Kinky [ tickets ] frontman Gilberto Cerezo was on fire all show long. The guitarist/singer spent most of Saturday night (12/6) night rocketing across The Avalon stage as his band offered torrents of techno-inspired Latin rock behind him.

And the Hollywood audience ate up every spicy minute of the way-too-short 75-minute show.

The 5-piece group from Monterrey, Mexico, has been a regular on the city's local NPR affiliate since before its debut dropped in 2002. So it's no surprise, then, that the group's following in the City of Angels is loyal and hungry--indeed, these fans were ready to party on Saturday night.

And Kinky did not disappoint.

Kinky is the kind of band who's live show is so energetic--even the drummer is on his feet the entire night--it's likely to turn a decent song into a raging sensation. A Kinky concert is a robust explosion of power and sound that can knock you off your dancing feet.

On Saturday, the band offered lots of material off its sophomore effort, "Atlas," including "Presidente," "The Headphonist" and "Salta-Lenin-el-Atlas." Admittedly, "Atlas" is a less impressive effort than Kinky's debut, featuring just a spattering of the hyperventilating rhythms that made the first album such a euphoric listen.

Songs like "Snapshot" and "The Headphonist," both off "Atlas," plod along with a decidedly un-Kinky-esque seriousness--maybe it's the English vocals, a first for the band. But live, after these songs are ground through the band's enthusiastic delivery, they are as grand and impressive as anything Kinky turned out in the past.

The selections off the group's self-titled debut were fast, raw and trippy. "Soun Tha Mi Primer Amor" and "Great Spot" were especially powerful, exciting the hopping Avalon crowd into a fever pitch of squeals. With the opening strains of "Mas," the band's hit heard all over TV via a Nissan ad, the fans went gaga. Arms shot up across the hall's dance floor, and heads began bobbing up and down in time to the band's tricked-out mojo.

Drummer Omar Gongora, who bashes his skins like a latter-day Tito Puente, drives the band. When he's on, they're on. And he and Cerezo fed the fire all show long. With the drop of Gongora's drumsticks, or when his vibrant fingertips shot off impossible drumrolls on his congas, the entire venue became a partying Carnival, swaying to the sexy soundtrack.

With his trademark Cowboy hat firmly stuck to his crown, bassist Cesar Pliego charged across the stage, daring any of his mates to get in his way. Meanwhile, guitarist Carlos Chairez acted more like an American guitar player, relaxing at his familiar spot stage right, just kicking out funky riffs and meaty hooks for most of the night.

The light show was simple yet effective, pouring orange, green and purple spotlights onto the stage. They only made things hotter down front.

Indeed, the temperature shot up by the end of Kinky's brief show. At the stage lip you could practically see the steam rising off the sweaty bodies on the floor; apparently, that's the price you pay for seeing one of the hottest live acts in rock today.

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