything?
It really doesn’t feel like we’re getting closer to “getting back to normal,” whatever that will be, but now that this has worn on so long it’s hard to imagine there won’t be some level of pushback to staying home through the whole summer. But the disruptions will definitely wear on, and the economic carnage is kind of hard to even fathom. But I am hopeful that we can weather this as a society, and in time we’ll learn and adapt in ways that could lead to unexpected improvements. As a band, Borracho is committed to getting our new record finished and released, and looking forward to hitting the stage whenever that’s possible.
http://borrachomusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/BorrachoDC/
https://borracho.bandcamp.com
