Del Castillo in Eureka Springs, AR!

Del Castillo comes to Eureka Springs -By David Hughes

“Once Upon a Time in Mexico” is on the television screen and I’m watching intently, getting involved in all the little sub-plots that are layered throughout the movie. In the background of the action on the screen, there is music, flamenco guitar actually. The eloquence of the music is darkly romantic and dances intimately with the rough landscape in the scenes it supports. It’s an intriguing mixture.

As usual, I found myself in search of the music behind the movie. My search led me to a band that has been hard at the business of music for a little over nine years. What I found was Del Castillo. Del Castillo creates its own intriguing mixture of flamenco, rock, Latin, blues and world music, having performed live since 2001 and racking up a list of accomplishments and awards most bands work a lifetime to achieve.

Arkansas will get an opportunity to hear this incredible band in Eureka Springs on May 8 at The Auditorium. Show time will be 8:00 p.m. with an opening act kicking off at 6:45 p.m.

Del Castillo came together in 2000 as the result of brothers Rick and Mark del Castillo doing an acoustic collaboration on Latin and flamenco songs for their parents. The brothers had been playing electric guitar separately in other bands and, in fact, had never played together. When guitarist/vocalist and good friend Alex Ruiz began adding words to the music it set in motion a force that would continue to be reckoned with nearly a decade later.

Blending a variety of musical styles while keeping a deep Latin influence, the band began performing live in 2001. Their first show in Austin, Texas, coincided with the release of their first CD, Brothers of the Castle. Both were met with outstanding reviews. Encouraged by the warm reception into the world of live music, Del Castillo began building a following around Austin. Their work paid off when they received the first of what would be many awards by getting the nod as Best Band in the categories of World Music and Mexican/Traditional Latin at the Austin Music Awards during SXSW in 2002.

Del Castillo’s follow up CD, Vida, would announce the band’s presence not only in Austin, but across the country. With authority. Del Castillo picked up seven major awards at the 2003 Austin Music Awards, including four awards for Vida as well as the coveted Band of the Year honors.

During this time, Del Castillo met filmmaker Robert Rodriguez. This meeting would put the band in the national spotlight. The filmmaker asked Rick del Castillo to provide guitar on the soundtrack of the film Spy Kids 3D: Game Over. Rodriguez would go on to produce the band’s critically acclaimed live DVD. The relationship with Rodriguez would continue with the brothers del Castillo and Ruiz contributing music to the film “Once Upon a Time in Mexico”.

Del Castillo performed at the premier of “Once Upon a Time in Mexico”, joined on stage during their performance by Rodriguez, Cheech Marin, Antonio Banderas and Patricia Vonne. Taking note of Del Castillo’s music was one Quentin Tarrantino who would use their music on the “Kill Bill” soundtrack. The band has won at least one major award at the Austin Music Awards every year since 2002 including Album of the Year in 2007 for their third release, Brotherhood.
Del Castillo continues to keep a busy dance card, with television and film performances to their credit and new film and music projects under construction. They have headlined and shared the stage with the likes of Los Lonely Boys, Ozomatli, Los Lobos, Kinky, deSol and others. The band has performed at a number of major festivals including three of Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic and Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival.

Eureka Springs and Arkansas are set for an amazing evening of music. The high powered energy and soul of Del Castillo will captivate listeners and leave them hungry for more . This is one date to mark on the calendar now. For more information, check out Del Castillo on the web at http://www.delcastillomusic.com and http://www.myspace.com/delcastillo.

For Tickets please visit http://www.theaud.org or call 888.855.7823

Del Castillo Tickets for May 8th, 2009 on sale now!

Tickets for the Del Castillo show on Friday night May 8th are on sale now! As a very special deal The Great Passion Play has offered to bundle a ticket for their performances with the Del Castillo show.

Package deal #1 is The Great Passion Play on Thursday nigh May 7th and Friday nigh May 8th with Del Castillo.

Package deal #2 is Del Castillo show on Friday May 8th and The Great Passion Play on Saturday Night May 9th!

If you would like to buy tickets they are current on sale HERE! We expect this show to be sold out so buy your tickets early! Are you going to be there? We'd love to know. Post us a comment and tell us you'll be there!

John Two-Hawks

December 6th 2008 will be the 6th annual John Two-Hawks Peace on Earth Christmas Concert at the Auditorium at 7:30 pm Proceeds from this event will benefit Heifer International

John will perform from his Peace on Earth Christmas CD as well as a number of other favorite hits off his latest CD Elk Dreamer.

John Two-Hawks resides in Northwest Arkansas. His music has been nominated for an Emmy in the Emmy winning best Picture of the year in 2007 "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" He is a platinum award winning composer and musician.

John Two-Hawks is the co founder of the Circle of Nations World Community whose goal is to promote peace and understanding among the Nations of the World.

John's message and music are a wonderful addition to the Peace on Earth that Christmas reminds us of!


Tickets are discounted for this event and can be purchased on line at www.johntwohawks.com or by calling 888 790 9091 or 253-5826

Sponsors Circle Studios, Blue Spring Trading Post and Susan Morrison Signature Gallery

Beatlegras coming back to Eureka Springs

The story of Beatlegras...

The band Beatlegras was first formed when I asked both George and Milo if they wanted to do a studio project with me, taking Beatle songs and doing bluegrass arrangements with them. Knowing they were both very busy musicians I told them we would be 3 equal partners in whatever happened but meanwhile, I would pay them whatever I could. I also told Milo that George Anderson was going to do it while I was telling George the same thing about Milo. Thankfully they both decided to give it a try and it wasn't long before we realized we had something special.

I remember my first session with Milo, I showed him a list of possible songs to start with. He stared at it for a while, then his head started moving to a rhythm in his mind and he finally said, "Let's do Back in the U.S.S.R." He grabbed my guitar and started playing this really fast guitar solo line which I thought sounded really cool but I wasn't hearing anything that sounded like Back in the U.S.S.R. I said "that sounds awesome" thinking I would be playing some simple vamp behind it I asked "What do you want me to play to go with it?" He said, that's YOUR guitar part I'm gonna double it on mandolin. I've been hangin on like an innertube behind a boat ever since. At the end of the session I pulled out my check book and and started to write when Milo said, "What are you doing?" I said I want to pay you your normal rate. He said "You're trying to cut me out aren't you". I knew He was in.

When I first asked George, I said "Hey George I got this idea. I want to do this project that I hope turns into a band. It's gonna be doing Beatle songs on bluegrass instruments" He was smiling and listening until I said "and I want YOU to play Bass." He stopped smiling and just stared at me for a while then very uncomfortably said "But Dave I didn't grow up listening to The Beatles and playing bluegrass is not what I really do." I said "and that's why you'll be perfect for this! It's gonna be all about thinking outside the box and being true to our own influences and ideas." I asked George to listen to some Beatle songs, most of which he had never heard of. I knew he was in when he called back later and enthusiastically said "Dave, these are GREAT songs we've GOT to do this". I said "I know and the good news is there's about 200-300 to pick from!" Anyway- that's how we got started and I hope you hear and see the joy and passion we have in doing this. The Beatles were truly a phenomena that changed everything from a musical and cultural point of view. We truly hope to honor their music in our own way.

Dave Walser

Beatlegrass will be performing in The City Auditorium on October 18th at 8:00p.m. Tickes are available at http://www.theaud.org

More information on Beatlegrass at http://www.beatlegras.com