Matt Caughthran didn’t need to remind the crowd inside La Cita to show their enthusiasm. even if Mariachi El Bronx were filming for a new music video inside the sold out, Saturday night show. This crowd, packed close to the narrow stage inside the downtown Los Angeles bar, was already hyped. And “Bandoleros,” from the forthcoming album, Mariachi El Bronx IV, is a jam with a cumbia rhythm that automatically gets people dancing.
In February of next year, Mariachi El Bronx will release their first album in a decade. On November 8, they played a short-and-sweet set, with a couple new songs and a handful of fan favorites like “Cell Mates,” “48 Roses” and “Revolutionary Girls.” It was the first night of a series of four shows the band will be playing over the course of the next few months, with sold out gigs in Santa Ana and San Diego to follow and a Valentine’s Day concert in Tijuana. Judging from the response to both “Bandoleros” and the recently-released single, “Forgive or Forget,” excitement is building for the release of IV and it couldn’t be more deserved. The two new songs are amongst the best that I’ve heard from The Bronx’s long-running side project, which is focused not just on mariachi, but other styles of regional Mexican music. They’re strong, narrative-driven pop songs that also showcase the band’s musicianship.
Christopher Wonder was on stage when we arrived at La Cita. Charming, old-fashioned circus music played as he spun plates, tugged on brightly colored scarves and— “Is that a real chicken?” I asked my husband while trying to see between heads in the back of the crowd. It was. I couldn’t see what happened next, but heard applause.
La Cita is an old school L.A. bar and, really, one of the few places downtown that hasn’t reinvented itself as influencer bait. It’s dark, save for the red lights that wash over the stage, and it’s laid out so that you either sit at or near the bar and socialize or squeeze into the crowd surrounding the stage to catch a glimpse of the show through slivers of space separating the people in front of you. It’s not the ideal club for broadcasting on social that your night was a vibe, but it’s a good club for actually feeling a vibe.
Before Mariachi El Bronx’s set, I somehow managed to slither up to the front of the crowd, securing a spot in front of the very excited— and, possibly, anatomically correct— bull charging a matador on the mural that’s painted behind the stage. A multi-genre mix of Spanish-language music played in the room, some pop, a little cumbia, a dose of reggaeton and a pinch of house. Although the crowd leaned more rock— Misfits, AFI and Caifanes were amongst the bands I saw referenced on the audience’s attire— about half of the folks caught the groove as well as one can when you’re standing shoulder-to-shoulder, waiting for the concert to begin.
Dressed in charro suits, Mariachi El Bronx instantly evoked a sense of tradition on stage. Nearly 20 years after The Bronx initiated this side project, it’s still important to point out that they’re not a mariachi-punk band, but they’re not completely traditional either. It’s fusion music, but played with the kind of polish that you would expect from a big band situation. Plus, Caughthran shows more restraint in his performance. For one, he’s singing, not screaming. But, also, he sings with an attention to drama, making frequent eye contact with the crowd, placing his hand to his heart when lyrics are particularly emotional.
It’s probably a bit inaccurate to refer to Mariachi El Bronx as a side project. In the crowd, you can see how this band has taken on a life of its own and has a personality and draw that’s distinct from The Bronx. That was obvious from the start of the show, which opened with a handful of songs pulled from the band’s back catalogue. The crowd joined the band in song from the get-go. But, by the time Mariachi El Bronx got to “Norteño Lights” midway through the set, it seemed like much of the room was singing along. Closing with “Revolution Girls,” the band left the crowd on a high with a song that’s become one of their signatures.
More than prepping fans for the new album, Mariachi El Bronx gave the local crowd a much-needed night of L.A. pride. Here we were, packed into a club where, depending on the night, you might see a punk show or dance to cumbia, watching a multiethnic band play a fusion of American and Mexican music. As we near the end of what’s been a rough year for Los Angeles, it’s a reminder of what makes the band’s hometown, and also my own hometown, so special.
Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Read her recently published work and check out her upcoming gigs or listen to the latest Beatique Mix. Follow on Instagram or Bluesky for more updates.
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