 
 The Bronx have decided to play a few warm up gigs
before they tear Glastonbury apart, and where
have they decided to do it? Well in Coventry at
the Kasbah, Obviously!
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 stage 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 and 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.
Mariachi el Bronx 3.5/5
Ghost of a thousand 4/5
The Bronx 4/5
Review By James Daly
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