28 March 2011
“Surfing is something that was born inside of me, because it was in my blood,” says Rex Calderón, his vibrant sun-bleached locks flowing out of a black Quiksilver hat. Rex and the other members of team Nicaragua are in the capital, Managua, to promote the upcoming Central American Surf Championship that will be held the following weekend at Playa Maderas. It’s the same beach, just outside of San Juan del Sur, where Rex’s uncles began teaching him the ways of the waves when he was a kid. The same beach where from the first time he paddled out he says he knew he would be surfing for life. And the same beach where that weekend the 18 year old surf prodigy would go on to become the Central American Champion.
“When I get into the water and surf my mind changes,” he says. “All I want is to surf, and surf aggressively; meaning surfing strong, motivated and always trying to come up with different tricks to push my limits.”
In person this aggressive style is dynamic to watch. He attacks the waves, yet somehow makes it look effortless at the same time. His biggest asset however may be an uncanny ability to make bad waves look good and good waves look amazing. When Rex Calderón is surfing people take notice.
“Everything stopped,” says Shawn Kelly, a tourist from the States who had been watching the Central American Semi Finals at Playa Maderas when Rex entered the water. “People stopped what they were doing and just watched. Nobody else got a reaction like that.”
According to those who know him, that is typical Rex, in the water he is a fierce competitor, with a style that is radical, innovative, fluent and natural. But all the energy and aggression he demonstrates in the ocean doesn’t reflect his personality on the mainland where instead of a surfboard he often carries a shy smile and getting him to open up can be quite a task. Perhaps that comes from his humble beginnings, sharing a modest house with eight people in San Juan. It was there where his uncles Chelo and Roque, part of the first generation of Nica surfers, introduced him to the rest of his life.
Rex built on the pioneering experience and lessons of his uncles; he became serious about surfing and dedicated himself to it wholeheartedly. But he soon realized he couldn’t do that and live the same life as many of his peers.
“I have to go to sleep early, wake up early, can’t party too much, take care of myself and train…above all, train,” says Rex.
And while it is hard work, there is nothing he would rather be doing. Training provides Rex the freedom to experiment and hone his craft. But it is the thrill of competition that pushes him to the next level.
“Competition wakes something up inside of me, it sets me off,” he says. “You’re there waiting for the moment and then it hits you like an adrenaline rush.”
It’s that fighter’s spirit and a desire to always be better that makes him walk from San Juan to Playa Maderas when he can’t find a ride. It is also what keeps him disciplined and motivated. His whole world and life revolves around surf. The rare times when Rex isn’t at the beach you can likely find him watching a surf video, riding his bike, or better yet, on a skateboard “because I always need to be practicing,” he says with a smile. This is a routine he lives everyday. The longest he has ever been out of the water was two weeks for a small knee injury. He basically lives in the ocean; without it he feels he can’t breathe.
But while Rex is the first to say he was born a surfer, he is quick to add that a surfer without a board is nothing, and in addition to his raw talent and perseverance, he is the surfer he is thanks in part to the many people who have sponsored and supported him. Endorsements are an important part of the sport, as surfing can get very expensive very fast, especially for a kid from San Juan with dreams of competing and training at a high level. Rex says he was fortunate to have developed a relationship with board shaper Tom Eberly, who backs him with his shop Nicasurf and helped get Rex signed with Quiksilver early on in his career. He also recently got sponsorship from Sexwax and his good friend Johnny Goldenberg has been there to pick up the slack when travels and boards have gotten too expensive.
“Rex is our guy, he’s the one,” says longtime San Juan resident Goldenberg, echoing the sentiment of many in the small town and throughout Nicaragua who see Rex as the future of surfing.
Rex’s dedication and natural ability has paid off and though still a teenager he is already the most decorated surfer in Nicaraguan history. He is also the first to compete at a truly international level. In 2009 Rex took part in the International Surf Association (ISA) World Juniors in Ecuador, and while every other country came with a well-prepared team, Rex stood alone, holding a jar of sand from Nicaragua, representing his country proudly with a smile on his face and a fire in his belly.
