Mariachi El Bronx

What began in 2008 as The Bronx’s creative experiment became Mariachi El Bronx’s unlikely headlining career, rooted in the Hispanic music and culture of their Los Angeles home. Though seemingly different, the band doesn’t see punk and mariachi as mutually exclusive. They view them as spiritually entwined forces built on resilient storytelling. “Punk rock and mariachi music are very similar in soul,” says vocalist Matt Caughthran. “It’s working class music. It’s real music.” Returning after a decade away felt “joyous and familiar from the jump,” says guitarist Joby J. Ford, but recording proved more complex. While writing lyrics, Caughthran faced the deaths of several loved ones, and as they tracked at producer John Avila’s studio, the Eaton Canyon fires blazed across East LA. Amid grief in his personal life and community, Caughthran also got married that same year. The result is their most emotionally resonant work yet. With three acclaimed albums, the eight-piece has shared stages with Foo Fighters and the Killers, performed from Letterman to NPR’s Tiny Desk, and lit up festivals from Coachella to Glastonbury. They’ve also recorded theme songs for Weeds and Aqua Teen Hunger Force. “Fabulously written, fabulously arranged and fabulously executed.” — BBC Despite nearly two decades of success, Mariachi El Bronx still consider themselves lifelong students of the artform. “Everything we do comes from the heart and soul,” says Caughthran.