Mariachi USA is like a family coming together for a reunion. Such was the feel, once again, this past Saturday at the Hollywood Bowl, as the largest Mariachi Festival in the country took place for the 35th year. The celebration was epic, with not one Mariachi group, but six and over 15,000 people celebrating under the stars.

It’s a tradition. Every year thousands of music lovers make it a point to buy their tickets to celebrate the richness of Mariachi music. They know the songs and sing along with family and friends.   For some it is a reunion of sorts because this festival is where some have met and see each other every year.  It never gets old, it is a musical ritual that includes dancing, singing along and dressing up.  This year was no different.

The Mariachi groups change, but the music remains a classic staples of Mariachi music. This year the participating groups showcased were Mariachi Cobre traveling from EPCOT Center Walt Disney World Resort where they have been playing for over 30 years. This years also included the L.A. based all women’s Mariachi Divas and Mariachi Los Reyes, and from San Antonio, Texas Mariachi Campanas de America and one of the U.S.A.’s first Mariachi groups and L.A. ‘s very own Mariachi Los Camperos.  Each Mariachi group brings their unique style and a few surprises.  Among the classic Mariachi songs were adaptations of Gloria Estefan’s Conga, and a Mariachi rendition of Charlie Daniels Band’s The Devil Came Down to Georgia which had the 15,000 “Bowl” attendees up on their feet dancing and singing…nuevo Mariachi style.

From its inception thirty five years ago, there are two things that are a constant at Mariachi USA,  Mariachi music and Rodri Rodriguez the host for the evening, and producer of this event since its inception under her banner Rodri Entertainment.

Mariachi USA never disappoints.  It is now a tradition and has become a reunion of sorts, where you bump into friends you haven’t seen in a while…other than on social media, you grab a partner and dance to the music and throw a few gritos (a loud passionate Mexican gutteral yell).  It’s a night of festive attire, with most everyone dresssing for the occasion with their cultural attire, embroidered dresses, rebozos, flower headdresses, boots, and cowboy hats. There is not another Hollywood Bowl event quite like this one.

Although the evening starts at 6PM and goes to 10:30PM, it always goes by too quickly, and before you know it the classic Mariachi songs like El Rey, La Negra, reserved for the finale, sung en masse at the end of the evening to a spectacular display of fireworks.  A perfect way to end the night! Until next year’s show which has already been slated for June 28.  Claim your tickets now at www.mariachiusa.com and join the fun! 

To further commemorate the 35th anniversary, and keep you informed about the Marachi genre until next year, Rodri Entertainment has launched the MARIACHI USA The Podcast, hosted by MARIACHI USA founder Rodri. The podcast delves into the rich history and vibrant culture of mariachi, exploring its roots, celebrating its icons, and sharing behind-the-scenes stories from the festival’s illustrious history.

The post Mariachi USA Festival Celebrates 35 Years at The Hollywood Bowl first appeared on .

The 34th Mariachi USA festival, celebrated this past Saturday, was a true testament that the tradition is here to stay. Thousands filled the legendary Hollywood Bowl to celebrate culture, music and a sense of a family reunion is evident in every aspect of the celebration.

Rodri J. Rodriguez, founder of Mariachi USA has her eyes and her heart not only on next year when she promises a “big celebration” to commemorate the 35th edition of the largest mariachi festival in the United States. Rodriguez has worked tirelessly to keep the tradition of Mariachi USA alive for generations to come. “Si se puede is a great thing to say, but doing it and making things happen is another.”

The openers of this year’s festivities, 3 high school mariachi bands. “They are the future of Mariachi USA. When I’m no longer here, they will be singing on this stage,” said Rodriguez as she introduced the young artists.

Empowerment is something Rodriguez takes at heart; thus, women have a space on stage and this year the female power was present with Mariachi Las Catrinas and Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas. A sense of pride for Rodriguez was when she introduced both mariachi bands on one stage performing, “El Cascabel“. “One of my favorite songs,” Rodriguez said as she walked off stage.

It’s a beautiful scene to see generations of families flocking to the Hollywood Bowl, and people from different cultures embracing Mexican music. Many set up formal dining tables on box seats, others share food as they sing and dance with strangers.

