damian trujillo: hello, and welcome to "comunidad del valle." i'm damian trujillo, and today it's the battle of the bands all to send students from the east side to london on your "comunidad del valle." ♪♪♪

damian: and we begin today with the monthly visit by the consulate of méxico in san francisco. with me is the ministro vicente sánchez who's the-- called cónsul la escrito, the vice consul general of the consulate of san francisco. sénior ministro, welcome to "comunidad del valle" once again-- we haven't seen you in a while. vicente sánchez: thank you, mr. trujillo. it's a great pleasure to talk with you and to talk about the different topics of the consulate services that we provide every day. damian: yeah. no. it's--and it's great work, tambien, but one is, you know, we're--it's a sign of the times. now, you can program your appointments with the consulate via whatsapp. vicente: yes, well, this is something new for we start this service on may the 22nd. now, the people could make an appointment through whatsapp with the same number with the people made the telephone appointments. it's 1-424-309-0009.

with this number through whatsapp, that you can put your personnel information and your response or questions about days and the viability of days, hours, and it's very easy. we started this program recently, 2 weeks ago, and now we invite the community to see how it's working, the whatsapp. i listened from the people who made appointments that it's very easy. it's more convenient for many of them because they just--they put the information that they have, they have time to respond, and it's very easy. at this time it's just a few people knows about this service, but we invite the community in general to--just to see, to check that this is working very well, and then we have three options.

there's through internet, by telephone, and now by whatsapp. this is something that we--it's new. it's something--it's an innovation for the consular system. and well, you can make an appointment for any consulate in the united states, included canada too. damian: oh, that's amazing, the service they're providing. now, whatsapp is a big deal in méxico, right? i was there in 2017 to cover the big earthquake, and everybody was saying, "comunicarme via whatsapp," or "call me via whatsapp." everybody communicates via whatsapp. vicente: yeah, and now most of the people, almost--i can't say that at 100%, but the majority of the people knows to--how to do whatsapp, what it means whatsapp. it's because you can send pictures, the family pictures, or message because some--certain way of communication between the family, and especially when you live in long distance like in the mexico and united states or any other part of the world.

you can send instant messages, instant pictures, and something--it's something new for this era. and well, now the consular services are of the community of the united states--of the mexico and the united states. damian: yes. no, absolutely. well, i have a list of about six different topics, but i'll let you choose. which other topic do you want to discuss that you want to make sure that our viewers know about? vicente: yeah, well, something important that every year we work is inviting the children in the community because we call [speaking spanish] for this year 2023 "estes mi méxico." it's big now because it has long, long time that every year we invite the community, especially the children between 6 and 14 years old that they can make some designs about how is mexico. this--the topic for this year is about--related about the ocean

and seas in the world, what means for children, the sea, how the sea provide food, the sea provide beauty or vacations. what means for the children between 6 and 14 years old. now, it's very easy because they can design something related to this and they can save by whatsapp this image. so the information that we have in our website. it's very easy. and later we can receive the documents here, the words that the children made. and well, every year we have something like this calendar. like this one. yeah? this is something--it's an example that the--how the children works and now how we can have--every year they work

for many, many children in the united states and in the world. it's amazing. damian: no. it's great work. and yeah, you just submit your artwork on what you think méxico is and what the ocean relation to méxico is and then you might end up on the calendar. well, sénior ministro, thank you so much for being on the show and thank you for always keeping our comunidad informed on this show. vicente: it's a pleasure. thank you, yes. damian: thank you. vicente: thank you. damian: thank you, sénior ministro. and if you'd like more information, the consulate of méxico in san francisco is on folsom street. there is the website where you can find out more about this [speaking spanish] that's put on by the consulate, also how you can make the programs and appointments via the app, whatsapp. well, up next here on "comunidad del valle," the battle of the bands. you don't want to miss it. that's next, stay with us.

damian: it's a battle of the bands, a benefit concert to send students from independence high school band over to london for new year's eve celebration. with us here on "comunidad del valle" is ken ponticelli,

the band director in independence, joey jam flores, who's a drum instructor, and then madisen barrieau roth is drum major on independence high school. or is it called the marching band or the band. what do we call it? madisen barrieau roth: good old '76 cavalry marching band. damian: there you go. we'll start with you, mr. p. how big of a deal is this, to be able to send your crew over to london for new year's eve celebration? ken ponticelli: wow, you know, just to get invited to go to an event as prestigious as the london new year's day parade is obviously a very big deal. we were blessed to be able to go back in new year's eve on--in 2010. and, man, to take the kids back then on a--and parents for that matter and the chaperones on a really a once-in-a-lifetime trip was just awesome and it was so memorable. and, you know, the entire trip was just one thing after the other, just nonstop just doing this and the other thing. and then be able to perform in front of, you know, hundreds and thousands of people on the streets of london and then to be telecast, you know, worldwide, million-some-odd-viewers,

