http://classicalgeektheatre.blogspot.com/2008/08/love-grenades-w-with-casxio-and-lysa.html Lysa Flores knocked me on my ass. The self-identified chicana rocker exuded talent. Her sound seemed to rest somewhere between punk rock and 90's songwriter, slathered with her own cultural heritage. It helped that she had a wicked good backing band; the bassist in particular was skilled. But the show was about Flores and the second you saw her on stage you couldn't take your ears off her voice. She sang with attitude, grit, longing, resilience, and pretty much any other emotional note you look for in a strong female charismatic figure. She was convincing and authentic, putting the sea of costumed wanna be rock chicks in LA to shame. If the Sunset Strip could have a singer like Flores every night, by gum you'd be finding me in The Whiskey on Mondays. My gringo ass has nil background on Mexican, Latino, and Hispanic music. But I can tell you that those influences are the predominant characteristic of Flores' music and her cover of Tom Petty's "American Girl" (reappropriated as "Mexi-merican Girl") was an inspiration, with Flores expressing herself and who she is in the context of mainstream American rock tradition. That's how you do a cover, folks. She gets my strongest recommendation. I'd plug a show if she had one listed.