Merry-Achi Christmas
Mariachi Sol de México brings Grammy-level talent to the Valley
EL CENTRO — Valley residents did not have to travel to San Diego or across the border to enjoy a live performance from a platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated mariachi band.
On Wednesday night, as part of its nationwide Merry-Achi Christmas tour, Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernández awed a packed audience at Jimmie Cannon Theater here with a spectacle of a show.
“This is the same show that people are seeing in Las Vegas, L.A., San Francisco, San Diego and all throughout the Midwest,” Imperial Valley Community Foundation CEO and President Bobby Brock said. “So for us to be able to do it here in El Centro, just as they did in San Francisco last week — it’s pretty neat. People are seeing a quality show that they’d be paying the same or more for, including travel and hotel.”
Tickets ranged from $35 for general seating to $55 for premium seats. It was one of 27 stops the band will make during its Merry-Achi tour this year.
Throughout the concert, the band performed traditional mariachi music, Mexican posada songs and favorite Christmas classics.
A professionally decorated stage featuring festive lights perfectly framed the band and accentuated the concert’s theme.
It was the second year the community foundation has hosted the band at the theater.
“In some way, it is a fundraiser for the community foundation to help support our operations, but we’re just proud to carry on the tradition by bringing folks together to celebrate the holidays in a family environment,” Brock said. “It’s exciting to be able to bring this high-caliber of a group.”
Guillermo Acuna, the band’s harp player, was especially familiar with Wednesday night’s stage, as he was born in Brawley, raised in El Centro and graduated from Southwest High School.
Jose Hernandez, the band’s maestro, and Jesus Hernandez, one of the band’s guitar players, are both originally from Mexicali.
“There’s local ties which are fun to come and see,” the Brock said. “I hope it inspires other young musicians that have an interest in music, as well as perhaps mariachi or cultural history.”
Brock said the foundation hopes to continue to host Mariachi Sol de México for years to come.
“Our hope tonight is that the show brings a sense of community by celebrating the culture here in the region,” he said. “We’re happy to host this first-class production and, of course, to utilize the theater here in a way that, we hope, enriches and inspires additional arts performances at the student, amateur and professional level in terms of what it can be.”
Notably, Mariachi Sol de México became the first mariachi ensemble to be nominated for a Grammy Award. They were nominated for a 2018 Latin Grammy for “Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album” for their new album, “Leyendas de Mi Pueblo.”
“Mariachi Sol de México is truly a traveling cultural icon that symbolizes extraordinary musicianship and communal cross-generational joy,” Imperial Valley Community Foundation stated on its website. “They travel the world as ambassadors of mariachi music, having performed to sold-out audiences throughout the world including Spain, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Venezuela, México, China and North Korea.”