Dance the night away Saturday with El Fantasma and bull riding in Montgomery
Es hora de bailar: When the gates of Rancho El Paraiso open Saturday afternoon in Montgomery, it's time to dance.
"We will be there with all my people in Montgomery, Alabama," said headliner El Fantasma of Las Cañas Durango, Mexico, in a video message to fans. "One hundred percent confirmed the date."
You can practically taste the flavor of Mexico in his Regional Mexican music, strong Latin vocals backed with heavy brass instruments — mainly trumpets, trombones, tuba — plus guitar, clarinets and percussion.
Along with El Fantasma, Afinarte Music is bringing fellow artists Gerardo Diaz, Los Dos de Tamaulipas, and Jr Salazar.
Fans won't be the only ones dancing the night away. This event is called the Jaripeo Baile for a reason. Jaripeo is a style of bull riding from central and southern Mexico. Along with the concert, bucking bulls from Rancho San Gabriel will be facing riders like Nino de Batalla, Choche de Nayarit, Tigrito de Tabasco, Chino de Nayarit, Tommy de Dazaca, and Cigarro de Llano Grande.
Rancho El Paraiso is at 1890 Snowden Chambers Road. Doors open at 2 p.m. They'll start testing the music at 4 p.m., and the first act starts at 6 p.m.
Tickets are $70, and are available online at ranchoelparaisoalabama.com. The website is available in both Spanish and English. Children 12 and under get in free.
There's also a chance to win an autographed guitar and meet and greet. An event on Rancho El Paraiso's Facebook page invites guests to tag their favorite artists with a photo of their tickets for a chance to win.
There will be VIP tables at the event, and two winners who took part in an online raffle will each receive one for the night. The winners will be announced Friday on Rancho El Paraiso's Facebook page @RanchoElParaisoAlabama.
For more information, call 334-306-1198.
More about El Fantasma
Alexander Garcia "El Fantasma (The Ghost)" was born in 1989 in the Durango village of San José de Cañas.
Though he always had a love for music and began as a street singer, he was a gardener in southern California before he found success in music. His debut single in 2016 was “Mi 45,” which appeared first album that year — Equipo Armado.
While he's known as the "King of the Underground," El Fantasma has been climbing the Latino charts for years with songs like “El Corrido del Nano,” “En El Camino,” “Vengo a Aclarar,” and “Dolor y Amor.”
"I have to be in front of the people," El Fantasma said during a translated June interview with Jose Luis Zagar. "I always have to talk. I always have to be on camera."
Last year, his single "Soy Buen Amigo" charted No. 1 on Regional Mexican Airplay. His latest single, "Soldado Caido" was released in July.
Speaking to fans on Zagar's online program, El Fantasma offered thanks for all their support.
"Thanks to God, we've been doing enough good things that we've already covered the United States," El Fantasma said. "Thank you to all the people for the support. I'm very grateful to God and all of Mexico too."
Follow him online at elfantasma.tm-g.org.
Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel at sheupel@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Dance the night away Saturday with El Fantasma and bull riding
