For reasons we can’t quite fathom here at Freak towers, we’ve had a disproportionately high level of enquiries in for our UK Mariachi bands. We welcome this naturally as they’re all top notch blokes and blokesses and it’s a pleasure dealing with them. One reason we think might be because, if you’ll excuse the pun, they are all multi-function acts. As an example of this flexibility we have in the last 9 months alone taken bookings for Mariachi bands to play at weddings, at a tenth anniversary for an opticians, for a girl who wanted to propose to her boyfriend on the 29th of February in a Mexican restaurant (he said yes) and, seriously, for a chap who was trying to woo an ex-girlfriend back and had them play under her window. It takes all sorts.
The word Mariachi, depending on who you talk to has a few meanings. Most seem to think it simply means Musician, which would mean the phrase ‘Mariachi Band’ translates into the tautological ‘Musician Band’ which is a bit daft. Most purists claim it means a group of musicians, which makes more sense but after a bit of digging, or Googling as we call it nowadays, I found that the word comes from French and is a type of wood used to make dance-floors. Who knew.
Mariachi Jalisco, one of our London based acts, take their name from the Jalisco region of Mexico. This central part of the country actually gave birth to Mariachi as well as some other staples of the country such as tequila and also Ranchera music.
Mariachi Mexteca, (above) also London based, are a highly flexible act who can be booked as a solo act up to a 12 piece with dancers, singers and violinists all in the mix. They can also be seen regularly on TV performing as Mariachi Doritos, Yep, you guessed it Mariachi Mexteca are the band performing in the Doritos advert! You can watch a clip of their mariachi performance playing “don’t you want me baby?” in a previous Doritos TV ad here
Mariachi el Mexicano are an act who seem to be impervious to distance, happily travelling far and wide for events.
Rapido Mariachi are our Glasgow based act (who played at the proposal mentioned above) who were also recently called upon to entertain rain soaked runners in Glasgow, see below. Quality.
In short we love Mariachi bands – and it seems we are not alone!
Watch the Rapidos in action…
