Mark you calendars and get your tickets NOW to see Calexico live at Rialto Theatre on Friday, May 23rd. Proceeds of this show will benefit Pueblo High School’s Mariachi Aztlán, helping fund the band’s trip to Washington, D.C. to represent Tucson in the National Independence Day Parade.We can’t think of a better way to represent the Old Pueblo in this traditional 4th of July parade than with a high school Mariachi band. Can you just imagine? I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it.

America’s Independence Day Parade takes place every July 4th, right on Constitution Avenue in D.C., between dozens of national monuments, passing by a street audience of over 300,000 spectators. Not a bad gig, eh?

Joining Calexico for the benefit will be flamenco-folk baritone Salvador Duran, Mariachis Luz de Luna, the troupe Calexico has recorded and toured with through the years, and Mariachi Aztlán de Pueblo High, of course. These artists performed with Calexico a year ago this past January at Rialto Theatre, and the feeling of pride for the community in that room was overwhelming—this second time around is not to be missed. For a taste of what you may have passed up the last time around, check out the Ariel Cramer Live Review, and watch some videos the Tucson Citizen took of the event at Ariel Cramer Benefit Videos. Expect the full Mariachi treatment for this show, as well as some sneak peeks at new Calexico material being recorded as we speak.