Meet the mariachis making every LA Rams home game feel like a party

Joshua Gutierrez is a music teacher from Boyle Heights.

He never imagined he would “play” for the Los Angeles Rams.

But if you were lucky enough to be in Inglewood for last Sunday’s win against the Detroit Lions, you would have seen him in his charro suit playing his guitarrón — a six-string acoustic bass guitar — to roars from a lively crowd as part of the Mariachi Rams.

“They make us feel like rock stars,” Gutierrez tells The LA Local. “Every time we’re walking back to our headquarters, they always stop us for pictures.”

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Gutierrez and his fellow mariachis — a diverse group of talented musicians from all over, including Boyle Heights, Pico Rivera and El Monte — bring cultural celebration, revelry and pride to SoFi Stadium’s pregame and halftime shows.

Those vibes are palpable at Los Angeles Rams games, especially lately, as the team continues to reign on the field, giving Angelenos another winning group of athletes to root for at home on TV and even more so at SoFi Stadium, aka the “Rams House.”

The arena’s eye-popping blue and gold-drenched environment, filled with fiercely invested spectators and the relentless thump of thematic anthems like Tupac Shakur’s “California Love” and Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” is exciting and kinetic. But since 2019, it’s offered many majestic moments too, thanks to the team’s mariachis who play throughout game day.

Though in-stadium entertainment isn’t typically televised for most NFL games, attendees in Inglewood often get to see a live show on the stadium’s sixth-level stage where the team’s DJ, Skee, spins from behind a hydraulic lowrider fashioned into a sound booth.

Pop hitmakers and legacy artists often perform a brief set, and Mariachi Rams are always there to open up or play along with them, adding orchestral spectacle to the show.

Dressed in ornate blue and gold charro suits embellished with embroidered “LA” symbols down each pant leg, Corona beer logo bowties and embossed ram belt buckles, the musicians come from all over L.A.

They kicked off that win against the Lions with some Mexican classics and returned at halftime to play with Long Beach faves War, turning in a medley of hits including “Why Can’t We be Friends” and “Lowrider.”

After the set, guitarrón player Gutierrez posed for pictures with fans waiting behind the stage.

“We have a saying — it’s a ‘Ramelia’ here, which is like a familia,” Gutierrez explains in between flashing smiles into cell phones with beer-chugging guys and cheery gals in matching football jerseys and Ram horn hats.

“Whenever I come here, it’s like home, and it doesn’t feel like a job,” he adds.

Gutierrez posed with his fellow members, including violinist Joaquin Tallez, who moved to Pico Rivera seven years ago to pursue his passion for playing in a mariachi group.

“L.A. is the mariachi mecca,” he tells The LA Local. “[Moving here] worked out great. I think this is the best place to do something like this. The atmosphere — as you can see today — it’s crazy. They really, really love mariachi.”

The Rams are the first NFL team to establish a dedicated mariachi group, a distinction that reflects both Los Angeles’ demographics and the league’s growing interest in acknowledging them.

Initiatives like Vamos Rams are aimed at Spanish-speaking fans, pairing outreach and merchandise with cultural signaling, including collaborations with artists like tattoo legend Mr. Cartoon. Intentionally or not, Mariachi Rams sit at the intersection of authenticity and branding — as corporate America, especially in LA, continues its lovefest with Latino customers.

Initiatives like Vamos Rams are aimed at Spanish-speaking fans.

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Lina Lecaro

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In fact, Los Angeles sports culture has long depended on Latino fandom — from Dodgers games packed with “Los Doyers” jerseys to Lakers gear worn at backyard carne asadas all over Southern California.

That loyalty often outlasts stars, ownership and front office scandals, though that loyalty has been put to a test recently, as many fans expressed discomfort with Dodgers and Lakers owner Mark Walter’s ties to immigration detention-related investments. It remains to be seen if this will affect either team’s popularity moving forward.

But the Rams don’t have that baggage, and they’re playing exceptionally well right now.

After returning to Los Angeles in 2016 — following a 21-year absence while the team played in St. Louis — the franchise regained momentum with LA fans with a dominant Super Bowl win in 2022 at SoFi Stadium.

With the team just clinching a spot in the playoffs, that excitement is back again, and Mariachi Rams are a big part of it.

“It’s a very humbling gig,” Tallez explains as the stadium buzz from their performance just begins to fade. “I hope [fans] take away the love and passion that we have for this music.”