it was great. so when we got the opportunity to go back again--they emailed me actually about 3 or 4 years ago and wanted us to go in what would have been 2021, but we all know, you know, what happened then. so we had to kind of postpone things. but yeah, the opportunity to go and do something like this is just fantastic. i'm really looking forward to taking these kids to experience, you know, that again. damian: it's just an honor to be invited, let alone participate. and, joey, you know, it--people--some people might say, "well, it's just band." but band is kind of an avenue to so many different creative and professional events. joey kind of living proof of that. joey jam flores: it is. you know, being raised from my uncle rudy madrid, playing drums at 2 years old, you know, here within the marching band at overfelt, and then when i got into high school band at silver creek, leaded into drum course santa clara vanguard, and then it leaded into teaching, touring, doing all the great

things that you never thought you'd do, from the experience of a lot of it was from marching band and with the amazing instructors that were--that have taught me throughout the years, and then to bring on all that knowledge and pass it on to the--to these amazing students at independence. i was there from 1981 to '86. mr. p brought me back 4 years ago. i've been here ever since, and it's been life-changing. these kids are teaching me a lot. they think quicker. they learn quicker. they're faster. i think they're more smarter. they use amazing tools to learn their music, to learn their drill, but, again, it's stuff that they can carry on for the rest of their life in whatever they do in their career wise, whwhether it's's being a d docr businessss, a teacheher, whate. lot t of life lelessons that we teteach them and that i've leararned., itit's amazingng. damian: ohoh, absolutetely. we're lolooking at t the promotl videdeo by your r booster clclub to kinind of get t tickets for this s special benenefit conct

happppening on m march--on june 24t4th in your r gymnasi. madisesen, how bigig of a del is thihis to be abable to use your skilllls at indepependene right nonow to go toto london? madisen: i i mean, it's just being the drum major and getting to have this leadership opportunity internationally is such a great honor for me, but not just that, i have learned so much in my 4 years a part of this program, so much that i would have never learned about myself if i had never chosen to come out and be a part of this program. so to get to showcase the amazing talent of every member in the group, the hard work, the grit, the perseverance, we come out every saturday. i don't have any saturdays from august to november that isn't dedicated to the program. so from time management to just collaborating with my peers, i think that we have an amazing opportunity to showcase all of that and showcase the greatness that can come out of independence. damian: what does a drum major do in a band, in a school band? madisen: well, i mean, i like to think that i'm a small part of a bigger picture.

so my job essentially is i first and foremost conduct the band. i am in charge of keeping tempo during our show, but i'm also, you know, kind of a lifeline for a lot of the members. i am someone who my members can come to if they don't yet feel acclimated to coming to an instructor. i am the voice between instructors and members of the band and yeah, i'm just--i get to be in this really big leadership role that i'm, again, so excited to be in. damian: well, way to undersell your role. that's a big role, madisen. congratulations. mr. p., how many kids are we talking here that would like to go, who need to go, who should go to london? ken: right now we're still trying to build what our numbers are going to be for this coming year. last year we had 58 on the field. we're hoping for that same number this year. we'd like to send, of course, every single member in the band to london with us. we are also combining with another school in the area, with oak grove high school, and the two of us are going to kind of join forces for the actual parade itself, but we're hoping

to send about, you know, 50 to 60 students from independence. damian: it's not cheap. tell us about the cost that--i mean, it's not something the states pays for, the school pays for. every student would have to pay for it. that's why we're having this benefit. ken: absolutely, yeah. so if we did zero fundraising, if everyone just wrote a check for the week-long trip of, you know, all, it's all inclusive, it's just shy of $3700. to date we have been able to knock that price down by $300. we've put about 20--little more than $20,000 towards the overall cost of the trip. and so the goal is to try to knock that price below the 3,000 mark. that's been what i've been trying to talk to the parents about. and this benefit concert that--this was actually the brainstorm of my man joey jam. we're really hoping we can, you know, get a large chunk of money on saturday to put towards the trip to make more affordable for those families. damian: yeah, and i want to get into that in our next segment. joey, we'll start the segment with who's coming and kind of

a jam session that's going to be for the entire bay area. but let's share that information. it's happening on june 24th at the gymnasium of independence high school. cisco kid, tortilla soup, touch of class, other great bands will be there. there is the website, the tinyurl, to get your tickets, for more information. june 24th, 5 o'clock, the school gym. we'll be back and talk more about this trip to london by independence high school marching band. stay with us.

damian: it's an endeavor to send the marching band at independence high school over to london for new year's eve celebrations. with me is the band instructor, the drum instructor, and also drum major for independence high school marching band. and, joey, you're kind of the--spearheading this great battle of the bands' benefit concert. tell us who's coming, and they're all donating their time. joey: well, i couldn't do it alone. i had to call my boy robert payne and anita garcia, tortilla

soup music gang, who were very good about fundraising. i've done so many of these in my younger years, but i needed to help. and so what we did is we reached out to our local bay area artists to ask them, "hey, can you guys come out and share your gifts for this benefit to get these kids out to london?" and we have a levedax and a dj, an alumni dj, dj felix rabino, dj ivan bris. on the bill is going to be maxx cabello jr., who'o's an amazizing local a a. the sisit-ins, he'e's one of m y old ststudents frorom silver c . he wasas in vanguauard, papaul padradodo. we got touchch of class,s, steve e gaeta, cicisco kid, m my world trtrie band, retro pop, zebebop, a santntana tributute band, relativeve key, tortrtilla so. yoyou guys knonow about thth. j.c. s smith, jimmmmy d's cocold rhythm m blues bandn. it's g going to bebe amazing. we h have a silelent auctction going g on.

