Crazy, But That’s How It Goes

I walked into The Turf Club back in May of 2022 because of a shtick. The band playing, Metalachi, was billed as “The World’s First and Only Heavy Metal Mariachi Band.” Yeah, they had me with that line, and I remember that night vividly, even though we are hundreds of shows and thousands of bands beyond that. Although I know my Wednesday night would have been better spent packing, doing laundry, and getting things situated for my weekend away, I knew that there was no way I was going to miss another visit from Metalachi, so I threw some clothes in my suitcase to satisfy my feeling of needing to at least pack before I went out, hopped in the car, and jetted down to The Turf Club in Saint Paul.

The one and only opener on this show was the local band Borrachoz Inc. Although one letter off, I can only assume that this band’s name relates to the Spanish word “borrachos,” which translates to “drunk.” Honestly, this was perfect because there was a goofy and drink-friendly vibe to this opening band. They kicked off the set by warning the quickly growing audience that they were there for your jobs and your pets (yeah, they got a hearty laugh out of me and the rest of the audience with that one) before jumping into a set that spanned a variety of genres and vibes. First and foremost, Borrachoz Inc is a punk band. Their songs are quick, dirty, and energetic but also come with so many different and exotic flavors swirled within that punk base. From hints of everything ranging from hair metal to salsa, I really loved the way that every song of this band felt different while clearly being that of Borrachoz Inc.

Plenty of jokes were thrown across the stage and into the audience, but what I appreciated about this band was their clear talent. Although Borrachoz Inc is clearly a band that does not take themselves too seriously (which made them the perfect opener for a metal mariachi band), there was no denying that there is some genuine talent here across the board. I specifically picked up on the talent of the drummer. He was playing some of the more complicated rhythms and beats that I have heard from a local band and doing them without skipping a single beat or ever getting tripped up. Honestly, I was getting tripped up trying to figure out some of the rhythms myself, so seeing him and the rest of the band power through it without any hesitation told me everything I needed to know about this band.

What happens when you get a lot of mariachi-loving metalheads in a room with a bottle of Skrewball whiskey? Metalachi. As mentioned, Metalachi is a metal mariachi band from Los Angeles that is definitely quirky and unique but, more importantly is well done and, like Borrachoz Inc, full of talent. They have the humor of Steel Panther, the quirkiness of Mac Sabbath, and the talent of any heavy metal band they cover, all wrapped into one joyous set of flamboyant extravagance but without all the smoke and mirrors. Honestly, I’m kind of surprised that, even after a couple of years since I first saw them, their show still feels oddly bare-boned for the creative energy that they have, but at the same time, I really like that because it puts their unique sound and true talent in the spotlight.

From “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses to “Holy Diver” by Dio, Metalachi does such a great job of picking some of the most memorable tracks from years gone by and reconstructing them with a twist. That twist, obviously, is the mariachi style, and saying that this group is committed to that style would be an understatement. It would be so easy for Metalachi’s sound to be beefed up by a drummer, but because that’s not a typical element of a mariachi band, Metalachi relies solely on the traditional mix of trumpet, violin, guitar, and guitarron (that giant guitar looking bass). Sure, you could call this all a shtick, but the band’s appreciation for the classic art of mariachi tells me that, although jokesters, they do take their sound seriously, and it shows.

Some of the jokes they made throughout the night were the same jokes I had heard back in 2022, but honestly, I didn’t care. You can only say so many things about the confused Gringos in the crowd and how, if they would just drink some more, this would all make sense, and it was perfect. Metalachi turned my Wednesday night and the Wednesday night of the decently sized gathering at The Turf Club into a huge party where rules and political correctness were thrown out the window, and all that mattered were the smiles on faces and the fun being had by all.