His dream is to truly bring Nicaraguan surfing onto the international scene by competing at the highest level in the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP). The upcoming 2011 ALAS Tour will be an important step in working towards that goal. After a strong showing in last year’s tournament, everyone in Nicaragua is expecting big things from their champion.
But when Rex thinks of the future he doesn’t only think of himself, his hope is that there will be more Nicaraguans standing there beside him on the world stage. And much like his uncles with him, he already has an eye on the next generation of Nicaraguan surfers.
“My little brother is three years old and I’m already planting the idea of surfing inside his head,” says Rex with a laugh. “I am always showing him surfing videos, magazines and all that. He likes surfing and by the time he’s my age I’m sure can be two or three times better than me.”
Photos by Jairo Ramos
24 March 2011
In the middle of the hustle and bustle of one of the most popular markets in Managua, the Roberto Huembes Market, we find Don Dorman´s Radio and TV Repair Shop, a small shack filled completely with electronic devices making it almost impossible to enter.
In the midst of dust, television and stereo skeletons, and unusable pieces of equipment we´ve found the perfect spot for our photo shoot with Pequeño Parlante (Small Speaker in Spanish) one of the latest bands to come onto the local music scene. The band is made up of Lennin Ortiz, their lead guitarist, Josue Zuñiga guitarist, Amahruc Arroliga bassist, Rodrigo Castro on drums and debuting Ana Rodriguez as lead vocalist.
All the band members, except for Ana and Josue, also belong to other bands that play different musical genres, which makes this band an interesting mix of poprock and different electronic elements.
We begin the session sitting around a table while eating tortillas and fried pork, and you instantly take notice of the chemistry and the way the band members interact with one another. Ana and Amharuc, the youngest, joke around with each other while Rodrigo and Lennin try to maintain control, though sometimes they allow their inner child to come out and play. And that´s what Pequeño Parlante is all about, expressing through everyday situations the emotions that we lock up inside of us.
Lennin Ortiz, who also plays with Monroy & Surmenage, while searching for a personal project to involve himself in, is the one responsible for putting this new lineup together. The band has been well received, not only by other bands but by the public as well. They presently have one album on the market with eight original songs, all written by Lennin throughout his musical trajectory but which are until now seeing the light of day through Pequeño Parlante.
The name of the band comes from the idea of creating a story for each song, creating characters like Dr. Parlante (Dr. Speaker) and Señor Molusco (Mr. Mollusk) and many more who will pop up as the band progresses. This is an important theme that resonates in all the bands publicity and visual elements. The fact that 17 year old Ana is the lead vocalist makes the band stand out even more since they are one of a few bands with a female vocalist. This
23 March 2011
SAN JUAN DEL SUR / RIVAS.
HECHO magazine hosted the launch of it´s 9th edition this past March 19 in San Juan del Sur, kicking things of with an itimate acoustic evening in the light of San Juan’s sunset at “EL TIMON” where the three featured bands gave attendees a taste of their music playing their most popular hits. Those in attendance received a free copy of the magazine that features Central-American surfing champion Rex Calderon illustrated with waves for hair on the cover. The magazine was also distributed by our staff outside of El Timon. DJ ZemoGregor closed out the evening with an eclectic mix of sounds that prepared the crowd for what HECHO had in store for that night. The real party happened later that night at Bambu Beach Club where a stage, metal structures and an insane light display, designed by Gaby Disco, made the concert a memorable one and easily one of our best events so far. CultraFolk, Peqeño Parlante and Diabizarro played the concert of their lives, confirming the success that precedes them and reaffirming their popularity. The staff want to thank our readers for making the 9th edition possible and we can´t wait to show you what we have in store for our next issue !!!
14 March 2011
Sabado, Marzo 19 a las 12:00pm, San Juan del Sur, Rivas.
Vení y disfruta el inicio de verano 2011 con HECHO MAGAZINE y tus bandas favoritas!
Una tardeada electronica en El Timon para la presentación oficial de Hecho 09 con Djs invitados. NO COVER
Esa noche la seguimos en Bambu Beach Club con FIESTA LANZAMIENTO HECHO 09 con:
Culturafolk
DíaBizzaro
Pequeño Parlante
Cover C$ 50
Promociones toda la tarde y noche!
