Mariachi El Bronx

Hi there!

I will be writing a concert review later this week for the Mariachi El Bronx show, so I thought I should lay some groundwork and introduce this band to you in case you have not heard of them.

Mariachi El Bronx is the alter ego of the Los Angeles-based punk / rock band, The Bronx. They have been prolific and successful, producing three albums as The Bronx and two more as Mariachi El Bronx, as well as participating in the Warped Tour and Coachella.

Their mariachi stylings are authentic (though the lyrics are in English), and it is obvious that the boys did their homework when writing and rehearing their mariachi musings. Here is some info from the band about how this iteration of The Bronx came about:

“ It all started as a way to flip the electric goes acoustic performance garbage, because that's never good. We were invited to play live on television but decided that a cheesy acoustic version of our song was not what we wanted to do.

The original El Bronx line up, featured guest appearances from Zander Schloss (Wierdos, circle jerks) and Keith Douglas (Mad Caddies). The project triggered something inside all of us that was unexpected. It's almost impossible to explain, but it felt like discovering a second soul within you. We instantly started writing new songs.

Mariachi El Bronx touches on many facets of mariachi music, the most well know being norteno as well as jorocho, wasteka, bolero and corridos. It may seem strange for a band that blasts the audience into outer space every night to take this direction, but mariachi music is every bit as much of a soundtrack to southern California as punk. They are seamlessly intertwined.”

They released their latest album yesterday, and it is very good. Perhaps a full review will works its way onto my blog soon. I am looking forward to their show at La Cita Bar in downtown Los Angeles tonight, and will let you know how it turns out.

Mahalo!