After five hours of mariachi and a spectacular finale with all mariachi bands congregated on stage singing “Viva Mexico,” fans can be heard singing on their way to the parking lots.

A large family was riding the shuttle to the East LA location, one of them was already looking for tickets for next year, and another one shouted, “Wait for a code, we should try to get box tickets next year.”

A sign that Mariachi USA is here to stay for generations to come, a vision Rodriguez has had even when no one believed a mariachi festival could sell.

The post Puro Mariachi, Culture and Pride at the 34th Mariachi USA Festival first appeared on .

“Mariachi USA joins in the 100th celebration of the Hollywood Bowl and will sing rancheras all night long,” said Rodri Rodriguez, Founder, Producer and Host of MARIACHI USA. “Rancheras is a music genre that dates back to the early 1900s (some say early 1800s).”  Mariachi lovers from across the nation and locally make this the event not to be missed

This year Mariachi USA teamed up with Jarritos to conduct a Mariachi USA Talent Search and find the best in up and coming Mariachi groups.  The winner will make an appearance on the venerated Hollywood Bowl stage as they perform live in front of 17,000 adoring mariachi fans. 

The line up for this year includes an array of amazing Mariachi groups including GRAMMY® Award-Winning Mariachi Divas, and direct from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlan and Mariachi Estrella de Mexico, Los Angeles favorite Mariachi Los Reyes, Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas, and featuring Mi Tierra Ballet Folklórico.

Fans are encouraged to arrive as early as 2 pm and enjoy festivities in the Plaza, one of which is the Verizon VIP party pre-show celebration at the Bowl Museum Patio for Verizon customers on a first-come-first-served basis based on capacity. The pre-celebrations all happen before the 6 pm onstage main event.

The evening ends with a spectacular fireworks show. For Tickets go to www.mariachiusa.com.

Audiences are encouraged to view the LA Phil’s updated COVID protocol guidelines posted on the website: HollywoodBowl.com/Safety.

The post Mariachi USA Hollywood Bowl’s Premiere Summer Event Back On June 18 first appeared on .

Just a few years ago, a budding mariachi singer set foot on a world-renowned stage with only hopes of soon recording her first major studio album and dreams of making it in music. This weekend Lupita Infante returns to Hollywood Bowl as a Grammy-nominated artist to once again join Mariachi USA, the music festival that helped launch her career.

“After that experience in the first performance at the Hollywood Bowl for Mariachi USA (in 2018), a lot of doors started opening for me,” says Infante. “It was just, you know, part of the building blocks to my career.”

Infante is the special guest of the 32nd annual edition of Mariachi USA, which is welcoming back concert goers to the famed venue after more than a year of a pandemic and a previous edition that took place in the virtual world. She joins a concert that screams women’s power in a music genre that for a long time was dominated by men. Headliners include the all-female Mariachi Divas and Mariachi Nuevo Mujer 2000 and this year’s fest will pay tribute to iconic ranchera singer and actress Lucha Villa.

Infante herself is part of recent generations of female singers and musicians who have kept transforming mariachi and normalizing women’s presence in the popular Mexican music genre. In Infante’s case, she’s been doing it from this side of the border. And while she’s the descendant of one of Mexico’s most beloved stars, before becoming a professional singer she held regular jobs to earn a living and even worked as a ridesharing driver to pay for her college education.

Lupita Infante was born and raised in Downey, California, the daughter of the late actor Pedro Infante Jr. and granddaughter of the legendary singer/actor Pedro Infante. But she had to fend for herself in her artistic pursuit. Her father died in 2009, her grandfather in 1957.

“Sometimes people ask me, ‘Did you meet your grandfather?’” says Infante. “And I (am) like, ‘No.’ You know…my father was only seven when (his father) passed away.” Just like her father, Lupita says, she had to build a career on her own. 

