For newcomers looking to differentiate Mexico’s Norteño music from Texas’ conjunto, look no further than the fits among Saturday and Sunday fans at Austin’s Rancho Alegre Conjunto Festival. Attendees from as far as Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande Valley came decked out in snakeskin and bedazzled cowboy boots, pearl-snap button-ups, vaquero hats, straw fedoras, and fringed-sleeve ensembles – unmistakably Tejano, totally conjunto.
Sonically, the distinctions are pretty nuanced. Conjunto is somewhat slower, almost polka-like in sound and pace. More importantly, it is a genre almost entirely shaped by Tex-Mex identity, incorporating the accordion-driven and 12-string bajo sexto-led sound of Norteño with elements of Texas-based roots music.
Now in its 18th year, the free all-ages festival proves a crucial intergenerational gathering space for conjunto devotees that connects fans and artists from all across the state. In a city where Mexican-Americans continue to be displaced on a large scale, the annual affair has become all the more important. In fact, two months out from showtime, Rancho Alegre organizers almost had to cancel after being cut from the city of Austin’s cultural arts funding, following changes in the program.
“If we don’t do it, for the first time in 30 years there won’t be a conjunto festival in Austin, and that just chaps my hide a bit, being that gentrification is kicking these people and a lot of these fans out of their neighborhoods,” said Rancho Alegre Executive Director Baldomero Cuellar in a February interview with the Chronicle. Rather than call off the festival, organizers turned to private donations and crowdsourcing, raising nearly $20,000 of their $35,000 goal.
This year’s three-day gathering – split between Central Machine Works on Friday, Giddy Ups on Saturday, and Stubb’s on Sunday – featured veteran performers like Los Hermanos de Leon, local acts like Los Texas Wranglers and CruzSante, as well as eight-accordion machine Conjunto Puro Corazon.
Chano Cadena, 85-year-old conjunto mainstay and accordionist, christened the modestly sized stage at Giddy Ups on Saturday night with his melodic quartet, as couples shuffled along the makeshift dance floor directly in front of the band. Rio Grande City, Tex., native and Rancho Alegre Records signee Rodney Rodriguez and his band Los Cucuys lit up the room next, performing material from their newly released album Tanto Tanto. Rodriguez charged through an energizing set, breaking away from his bouncier, classic conjunto-honoring style with the occasional cumbia and a lone but high-spirited huapango.
For Sunday’s main event, accordionist and singer Susan Torres joined Austin heroes Conjunto Los Pinkys for a cover of “Paloma Negra,” originally sung by the late ranchera legend Chavela Vargas in 1961. Far from the somber tone of the original, Torres led the melodious rendition, eliciting cheers and an impassioned sing-along from Stubb’s outdoor crowd. Inside, San Antonio’s Flavio Longoria y Los Conjunto Kingz kept the crowd spellbound with a repertoire that melds the twang of Tejano country with the romantic atmospherics of boleros.
At 8:30pm, buzzworthy Waxahachie, Tex.-based family ensemble Conjunto Baraja de Oro took the stage for the most electrifying set of the Sunday night, captivating a small but loyal crowd whose cheers seemed to grow louder at the end of each song. From the Barajas musical brood, Mario and Betty belted out effortlessly intertwined harmonies as bassist Victoria, bajo sexto player J.P., and drummer Chris ran a tight rhythmic ship. Their hourlong set culminated with a dynamic and unblemished cover of the Selena deep cut “Ven Conmigo.”
Singer Betty Barajas paused between songs to praise the Rancho Alegre organizers’ role in preserving Texas music tradition.
“We love being here. We may not be here at every, every event, but when we do come, we come here full-volume – with all of our soul and all of our hearts because you all show us so much love,” said Barajas.
“This [festival] is especially important for anyone that has niños, that has babies. That way those babies can grow up, hear the music on these stages, and perform for the next generation.”
This article appears in May 5 • 2023 and April 28 • 2023.