Headlining band got start in Roswell

Sounds of saxophone and accordion set to a Norteño beat will be heard at the Curry County Events Center Saturday nightas La Maquineria Norteña headlines the final night of the Clovis Music Festival.

The band came together in Roswell according to Keith Nieto, one of three brothers in the band.

Keith plays saxophone and sings harmony, brother Rory plays accordion, brother Tony is the drummer, Sergio Soto sings and plays guitar and Edgar Magdeleno plays bass.

"The band's birthday is the date of our first performance," Keith said. That first concert was April 7, 2006 in Monclava in the Mexican state of Coahuila, just under 600 miles southeast of Roswell.

The band's name, translated as "Norteño machine" got its name because Keith, Rory and Tony's father was a heavy equipment operator. Keith said heavy equipment involves a lot of horsepower, a strong machine.

Keith describes the band's sound as "Norteño sax," music with a strong saxophone presence, popular with people from northern Mexico.

"Northern Mexicans have spread all over, and our music is popular everywhere," Keith said.

La Maquineria Norteña has traveled as far north as Minnesota, east to Connecticut, west to California up to Washington state and as far south as Oaxaca state in Mexico.

A few years ago the band left Roswell and moved to Dallas as it was central to their flying in the U.S. and to Mexico.

La Maquineria Norteña is known for their big 2020 hit "Con Ese Corazon." They have a new song coming out this weekend titled "50 y 50" from a new album.

What can the audience expect Saturday night? What does Keith know about the opening act La Furia del Bravo?

"They're just starting up," Keith said. "They open for us a lot. They'll get the people dancing."

What will La Maquineria Norteña serve up?

"We're gonna make everyone dance and sing with us, they stand and sing with us," Keith said. "It's a nice feeling to create a song and people sing along. It's the best feeling in the world."