Menciona Hecho al hacer tus reservaciones en Hotel La Estación y recibí tu respectivo descuento PLAN BRODER!!! 2568-2304
7 February 2011
Reef celebrates its 4th year of business. The Reef has become an important stop for any up and coming, or established band. Hecho has spent its fair share of time there covering these bands, enjoying good vibes and of course celebrating many of our launch parties.
Wether its a packed house to see Momotombo or a chill night having drinks with friends the Reef is one of our favorite places in Managua. Congratulations!
Wednesday February 09th. DJ ZEMOGREGOR Electro Lounge
Thursday February 10th Momotombo kicks things off
Friday 11th the party continues with their VIP Edition
Saturday Monroy and Surmenage close it out
pictures by Silvio Balladares & Julio Molina F2.8
14 January 2011
This Saturday is a great opportunity to see Ramon Mejía, better known as Perrozompopo, live in concert in Granada, Nicaragua. The artist who was recently nominated for a Latin Grammy for his album “CPC” will be performing with his band Los Bandoleros in front of El Convento de San Francisco. During the concert Perrozompopo will premier the new video for his song “Angel del Cielo.”
After the concert, DJ’s from the collective ‘Technica’ will keep the party moving until 2 in the morning. Don’t miss this chance to see one of Nicaragua’s best artists live in an unforgettable concert.
This Saturday, Jan 15th
9:13 pm
In front of el Convento de San Francisco, Granada
C$100
13 January 2011
This Saturday is a great opportunity to see Ramon Mejía, better known as Perrozompopo, live in concert in Granada, Nicaragua. The artist who was recently nominated for a Latin Grammy for his album “CPC” will be performing with his band Los Bandoleros in front of El Convento de San Francisco. During the concert Perrozompopo will premier the new video for his song “Angel del Cielo.”
After the concert, DJ’s from the collective ‘Technica’ will keep the party moving until 2 in the morning. Don’t miss this chance to see one of Nicaragua’s best artists live in an unforgettable concert.
This Saturday, Jan 15th
9:13 pm
In front of el Convento de San Francisco, Granada
C$100
26 December 2010
“La Yuma” is as Nicaraguan as drinking ron Plata at the beach or hearing the unmistakable chirp of a perrozompopo in the middle of the night. Both examples are little touches the film contains that really made it stand out for me. Director Florence Jaugney, originally from France, has done a wonderful job of filling the film with all sorts of Nica idiosyncrasies that will be appreciated by anyone familiar with the culture, but she also deserves credit in crafting a film that can be enjoyed by those who are not. Produced by Camila Films and shot in beautiful 35mm by Frank Pineda, “La Yuma” is a giant step forward for Nicaraguan cinema.
The story follows Yuma, played effectively, if a little robotically, by Alma Blanco, as a young rebellious girl looking for a way out of her mundane existence in an impoverished neighborhood of Managua. Surrounded by drug addict friends, a loser boyfriend and a deadbeat stepfather, Yuma finds some of the change she is looking for in her seemingly predestined life through boxing and a chance encounter with a journalism student.
The film is not without its shortcomings, the “wrong side of the tracks” romantic subplot comes off as a little contrived and the boxing angle feels underdeveloped, however, “La Yuma” is still a very enjoyable experience highlighted by a colorful cast of supporting characters that surround Yuma and give the film its most memorable moments. Some of the standouts include, Scarlett, Yuma’s boss at a used clothing store who has some great lines as a Nicafied “cougar” and motherly figure for the young girl, Yader, her friend from the gym, who encourages her to get into boxing and also moonlights as a male stripper, the neighborhood tranny, La Cubana, who is constantly there for Yuma as a confidant and to offer support, and the mentally handicapped El Down, who uses his perceived shortcomings to his advantage as a thief.
“La Yuma” is being billed as the first feature film produced in the country in the past 20 years, and without a doubt, Nicaragua is a place that has been underrepresented in film for a long time. It would be great if the success of “La Yuma” and all the incredible work being done by Camila Films could help usher in a new era of Nicaraguan film. I highly recommend checking out “La Yuma” which opens this Thursday, May 6th.
- Jonathan Jackson
