Viry Sandoval, Banda Machos, y Tierra Cali

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.