Taking Wilfredo’s Wild Ride!

Last night I got to catch Wilfredo at The Ottabar in Baltimore.  I ran across Wilfredo a couple of years ago, on Youtube, while doing research on people who sing funny songs and I’ve been a fan ever since.  So, I was very excited to see him perform live.

And I wasn’t disappointed. Not only was the whole show great – burlesque  performers from NY and Baltimore with Wilfredo performing interstitially – but Wilfredo himself really pulled it off.

Why do I think his act works?  Well, his commitment to the persona is absolutely 100%.  Maybe 150% if that’s possible.  And the persona is funny. He is a conspicuously unattractive man who attempts to exude sexiness through sheer will and confidence.

Sometimes, when you are enough of a legend in your own mind… you can actually become legendary.  And when you are the sexiest man alive in your own opinion, you can become, well, sexy. But in Wilfredo’s case, neither is true – and the disconnect is friking hilarious.

His writing and performance really work for me as well too.  The ability to perform stupid original songs, and completely predictable covers in a way that is fun and surprising is a true talent, and Wilfredo pulls it off.  When he presented Mrs. Bothered with a flower during his opening number, I couldn’t even be jealous.

But for all of his character and silliness and faux-panache… there is an honesty and truth to Wilfredo’s performance, and I loved it.  There were soft moments where he was able to really connect with us in the audience.  Then of course, he would hack up a lung and make us cheer for his butt.  And so it went.

If you get a chance to catch him live as Wilfredo’s Wild Ride swings through the east coast, I suggest you do it.  You won’t be disappointed, and you will laugh a lot.

You can also find his music in iTunes, Apple Music and Spotify… and of course, YouTube.