New Year's Dance in Presidio

Can 2008 really almost be done with? Where did it all go? Anyway, the final days of December have arrived and we are thrilled to finally be playing in Presidio for a New Year's Eve Dance. Hey, and what else did you expect, other than a night full of the biggest variety of music to be found anywhere in the Big Bend! We'll share the evening with Generacion X, and maybe even our young proteges, Conjunto Promesa. With a line-up like this, no one gets left out of the fun. We're talking country, Tejano, tropical, pop and Norteno, all in the company of the friendly folks of Presidio.

The dance begins at 9:00 PM at Benito Hall, behind the Catholic Church. We hope you can make it!

Resonators to support fire fighters

The Resonators have been invited to join Acuario 90 on a benefit dance for the Presidio Volunteer Fire Department on Saturday, November 15th. Everyone is invited to come out and support a very worthy cause. Our firemen recently were instrumental in protecting Presidio during the flooding in September, so it's time that we all give back to them.

The dance will be held at 9:00 PM at Benito Hall.

Resonators to open for Michael Salgado

Labor Day weekend means it's time for the Marfa Lights Festival! This year's festival showcases Michael Salgado on August 30th and Ruben Ramos on the 31st. The Resonators will open for Michael Salgado so we are honored and very excited, too! Tickets are just $30, which get you into both shows.

July 25th at Railroad Blues

We're back at Railroad Blues this Friday! The show starts at 10:00 PM with a $6 cover. Expect non-stop fun and tunes to get a great start on the weekend.

July 5th, 6th, and 12th gigs

A hot June in Presidio has just about come and gone. We did indeed perform at the Ojinaga Fiestas on June 1st. Seems like everyone around except the band knew that we were going to play, and as it turns out, they were right. We ended up putting on a three hour show and some of us got on some of the carnival rides to close out the evening. Mexican carnivals are a lot of fun, by the way.

Speaking of having fun, el circo came to Ojinaga last week. The name of this outfit is Circus Barley and they put on about the best show money can buy. A lot of people consider Presidio to be at the end of the earth, but they forget that OJ is just across the border. We have more things going on between our two cities than you'd think!

OK, so here comes July 5th. Come see us in Presidio as we celebrate Independence Day. Like I said, it's really hot right now down in La Junta, so we'll wait until about at least 9:00 PM to crank up the party. Admission is free, but bring a lawn chair. Food and drinks will be sold.

Sunday, July 6th, Mariachi Santa Cruz will be performing at the zocalo in Ojinaga at around 8:00 PM. Mariachi music anyone?

On the following Saturday, July 12th, The Resonators will put on a free show at El Parque in downtown OJ. Again a free show, and a great way to soak up the local culture. Should start around 9:00 PM.

Summer of 2008 arrives!

Thanks for stopping by to catch up on the latest Resonators news. We've recently completed several performances including the Cinco de Mayo shows in Presidio and Alpine, plus a reunion dance for the Presidio schools. Then on May 25th we played for a terrific wedding party at Cibolo Creek Ranch (If you've never heard of Cibolo Creek Ranch, it is a hidden gem in far West Texas.).

Summer plans right now are a bit tenative, but you can catch us in Presidio on July 5th. Hopefully we might line up a show at Ojinaga's June Feria, so stay tuned. We won't be playing in Alpine this July 4th, but wish Kendall and the rest of The Distractions all the best as they play there this year. For June 14th and 15th we are talking with an individual in Odessa about playing, but this has not been confirmed.

We'll round out the summer with a show in Marfa on Labor Day weekend.

Stay tuned for more shows as they are added.

Nos vemos!

Resonators on May 3rd and 4th

We hope to see you on May 3rd in Presidio at Santa Teresa Catholic Church's Cinco de Mayo celebration. Mariachi Santa Cruz will entertain during the afternoon, followed by The Resonators Saturday evening. We've been hard at work getting ready, so we think you'll enjoy!

