Viva Mariachi!

For Bill's birthday I got him tickets to the third annual Mariachi Festival at the magnificent Fox Theater, a local movie palace, built in 1930 and restored to its former grandeur. The Fox seats 1,500 people, and it was a sold-out crowd. I'm telling you all this to set the scene, so that you can better picture our experience Saturday night. Let me tell you, somebody made a few bucks off this event. Tickets were $80.00 apiece! (Which might make you assume, as I did, that people who don't know how to behave in public were priced out of the experience. Never make assumptions...you know what they say!) Let me begin by answering a few questions which I'm sure you have:

1. What makes it a festival, rather than just a concert?

Well, for one thing, it was four hours long. And for another thing, there was a HIGH level of audience animation which qualifies it as a "festive" event.

2. Were there a lot of North Americans in the audience?

We saw three others. Perhaps Bill, as a very white person, is unique in his love of this particular genre. Everything was conducted in Spanish, the announcer being a local Spanish radio host whose style ran more towards swap meet/WWF cage fight than what I've see at other live musical events.

3. Did you enjoy it?

Actually, I did. And Bill liked it A LOT. There were three groups, culminating in the final group which is considered the world's foremost mariachi group, Mariachi Vargas. They are the ones that played on the Linda Ronstadt album, "Canciones..." We actually liked the second group best. They interacted a lot with the audience and I even got serenaded. The problem was that by the time the final group performed, 80% of the audience was falling-down drunk. To summarize my experience, I would say that it greatly elevated my opinion of Mexican music and confirmed my worst opinions of Mexican audiences.

4. What do you mean when you say that the audience was "animated?"

Perhaps I can fuel your imagination by describing the empty beverage containers at my feet (left by the lady next to me) at the end of the evening. There were three 16oz. tequila bottles, two beer bottles and a mixed drink glass. I'm not a drinker, but that seemed like a lot to me. She was matched drink for drink by her two companions. The three of them made at least a dozen trips each to the bar and/or bathroom, requiring us to stand up each time to let them pass. But they were not alone. At any given time, probably a fourth of the audience was out of their seats, with constant coming and going. But the movement took a back seat to the noise. By the time the last group performed, it was like an audience full of coyotes calling to each other across three large counties. You know how in a neighborhood one barking dog can set off three or four others? Imagine a thousand Chihuahuas trying to outdo each other with yips, trills and "ayyayayayayayaya!!!!". Add to that the swaying in the aisles and the swooning over the more handsome crooners, and you've got yourself a festival.

To conclude, I was really impressed with the level of talent and skill of the performers. Not only is each one a highly skilled musician, but most of them are exceptionally talented singers, as well. They are to a mariachi group who performs on Friday nights at the local bean burrito emporium what fillet minion is to hot dogs. It was a real treat to hear them. I just wish more of the audience had been listening!