The venue was quiet when I arrived and I thought the people of Coventry might be missing out on what is set to be a great night of mariachi melodies and punk thrashing, but I was wrong and the room filled up and everyone was eagerly awaiting the first band.
Mariachi El Bronx took to the sta
ge in there black and white mariachi outfits with quiet a lot of people not really knowing what was going on, hadn’t they heard? Its Mariachi time!! Playing soft rhythmic songs to an audience of punks shouldn’t go down well but for some reason it does. Mariachi El Bronx are the alter egos of The Bronx and all members plus a few extras play traditional Mexican music with seedy lyrics. They are the only band in the world to be doing this so it’s a real treat to hear something different and unexpected. They play through a good half hour set which includes most of there debut self titled album with singer Matt Caughthran giving some nice banter in between songs. At one point the tells the crowd “when we told people we where playing Coventry they said “why the f**k are you playing there” but were glad we did, you guys are mental!”. 
I was always a bit unsure of Mariachi El Bronx, how can a punk rock band suddenly decide “I know we’ll play in a mariachi band as well!”. But after seeing them live I know its like peanut butter and jam sandwiches, you expect it to be the worst thing ever as they just don’t seem to compliment each other, but give it a go and I assure you, you’ll love it!
The slow part of the night is over its time for fast heavy stuff! Ghost Of A Thousand come on stage and rip it up with there fast angry beats that tear everyone a new one. This band knows how to put on a show, singer Tom Lacey can’t keep still and drills out his angst everywhere he can, one moment he’s onstage the next he’s leaning into the crowd and the next he’s actually in the pit with his mic in hand joining in on this ferocious show of pure musical passion. The rest of the band are much the same jumping and thrashing about living through there fast paced riot music. This band are defiantly one to watch, with festival appearances and a support slot with We Are The Ocean on their October tour you don’t have any excuses not to see this band!
The Bronx are the last band of the night and the crowd have been moved up a gear and are set to see one of California’s finest. The Bronx one by one come out onto the stage with Matt Caughtran last and wearing a USA football shirt which gets a few boos from the crowd, but this is only in jest as I’m sure people wouldn’t care if he came out burning a England flag as all they want in some good ole hardcore an
d that’s what they’re going to get! They scream into their first song with pure unadulterated energy, its like they haven’t already been out on stage that evening as they are now The Bronx and they are taking no prisoners.They play through a set off old and new with songs like “They Will Kill Us All (Without Mercy)“ and “White Guilt” which all go down a storm . With the crowd now pumped they are all singing along to every song and moshing like only nodding dogs normally do. The Bronx show no sign of fading even though they’ve been touring constantly for months and have already played that evening. The crowd surfers are picking up and the stage lights are in fear of being ripped of as people go over but still they continue. Matt decides to join the crowd and jumps over the barrier into the pit where he walks all over the venue screaming his heart out.
The gig comes to an end and everyone walks away with a warm satisfying feeling. They have been taken on a journey tonight, one which only the almighty Bronx can take them on and everyone is happy that they went along.
For more photos from the gig, go to; http://s776.photobucket.com/albums/yy49/AwesomeJimmie/The%20Bronx%20-%20Coventry%20Kasbah%20-%2024-06-2010/
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