Sunday, May 4th we'll be playing at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church's celebration at Kokernot Park in Alpine. We'll be there all afternoon, again both Resonators and mariachi.

Thanks for stopping by the site!

Great times on the border

The last week of March was a time to celebrate music in Presidio and Ojinaga. Seemingly far-flung and remote, there is plentiful talent to to be found in both of our cities, and two recent events gave deserved recognition for this.

On March 26th, Conjunto Primavera celebrated 30 years of making music by staging a free concert for Ojinaga at the Centro Deportiva. Over 15 bands--including The Resonators--lent a helping hand by keeping the concert going 14 hours straight. Congratulations to Conjunto Primavera and thanks for inviting The Resonators to be a part of your celebration.

Two days later, Presidio held its 1st Annual Binational Arts Festival, organized by Laurie Holman, art teacher at Presidio High School. The purpose for the event was to showcase local artistic--both visual and performing--talent. The festival was completely supported by volunteer help, and in the end, was a tremendous success. Without going into great detail, the festival showcased much local talent in the form of artists, dancers, orators, and musicians. Once again, The Resonators were fortunate to be a part of the program and we thank Laurie for inviting us. Thanks also to Muela de Juicio, Porch Overview, Celula Enferma, and the Sergio Villa Group for rocking out all afternoon as well. You guys done good!

We'll see everyone very soon.

The Resonators (aka Los Resoneiros)

Presidio Binational Arts Festival schedule

The 1st Annual Presidio Binational Arts Festival schedule for music on March 29th is as follows:

• 12:00 PM- Rondalla and trova music
• 1:00 PM- Muela de Juicio (rock band from Ojinaga and Presidio)
• 2:00 PM- Poetry, oratory, and dance
• 3:00 PM- Porch Overview (rock band from Alpine)
• 4:00 PM- Local bands from Presidio
• 5:00 PM- Celula Enferma (rock band from Ojinaga)
• 6:00 PM- Mariachis
• 7:00 PM- Local music groups from Presidio
• 8:00 PM- Street dance featuring The Resonators

The entire festival is free. Come soak up the sun and local culture!

1st Annual Presidio/Binational Arts Festival

The Resonators will lend their talents to the 1st Annual Presidio/Binational Arts Festival on March 29th. All musical events will be held at the parking lot of the former H & H Supermarket in downtown (read: Family Dollar and Payless Shoes...) Presidio. Not too hard to find once you're inside the city limits.

The festival will be an excellent opportunity for regional artists of all kinds to showcase their abilities in a very casual setting. Late March is just before our hot weather revs up, so it ought to be nice. Just to be fair, sometimes it can get windy and gross, too! Musical acts will range from local student performances, to Mexican dance (and maybe theatre?), to a wide range of area musicians. And it's all free!

If you follow The Resonators, be ready for the usual new and varied tunes, including some brand new original numbers. The show will begin at 8:00 PM and end at midnight. Bring a lawn chair, but we won't mind if you decide to dance all night instead!

The fun continues! Come see us at Railroad Blues.

That juggernaut of assorted tunes known as The Resonators/Mariachi Santa Cruz ends November with four wildly different gigs:

• Monday, November 19th at El Mirador Rodeo Arena in Ojinaga. Mariachi Santa Cruz will entertain with charreada music. Could be interesting! Call 432-661-0600 for more details regarding time and how to get there.
• Tuesday, November 20th at the 20 de noviembre desfile in Ojinaga. Mariachi Santa Cruz will be on a float with our new addition, Jesus "Chente" Martinez singing on horseback. Only in Mexico! Ajuua!
• Thursday, November 22nd at Nuestro Padre Jesus Church. Mariachi Mass for Santa Cecilia's Day (patron saint of music). 7:00 AM. Music in the zocalo afterwards.
• Friday, November 23rd at Railroad Blues--the home of the best live music anywhere. A privilege to be on their calendar, and we'll give it all we have.

Not bad for living out in the middle of nowhere!

