METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo joined RODRIGO Y GABRIELA — the dynamic Mexican duo who became international world-music superstars with their self-titled album of aggressive acoustic guitars and irresistible Latin rhythms — on stage last night (Thursday, April 29) at Radio City Music Hall in New York City to perform an impromtu jam and an epic rendition of the METALLICA instrumental "Orion".

Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be viewed below.

Also performing with RODRIGO Y GABRIELA at last night's concert was TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick, whose experimental band ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO was the support act on RODRIGO Y GABRIELA's recent U.S. tour. Skolnick joined the guitar duo on stage for the track "Atman", which is dedicated to late PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott.

Read a review of the show from Elliot Levin at the New York Hard Rock Examiner.

RODRIGO Y GABRIELA released their new studio CD, entitled "11:11", on September 8 through ATO Records. The album was recorded in Ixtapa, Mexico and was produced by RODRIGO Y GABRIELA, with John Leckie co-producing two of the tracks. The effort was mixed in Wales and London by Colin Richardson, best known for his work with SLIPKNOT and TRIVIUM.

Comprising 11 new original compositions, "11:11" is the band's personal "Gracias" to 11 musicians, both past and present, who have inspired them along the way. "Atman" features a guest appearance by Alex Skolnick.

Speaking of their collaboration with Skolnick and the legacy of "Dimebag" Darrell, Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero stated, "Alex came to our studio in Mexico to lay down his incredible solo on 'Atman'. Atman is a Sanskrit word meaning the only deathless part of the human being. This song is for 'Dimebag' Darrell — metal guitar god and former member of PANTERA. Dimebag was shot dead on stage while performing with his last band, DAMAGEPLAN, at a venue in Columbus, Ohio in 2004. He influenced and inspired a whole new generation of guitarists around the world — his legacy is as endless as his memory is within us."

"11:11" is the long-awaited follow-up to RODRIGO Y GABRIELA's 2006 self-titled debut which has so far enjoyed worldwide sales in excess of half a million copies.

Natives of Mexico City, Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero began their careers as members of TIERRA ACIDA, a heavy metal band which played on the city's underground gig circuit for seven years.

"Like a lot of Mexican youth, we were heavily influenced by American metal bands — METALLICA, MEGADETH, PANTERA, and also SEPULTURA," Gabriela explained. "It was a full band, very loud, and for vocals, Rodrigo would just scream. We played this way for seven years."





(Thanks: Bonaparte)