In fact, it was several years after her dad died that the singer made one of the most important choices in her life: pursue a career in music. She enrolled at UCLA to study ethnomusicology and worked at a senior citizen center to pay for school, sometimes singing for the elderly who knew of her famous progenitors. The future professional singer also worked as a Lyft driver while attending college, though she recalls rarely serenading passengers. At UCLA she joined a student mariachi band and; one year before graduating, in 2016, Infante also put out an independently-produced album proudly released at a restaurant in her hometown.

It would be until a few years later that her hard work would start to pay off. Infante met Rodri J. Rodriguez, the promoter and founder of Mariachi USA, who invited the relatively unknown singer to perform at the festival in 2018. “I was just beginning my professional career as a singer,” she recalls, adding that Rodriguez “truly was the first person who kind of opened the door for me and gave me an opportunity.”

The following year, Infante released her first major studio album La Serenata, which earned her a Grammy nomination and also a Latin Grammy nod.

“So, returning now to Mariachi USA, after all of these amazing things that have happened since the first time, is truly… an honor,” says Infante. “It’s very celebratory for me and I feel, you know, I’m in a different place in life and my career, and I’m just really happy to be able to share that with Mariachi USA fans who are going to be there.”

The singer will perform songs from her award-nominated album along with Mariachi Divas and a new song she wrote a few weeks ago. With another set of songs with a different band, Infante will join the tribute to Villa, this year’s honoree. The octogenarian artist, who won’t be attending the concert, is known for classic hits like “Media Vuelta,” “La Cruz del Cielo” and “Viva Quien Sabe Querer” and also starred in films El gallo de oro, Me cansé de rogarle and Mecanica Nacional, which won her an Ariel Award for Best Actress. “I think Lucha Villa is…one of the greats” of Mexican music, says Infante. “We are honoring her and everything she’s done for women in mariachi music.”

Mariachi USA will take place Sunday, Aug 22. Other performers include Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán, Mariachi Los Reyes, Mariachi Los Toros and the dance ensemble Mi Tierra Ballet Folklorico.

For more information and tickets, visit https://ticketmaster.com.

Featured Photo: Lupita Infante (Credit: Mariachi USA)

The post Lupita Infante Returns Triumphantly to Mariachi USA At The Hollywood Bowl first appeared on .

Tickets on sale May 13, 2021

Los Angeles, — MARIACHI USA, the Hollywood Bowl’s spectacular Mariachi extravaganza is back on Sunday August 22, 2021. Creator, producer and host Rodri J. Rodriguez is excited to welcome fans back to this in-person event. The 32nd annual MARIACHI USA festival is the longest running, paid Latino event in the US. Tickets go on sale on May 13, 2021 at www.mariachiusa.com.

“We are beyond excited to return to the Hollywood Bowl after the difficult year we’ve all endured. We have missed our fans as much as they’ve missed us and we can’t wait to celebrate with them again with a phenomenal show and traditional finale fireworks show by Pyrospectacular,” said Rodriguez.

MARIACHI USA, the second largest running show at the Hollywood Bowl. Music is the universal language that has the power to unite people from all walks of life and mariachi music is no exception. MARIACHI USA’s legacy is one that honors culture and tradition while transcending generations, language and borders. It’s truly an event for the entire familia.

“We are working closely with officials at the LA County Department of Public Health and our friends at Kaiser Permanente on a reopening plan that includes distancing procedures, mask policy, contactless ticketing, and cleaning and sanitation schedules, among other safety protocols. In the coming weeks, we will share more with you about what to expect from a visit to the Bowl this summer and the policies and procedures designed for the safety of our guests. We will also continue to review our safety protocols throughout the season to ensure that they follow the latest public health guidance,” said Hollywood Bowl spokesperson Sophie Jefferies.

Tickets can also be purchased at the You can also Purchase at the Hollywood Bowl, located at 2301 Highland Avenue in the corazon of Hollywood, California.

You can also Purchase at theThe Hollywood Bowl is located at 2301 Highland Avenue in the corazon of Hollywood, California.

For preferred seating, tickets and more information, please visit: www.mariachiusa.com.

Follow MARIACHI USA on social media:

Facebook – @MARIACHIUSA

Instagram – @MARIACHIUSA

Twitter – @MARIACHIUSA

The post MARIACHI USA Back At The Hollywood Bowl! first appeared on .