San Benito celebrates with free concert

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SAN BENITO, Nov 23, 2011 (Valley Morning Star – McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) –
The city that promotes itself as the birthplace of conjunto music will stage its biggest concert in its history Friday and Saturday to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its incorporation, organizers said Wednesday.

The two-day San Benito Centennial Concert will feature 16 bands, including Grammy-award winning singer Ruben Ramos and his band the Mexican Revolution.

The free concert runs from 5 p.m. to midnight Friday and continues from 1 p.m. to midnight Saturday at Plaza de San Benito in the city’s downtown.

“We wanted to create a big event for the benefit of our citizens,” Martha McClain, the city’s spokeswoman, said.

“What started out as a simple street dance evolved into a two-day music festival,” she said. “I don’t think there has been an event like this before in the heart of San Benito but it truly fits in with our musical culture and heritage. We have a great variety of live talent that will appeal to all musical styles and preferences, featuring bands that play country, Tejano, blues and rock.”

The concert is expected to rally residents to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its incorporation, McClain said.

Mayor Joe Hernandez will speak to residents on the city’s centennial at 3 p.m. Saturday, she said.

“San Benito has come a long, long way,” Hernandez said. “There’s no doubt residents should be very proud of the city. People should take time out of their busy schedules to celebrate it.”

Ramos, who won the Grammy Award for best Tejano album in 2008, will headline the event with a performance at 10 p.m. Friday.

“It’s going to be a mixture of everything,” Fruty Villarreal, the lead singer and accordionist who founded the conjunto band in the 1980s, said of the concert’s line up. “This is known as the city of conjunto and I feel really honored to represent conjunto music.”

Friday’s line up will feature Los Federales, Last Page, Silver T and the Mex Kings, the Latin Variety Band, Dame and Ache.

Saturday’s acts include Conteno, the Jim King Band, Madelyn Victoria, the Latin Variety Band, Rudy G and the Band, the Rick Lugo Band, the Mavericks, and Steven May and Southern Knights.

Singer Gloria Jean Cantu, who was a finalist in Texas Folklife’s Big Squeeze accordion contest in 2009, will take the stage at 9 p.m. Friday.

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