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Mariachi El Bronx

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The Bronx's punk band in full mariachi regalia — a bit that became a genuinely accomplished second career, now several albums deep.

Mariachi El Bronx is the mariachi project of The Bronx, an American hardcore punk band from Los Angeles formed in 2002. The Bronx signed to Island Def Jam after only twelve live shows, having put out its earliest recordings through its own label, White Drugs, before major-label backing arrived.

The mariachi vehicle began in 2006, when the group needed an acoustic arrangement for a television appearance and chose to write original mariachi songs rather than strip down its own catalog. Singer Matt Caughthran and his bandmates learned guitarrón, vihuela, trumpet and violin, commissioned charro suits, and kept going under the new name.

Guitarist Vincent Hidalgo joined specifically for the mariachi lineup, and the band has released four albums as Mariachi El Bronx, switching between its rock and mariachi identities depending on the show. The writing keeps a pop and punk sensibility while taking the traditional instrumentation seriously.

Mariachi El Bronx contributed a collaboration with rapper Schoolly D to the theme song for the Adult Swim show Aqua Something You Know Whatever, and has performed between segments on El Rey Network's wrestling programme Lucha Underground.

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