Metalachi at Concerts In Your Car – Live Review

Concerts In Your Car – Metalachi

w/ Guest appearances from Ra Diaz of Suicidal Tendencies & Alex Lopez of Suicide Silence

I don’t know about you, but we at Highwire Daze miss live shows. We have been busy covering all the hard work musicians have been doing. So many great albums are coming out, and up and coming bands. But what if I told you that you could go to a live show with friends? Intrigued?

Drive-In concerts are becoming a new way to enjoy live music across the country while we navigate COVID-19 times. I had seen advertisements online and was a little curious, but truly started looking into it after a friend had gone with her family, and they had a great time! I reached out to one of the drive-in concert series ‘Concerts In Your Car’ and received such a warm response. My first post quarantine concert was Metalachi. If you aren’t familiar with them, you’re missing out on a combo of mariachi and metal.

The band covers metal classics such as ‘Welcome To The Jungle,’ ‘Sweet Child O Mine,’ ‘Ace of Spades,’ ‘Raining Blood,’ & ‘Crazy Train.’ Let me clear it up, though. Metalachi isn’t just a band just covering metal music. They are the first and only heavy metal mariachi band. Metal songs are covered mariachi style with some comedy breaks in between songs. Sounds strange, and well… it is! But you can’t help but to dance and enjoy the energy that Metalachi brings to the stage. They had a few special guests tonight join them on stage that cranked the energy to 11, maybe even 12! Ra Diaz of Suicidal Tendencies joined them on bass for a few songs and Alex Lopez of Suicide Silence on drums! Go check them out; they have a few dates scheduled across the country.

So what about the drive-in? How was that?! I was getting to it…. California based CBF Productions have gone all out to make sure the event is safe and very enjoyable. The stage is built in the parking lot at Ventura Fairgrounds, and guests can view the performance on all sides of the stage. The show is also broadcast on large screens on each side of the stage, and the concert audio is broadcast through the radio. Several live shows are scheduled all the way through December, and more to be announced, I’m sure.

Cars line up outside the gate (just like a standard show, you have to wait in line). Once the gates open, the staff will guide you to your area. From there, you can open up the back hatch, crack open the cooler, set out some chairs, and enjoy the show! Over the loudspeaker COVID-19 protocols are announced, “To ensure safety, we will leave enough distance between you and surrounding vehicles. We ask that all guests remain in or by their vehicles, practice social distancing, and wear masks whenever outside of their vehicle. In the event it is necessary for a guest to leave their vehicle, guests must use safe and social distancing practices, and wear a face covering. Event staff will be wearing PPE (personal protective equipment) as required by CDC guidelines.”

For me, the entertainment wasn’t just on stage. Like any live show, some of the entertainment was in the crowd. Full tailgating concert style! I was skeptical about drive-in shows, but after experiencing it for myself, I welcome it. It is allowing musicians to play again, creating jobs for the hard-hit entertainment industry, getting people out of their homes to share an experience with friends and family members, with the option of socially distancing from them in different cars. I am ecstatic that CBF Productions found a way to bring live shows back while we work through this pandemic. I am grateful to the staff for all they have done, and the hard work they put into making these shows happen while ensuring the safety of guests and staff.

Go to https://www.concertsinyourcar.com/ to view the full schedule of upcoming shows in Ventura and San Diego!

Check out more photos from the show here!

(Review and Photos by Erica Vincent)

Metalachi on Facebook
Concerts In Your Car Official Home Page