Mariachi Vargas set to perform at the Long Center - Dell Hall - Austin, Texas June 20

Plan for a special weekend in  Austin June 20 for what promises to be an extraordinary mariachi concert you won’t want to miss. There’s a bit for everyone from young adults to mature audiences. Teens will certainly appreciate the talent of young vocalists Victoria Acosta (San Antonio), Virginia Stille (Houston) and Esteban Velasquez (Odessa) who will be accompanied by UT’s own Mariachi Tejas. Each has significant accomplishments of their own from appearing on international reality TV shows, performing with popular artists to recording professionally. What they all have in common is their rank as the “Best Vocalist in the US” which they won in different years at the Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza held annually in San Antonio. Their performances will demonstrate the enormous talent among Texas youth while showing folks that la musica de mariachi is alive and well among the next generation. 

Added recently to the show’s rundown is an “alumnus” of Mariachi Vargas – Manuel Vargas – who will be accompanied by Austin’s best – Mariachi Relampago. Manuel Vargas has the performance style, training and experience of a world class vocalist having played with Mariachi Vargas from 1992 to 2000. Manuel Vargas occasionally shares the stage with Mariachi Vargas during live concert performances when members of Mariachi Vargas often pull him from the audience to join in on a duet. He resides in San Antonio where he manages his own professional mariachi group- Mariachi Sangre Mexicana de Manuel Vargas and lives with his elegant wife Veronica Vargas and talented daughter Angelica.

And El Mejor Mariachi del Mundo, Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan will play favorites including Para Siempre, Que Bonita es Esta Vida, Por Amor, Como han pasado los años and Estos Celos. If we’re really lucky we may get to hear Arturo Vargas (Mariachi Vargas – tenor)  sing El Pastor or maybe even one of my all time favorites Por ti Volare. Die hard mariachi fans love to hear Mariachi Vargas play instrumental selections like Huapango de Moncayo or Violin Huapango. Whatever Mariachi Vargas’ repertoire is (determined 5 minutes prior to showtime) concert goers are in for a real treat. Not only will Mariachi Vargas perform their latest and greatest songs, but they’ll perform in a state of the art venue called The Long Center which has phenomenal acoustics. Seeing Mariachi Vargas at the Long Center may just be the best injection of happiness I need to get me through the next 30 days – until I get to see them again in Houston at the Wortham Center on July 18.

Need a place to stay? Check out the Radisson Hotel & Suites at Town Lake at www.radisson.com/austintx. I hear there’s a meet and greet with Mariachi Vargas following the concert at the hotel and its the perfect place for  a stroll along the lake Sunday morning! Ahhh, life is beautiful!