TUCSON, Arizona — Instead of rock and roll songs like "Welcome to the Jungle," fans at Tucson Roadrunners games hear something more akin to "Welcome to the Desert Southwest," as the Sunnyside High School Mariachi Band performs at select home games.
The name of their group is Maricahi Los Diablitos, which means "Little Blue Devils," a reference to the school's nickname. The performance is part of the Roadrunners El Lazo outreach, as they embrace southern Arizona's culture and history.
"To us, hockey is a northern game," said band director Roberto Martinez. "We hardly ever saw it, until now."
The band performed for 45 minutes before three regular season home games, and fans would and listen to the music as they enter the arena. The band then proceeded to sing the national anthem.
"You wouldn't think a lot of these fans would know mariachi music," said band member Faith Cazarez. "They'll stop and watch us play and clap."