Many thanks to Dora and everyone else who organized the benfit dance last Friday. Yet another awesome rug-cutting gathering! It was very cool sharing the stage with Los Nortenos. Good guys!

Thanks for stopping by. Hopefully we'll see you real soon!

Several new dates added for November

Let me begin by saying the gig in Ojinaga was a whole lot of fun. It was a freebie all the way around, but the good vibes going around Parque Manuel Ojinaga were priceless!

We hope to see you this coming Saturday night, November 10th in Presidio at La Riviera Bar. The show begins at 9:00 PM and ends at 1:00 AM. Not enough can good can be said of Rafael Carrera's efforts to bring live music to Presidio, so we are delighted to have been asked to play.

Dora Lopez, of Mariachi Santa Cruz fame, has organized a dance to benefit Sonia Sanchez of Presidio. Sonia is a lifelong resident of Presidio and is known and loved by all of us. Currently she is receiving treatment for cancer, and maintaining her job at the post office at the same time. To help with her expenses, Los Norteños and The Resonators will play a benefit dance at Benito Hall in Presidio on Friday, November 16th. Please make plans to attend! The cause is very worthy and the music will be second-to-none.

Mariachi Santa Cruz will enter as a parade float in Ojinaga's 20 de noviembre parade, this year on Tuesday. There absolutely will be no other live music in the parade, so get yourself there pronto! It's a wonderful parade, well worth your time.

And finally, mix a little music into your Thanksgiving starting the day off with a mariachi mass in Ojinaga. The occasion is the celebration of Santa Cecilia, the patron saint of music. Who else would expect to be playing other than Mariachi Santa Cruz? The exact time will be posted at a later date, but we're excited to be a part of this celebration.

Come see us this Saturday!

Get ready for Sabado En El Parque; new gig on November 10th

The Resonators will close out Ojinaga's weekly "Sabado En El Parque" performance series for 2007 this coming November 3rd. It's already cooling down in these parts, so bring a sweater or jacket. The show will begin at 7:00 PM and will feature music Resonators fans keep coming back for. Because OJ is the "capital" of Norteno music, a group like The Resonators is a striking change of pace, playing lots of rock, soul, country, as well as many great Spanish-language hits. The show will last two hours, leaving everyone time to go grab a burrito afterwards.

New gig! Rafael Carrera, owner of La Riviera Bar in Presidio, Texas has booked The Resonators for November 10th. If you haven't seen a Resonators show in Presidio, specifically at La Riviera, you need to make a road trip down. La Riviera is a really cool dance hall and always plays host to a friendly, party-loving crowd. The show will begin at 9:00 PM.

We hope to see you soon!

A couple of great November gigs coming up

First off, a big "thanks" to the organizing committee at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Alpine for having us play on October 6th. From the band, we can truthfully say that the show was one of our best ever, plus it was a blast to see everyone out on the dance floor enjoying themselves so much. Good times!

We'll be playing a couple of private parties coming up during October, and then return to the general public for a couple of gigs worth catching in November.

On Saturday, November 3rd we will be at Parque Manuel Ojinaga in Ojinaga. If you've never been to OJ (the local nickname for Ojinaga), this gig will be a good enough reason to venture across the border. It is free and will surely be lots of fun. To get there, cross the bridge and go straight ahead to the first stop sign (cross street is Gustavo Dominguez). Turn right at the stop sign and then go straight until you reach Parque Manuel Ojinaga. It'll be at the top of the hill.

On November 23rd The Resonators will perform at Railroad Blues in Alpine. 'Nuff said about that. We all know that if you want to catch the best in live music--especially this side of Austin--you head to Railroad Blues.

We hope to see you soon!

Another great outdoor dance in the Big Bend: Alpine

Come join The Resonators on October 6th at the Our Lady of Peace 2007 Church Bazaar Dance in Alpine, Texas. The location is on south 5th Street, "up on the hill."

