yeah, its aight. Its pretty big (not as big in miami, ny, or colombia though). I do like how people here support the local latin bands though (many other cities are not as supportive unfortunately) - that benefits me a lot. For the past few years though, salsa in the latin community of houston (and u.s. of course) has been noticeably changing (some feel it has been dying). I dont know if thats necessarily a bad thing though - I'm actually feeling indifferent towards it (possibly cause I'm so young - then again, the older people don't have too much of a problem, they seem to enjoy the newer, contemporary sounds almost as much as the youth).
As a musician, I can say that there used to be a time when there were loads of local salsa bands, more than now, tons of jiggy salsa clubs where ballers would be going to. That was mainly in the 80s/90s though when cocaine was huge and everybody seemed to be loaded up on paper and violence. Loads of these badboys was loaded, so they decided to make clubs in Houston (and everywhere else in the u.s. and their country of origin). It was a crazy time in that whole scene everywhere in the world. Fights, shootings, and murders were rampant in the clubs back in those days - but it was some of the funnest times.
My mom told me about once when this one dealer was cheating on his wife, and his wife caught him and her both at the club. So the wife just takes out her small pistol and starts busting up on the lady he was messing with. The wife straight murdered right in front of everyone in the club. Then the husband got pissed off, and took out his heat and busted on his own wife, and she died too at the club. But back then, since there was so much money flowing and so much money to be made, there was mad concerts and clubs, so it was always fun to be had, but lotsa danger.
Then, later in the 90s, in Houston, more and more people took an interest in latin music (although, there had always been interest, just that, this time it seemed to explode, and thousands of people all at once wanted to know about the music - mainly salsa), also the agression had been dying down (due to the drug raquet dying down somewhat).
So now, we're here today, and once again, the latin music scene has gone [or is still going] through a big phase. There was the time back in the 60s/70s, when salsa was the new big thing, and all the youth and even grown folks was flocking to this "salsa". Salsa had started replacing genres like pachanga, mambo (kinda), boleros, etc. Now we have different genres that have become bigger, and to some it seems like they're kickin salsa out, but maybe its actually a symbiotic relationship, some of us may not be seeing yet though. Or, just like in the days of the mambos and such, where salsa seemed to be a spawn of other genres combined, this might be the case now.
It has been obvious for the past few years that the sound of salsa has changed. To me, it sounds like its not dying, just that it has evolved - so of course, it won't sound like the heavy classics from the 70s, or the romantic salsas from the 80s/90s (grindaction - songs to make love to, or 'salsa pa la cama' [salsa for the bed], as we say).
It has caused more of a mixture in clubs though. Now most clubs [that were primarily salsa] are playing a lot more latin pop/rock, regeton, merengue, bachata as part of their contemporary repertoire than before. Personally, I'd like to see more of other genres of latin music (that aren't as big in the u.s.) getting big here in the states such as merengue tipico (dominican) and vallenato (colombian). But anyways, change is good. Now theres more room for other genres, instead of mostly dominated by salsa. I love salsa, but sometimes, things need to change, and as long as salsa always has a place to exist and live, I dont see anything wrong with that. Now, when in the club, we just have more riddims to enjoy and dance to. So theres always a bright side to these changes.
I wasn't expecting to write all this, I just got on one of my crazy trips again. haha
