In this episode of Seeing Them Live, host Charles sits down with brothers Matheus and Thiago Khouri of the Brazilian rock band Banda AL9. The duo shares the story of their first concert experience — seeing Paul McCartney at Morumbi Stadium in São Paulo in 2010, when Matheus was just 12 and Thiago was 10. Raised by rock-and-roll-loving parents who saw Queen at the same stadium in 1985, the brothers grew up immersed in the music of the Beatles, Deep Purple, and other classic acts. Their father taught them guitar, and before long they were forming bands with school friends. The name "Banda AL9" itself is a nod to a street name in Portuguese and the number nine, inspired by Jack Black's declaration in School of Rock that nine is a magic number. The conversation traces the band's rise from humble beginnings posting cover songs on Facebook and YouTube in 2013 to becoming a viral sensation. After strategically building a fan base with acoustic covers of fifties and sixties rock classics, they released their debut EP of Portuguese-language originals in 2019, with the song "Ela Me Ligou" becoming their first viral hit in Brazil. The pandemic era saw them recording a live studio album just before lockdowns began, and by 2023, everything changed. Their original song "Charma De Amor" exploded on TikTok and Instagram, reaching audiences far beyond Brazil. This caught the attention of world-famous DJ Steve Aoki, who invited them to perform at Tomorrowland and encouraged them to record in English — leading to the international hit "She Calls Me Love." Matheus and Thiago also discuss their exciting new chapter with Little Steven Van Zandt's Wicked Cool Records label. Through a connection with artist Kurt Baker, Steven heard their music, loved it, and signed them — even writing an original song for the band, set for release in July alongside their new album, Hey, Hey, We're Banda AL9. The brothers recount their whirlwind first trip to New York City, which included a live session at SiriusXM's Underground Garage, a free concert at the Cutting Room, and meeting Nickelodeon star Drake Bell. The episode wraps up with an acoustic performance of their latest single, "She Can Do It All," and talk of a potential U.S. tour later in the summer — with a stop in Chicago for fried chicken and deep-dish pizza high on their wish list. BANDS: Banda AL9, The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen (E Street Band), Deep Purple, Little Richard, Queen. VENUES: Allianz Parque, Cutting Room, Morumbi Stadium, SiriusXM, Tomorrowland. PATREON:https://www.patreon.com/SeeingThemLivePlease help us defer the cost of producing this podcast by making a donation on Patreon.WEBSITE - BECOME A GUEST:https://seeingthemlive.com/Visit the Seeing Them Live website and click on the link to fill out a form so we can consider you as a guest on the show.INSTAGRAM:https://www.instagram.com/seeingthemlive/FACEBOOK:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550090670708