They’re from the Gold Coast. They are known for their tasty mix of world music and club beats. They are Tijuana Cartel. The band has been going strong for over a decade now, seamlessly fusing multiple influences to create their ‘east meets west’ sound. At the heart of this colourful soundscape are Paul George and Carey O’Sullivan. The two first started their musical partnership in the late ’90s. Cafés became their home away from home, and soon they were performing seven days a week. It became more like a party than a job, both for those in attendance and the boys. In their words: “We mix a lot of styles into our music. We’ve spent a lot of time honing the sounds into a set that transitions smoothly and seamlessly. We used to be fairly random and simply jammed, but as the years passed we found it more interesting to create a kind of musical movement for the shows.” Joined at their live shows by Yoav Mashiach on percussion (and occasionally Joshua Sinclair on trumpet), Tijuana Cartel have performed at festivals including Splendour, Laneway and Rainbow Serpent. Their latest album is 2014’s 24 Bit Guitar Orchestra. Torquay Hotel, Torquay – April 3.