Once again "Mariachi Santa Cruz with Dora Lopez" will get things started with a 45 minute set of boleros, valses, and sones. For the first time Lucio Medina will take center stage, singing "De Que Manera Te Olvido" and "Que De Raro Tienes." If you haven't heard "Mariachi Santa Cruz with Dora Lopez" yet, you're in for a real treat! The group will begin playing at 8:30 PM.

Once The Resonators take the stage, it'll be a non-stop dance party until 1:00 AM! For this show, expect the band to pull out it's best dance tunes ranging from cumbias, polkas, country, and some fun rock-n-roll oldies! Thanks to the committee for asking us to play; we're ready to party with y'all!

Ojinaga, September 15th...Mariachi Santa Cruz!

The gig is on! Come see Mariachi Santa Cruz play at the zocalo (town square) in Ojinaga on Saturday, September 15, 2007. This event is basically Mexico's equivalent to our July 4th. There will be LOTS of people, food booths, the Presidente Municipal reciting the "Grito de Independencia" (Viva Mexico!), fireworks, plus entertainment. Mariachi Santa Cruz will perform at 9:00 PM, but expect that time to be subject to fluctuations in the event schedule (The party will basically get going at sundown.).

If you've never been to this event, you might want to make this year's celebration a first. Ojinaga is relatively easy to navigate. After crossing the border, drive straight ahead several blocks to Trasvina y Retes. At this intersection turn right and head north until you get close to the zocalo (square). It will be crowded and congested so be prepared to park about two or three blocks away. OJ time is one hour behind Presidio, but as long as you're there by sundown you'll see practically everything.

We hope you can make it!

Thanks Marfa! Maybe an OJ gig on September 15th?

Thanks Blackwell School Alliance for everything. You guys are numero uno with The Resonators! And many thanks to everyone who came out to Vizcaino Park on September 2nd. We sure hope you liked the show. It was a pleasure and a privilege being there with you. Hopefully we'll see everyone on New Year's Even at the Marfa Activity Center.

On Friday John and Taro will meet with members of the organizing committee of the September 16th festivities in Ojinaga. We're hopeful that Mariachi Santa Cruz (alias "The Resonators") will be able to perform for all the folks of Ojinaga on Saturday, September 15th during the activities leading to the traditional "grito". If you've never been to OJ during this event, maybe you have a reason now... It's Mexico, and it'll be a Saturday night. You can sleep it off on Sunday!

See you soon.

Marfa Lights and Blackwell Alliance

Labor Day weekend in Marfa means Marfa Lights Festival, and The Resonators are grateful to Blackwell School Alliance to be a part of it all once again. Come see us at Vizcaino Park on Sunday, September 2nd starting at 8:00 PM. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the gate.

Opening the show is Mariachi Santa Cruz with Dora Lopez.

Come enjoy some great dance music along with what promises to be a picture-perfect evening in Marfa, Texas!

A great, great summer.

As the summer of 2007 gradually winds down, we want to express our sincere appreciation to everyone who has been a part of The Resonators' musical world the past few months. Whether it be the folks who placed their trust in us and gave us a chance to play, or the many people who responded so favorably to our performances, we thank you.

Not coincidentally, many aspects of our recent success are reflected in the hard work of everyone in the band. The collection of talent in the band spans a geographic area stretching more than 300 miles, plus an international border. There is no Resonator performance in which at least one member must put the gig ahead of financial gain. Regardless, the desire to make music makes it worth the pain.

Thanks to Railroad Blues for having us on August 4th. That evening was what it's all about.

We'll hopefully see you on September 2nd in Marfa. Included in that show will be our alter-ego Mariachi Santa Cruz con Dora Lopez.

Nos vemos!

Railroad Blues!

The Resonators take the stage at Railroad Blues on Saturday, August 4th at 10:00 PM. It's been a while since we've played a gig there, but you can expect some major league dancing to happen with all the music we have in store. Let's see: Cumbias; check. Polkas; check. Mambos; check! Rock; check. Country; what the?...check!

Come see us!