The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: mariachi

  • All-Female Mariachi Flor de Toloache Perform At HSU

    All-Female Mariachi Flor de Toloache Perform At HSU

    By | Robert Brown

    From playing in the subway to performing at mariachi festivals, the all-female band has been nominated for a Latin Grammy for Best Ranchera album. Their style is infused with salsa, pop, jazz, hip-hop and rhythm and blues, reinterpreting classic Latin and English language songs.

    Mariachi is a type of folk music that originates from rural Mexico, traditionally performed by Mexican men. Mariachi is passed from generation to generation, and is historically very macho. Feeling a cultural and generational divide, Flor de Toloache set out to create a new type of musical group that represents and empowers women.

    Based in New York City, Flor de Toloache is often gigging three nights a week or more in clubs, theaters, churches and events around the area. The band’s name comes from the toloache flower, which is a moonflower that opens up at night and has been used in love potions since ancient Aztec times in Mexico.

    Shae Fiol, founding member of Flor de Toloache, was born into a culturally mixed family of Cuban and American heritage. Shae is known for her incredible vocal talent and songwriting skills.

    Mireya I. Ramos is of Dominican and Mexican descent, and is a violinist, vocalist, composer and arranger. She founded Flor de Toloache in 2008. Her inspiration is her dad, who was a mariachi and would take her to watch him sing at his gigs and at restaurants when she was growing up.

    Julie “Jewls” Acosta is Dominican, and was trained as a classical trumpeter. She is able to play many different trumpet styles from latin, mariachi, soul, jazz, rock and pop.

    Eunice “Lilo” Aparicio has been playing the guitarron since the age of seven, and provides more than 25 percent of the sound and melody of Flor de Toloache.

    The group played in Humboldt State University’s Van Duzer Theater on Monday, Oct. 30, 2017, as part of their Day Of The Dead Tour.

  • Q&A with Metalachi

    Q&A with Metalachi

    By | Carlos Olloqui

    Plastic beer cups flying across the venue, mosh-pits and headbanging throughout the crowd, stale cigarette smoke lingering in the air — and on stage was Metalachi.

    On Wednesday night, Jan. 25, Metalachi took the stage at the Sapphire Palace inside of Blue Lake Casino. A heavy metal mariachi band, what? That’s right, from Slayer to Vicente Fernandez, Metalachi gave the audience the best of both worlds. An unlikely meshing of metal classics with traditional mariachi instrumentation, the band has been named one of the top 5 cover/tribute bands in Los Angeles by LA Weekly.

    From the streets of Los Angeles, California, Metalachi is a 5-piece ensemble of classically trained mariachi musician siblings. The band features Vega De La Rockha on vocals, El Cucuy on trumpet, Queen Kayla on violin, Nacho Picante on guitarron, and Vato on guitar.

    Metalachi performing 1/26 | Carlos Olloqui

    First off: Where did Metalachi emerge from?

    Vega: Well, we are originally from Juarez, Mexico. But we were raised in LA – East LA, since we were chiquitos. The thing is that we used to be mariachi – just straight mariachi.

    How did the heavy metal aspect come into play?

    Vega: One day we kind of experimented with one song – we did Ironman, that was the first metal song we covered. We played that one and everyone started dancing, dude. So, we said “this might work out if we do something original” – you know?

    And you guys are all siblings, is that correct?

    El Cucy: We all have the same mama, different dads though — so that kind of tells you something about our mom — she knew how to party, dude.

    What does she say about Metalachi?

    El Cucuy: This is like right up mom’s alley – it’s the rest of la familia that’s into mariachi, she was more into the metal crowd and stuff. She comes to our shows but like she doesn’t stick around to the end – she’ll find somebody horny and just go with them.

    How does it feel to be the only lady of the group?

    Queen Kayla: I like being the only girl – I get more love, so yeah — I like it, it’s exciting.

    What does Metalachi have planned next?

    Queen Kayla: We are touring with Mac Sabbath – we are touring March and into April with them. It’s going to be about four weeks, and it’s going to be awesome.

    El Cucuy: We just released Dos and we are already working on our third album.

    Vega: Tomorrow we go to Novato, and after that we are going to San Jose – Santa Cruz after that. The we are going back to LA and we have Long Beach — Santa Barbara y Las Vegas. Puro party, bro.