Banda Machos, Banda Cuisillos, El Chalinillo, Leonel el Ranchero, and El as de la sierra

You see the photo of Banda Machos up by the top of this page? Yeah, those uniforms weren’t just for one ill-informed early photo shoot. Everything that the Villa Corona based Banda orchestra does as a band comes with all thirteen members dressed a lot like that, and you know what? They pull it off. Cos Banda Machos are as close as a Banda orchestra are ever going to get to being a heavy metal band. Trust me on this; it’s more than a little awesome. Their show can equal most other Banda concerts in technical ability, being as it is a celebration of traditional Mexican music done almost entirely on brass instruments. However the first sign that Banda Machos are a little less inhibited than most is the presence of a drum kit and a bass guitarist in their line-up. Most have little more than a snare drum for a rhythm section but it means that a Banda Machos show has a much higher emphasis on rhythm and dancing than most, which is always a good thing. The other thing that sets them apart is how much of a show it is, there’s so much life, so much joy in every moment. From the stage set up, to the lights, to the way that every member of the thirteen-piece orchestra is active onstage. It’s as much a spectacle as anything else, and it’s one not equalled by many artists playing at their level. So see it now, and remember it forever. Highly recommended.