Viva el Mariachi!

Our last night with the group is usually held at La Bodega. However, we made a few changes during this program, because on Tuesday night, La Bodega was having a Tecatitlan Female Mariachi Dinner Concert. Female mariachis? Yes, although they have been a rarity in the past, this is beginning to change. Whether performing in nightclubs or headlining in concert halls, all-female mariachis are becoming a fixture in the male-dominated mariachi industry.

These young ladies were awesome. They were not only wonderful to listen to, but quite expert at the various instruments they were playing: guitars, trumpets, violins, vihuela (small guitars), and guitarrones (large six-string versions of the vihuela). The ladies wore a skirted version of the traditional traje de charro, which is the riding suit worn by the Mexican horseman. They had great stage presence and even came into the audience to share their wonderful voices up close and personal with us. It was a great evening of listening and dancing.

Sue Ochs even had the presence of mind to grab the tip money collected by a not-so-steady-on-his-feet concert goer and deliver it to the young ladies as an extra thank you for the marvelous evening.

For more pictures of this event, click here and then click on the link for "Tours and Outings"