it's's $25 at ththe door, $10 for r students.. it starts at 5 o'clock. it's going to be at the high school in the gym. we are asking everybody please get the word out. we got to get these kids out there. we have amazing gifts that are going to be coming out and a silent auction from the oakland a's, san francisco 49ers, san francisco giants-- topgolf. just the gifts are there. so a lot of fun stuff. it's going to be continuous music. but, again, please, please, please get the word out. tickets can be purchased at the door. again, $25. we have it on social media. i am blasting it almost every day, robert is, mr. p is. students are doing it. so, again, june 24th at independence high school 5 o'clock. there's going to be plenty of seating. there's going to be food. again, all the proceeds are going to the students. we got to get them out there.

we don't get the funding like we used to, so please come on out and donate if you can. please. damian: i don't know about seating. there's going to be a lot of dancing, i think, the way we're talking about the bands. madisen, how does it make you feel that professionals, professional musicians, are putting, lack of a better term, their money where their mouth is and supporting their youth by donating their time so that you can go to london? madisen: i mean, it's a great feeling to know that we have so much support because unfortunately a lot of music programs nowadays we don't--they don't have the connections that thanks to joey and thanks to mr. p that this program has, the alumni, the, you know, again, professional musicians that are always supporting our band. it's an amazing feeling for me to get to see that. you know, we are backed. there is support. and, again, they get to pay it forward. they're now professional musicians, and they get to pay it forward to the new generation of musicians. damian: that's beautiful. mr. p., this is, again, independence high school. it's in east side of san josé and it has the beauty of

the east side of san josé. but this band could perform anywhere, east side, west side, south side, north side. these are quasi-professional students that come out of your program. ken: yeah, and, you know, we're really blessed, independence. we have such a rich tradition of the alumni and the current students. and i tell you i--they-- the students--i've been-- this is--i'm starting my 22nd year, and i couldn't be more prouder of them. i mean, just when i think, you know, i've seen everything, they teach me every day, i mean, some of the stuff that they do; they come out, their eagerness, their drive and determination to perform and represent not only themselves, their family, but the school. and to be associated with something like this with these students, with the kind of drive they have, it's--it is just inspirational and makes--it makes me want to work harder because they're so great.

damian: yeah, and, joey, i mean, how are you going to fit all these bands into this one thing? we're going to want to listen to a lot of the music by cisco kid, which you're part of, and tortilla soup and all of them. joey: yeah, all bands are going to be playing about 30 minutes or less. so robert has a very strict time schedule. so the bands know when they go on and when they come off. they're going to respect everybody's time. that way everybody can, you know, get their play time. but, again, having all these amazing musicians just come out--it's a saturday night in the summertime. that's our busy time, and a lot of these artists are working. so it's either a corporate partying, a wedding, a festival. all these bands are taking that night off to come out and share their love and talent for my kids, for our kids, and that's amazing. that's an amazing feeling. so why not come out and support these bands, support our kids. let's have a joyful night. we need more positiveness right now that's going on

in the bay area, especially in san josé. there's just so much stuff going on. it's really hurting a lot of us with, you know, just the bad stuff that we're hearing on the news. so this could be a very joyful night. and what a way to walk away knowing that we did something so positive to send these kids off to represent not just san josé, the east side, but the united states of america in london. damian: yeah, no. that's beautiful. we thank you all so much for what you're doing. joey, i'm going to get you choked up, but we're going to end our next segment with your tío rudy madrid, who was kind of the godfather of the local band rudy and the cruisers, and he was kind enough to join me in the studio about 12 years ago before we lost him, but, you know, just in honor of you and a tribute to the bands who are coming out. so thank you so much for what you're doing for our community. joey: thank you, my brother. thank you so much. damian: thank you all and hey, enjoy london. i know you're going to get there. ken: thank you. damian: all right. madisen: thank you so much. damian: thank you. and if you want more information, again, this is

a concert that's happening on june 24th at the gymnasium of independence high school. it's effort to send the kids to london for their-- for their new year's day celebration, new year's eve celebration over in the uk. there is the website to get your tickets. we'll be back and end our show, ladies and gentlemen, with the great and legendary rudy madrid of rudy and the cruisers.

damianan: and if y you want to get a h hold of us s on "comomunidad delel valle," y yn follow me e on instagrgram. my h handle is @newsdamamientrujillllo. on twitterer it's @newewsdami. and we t thank you f for sharg anotheher part of f your sundy with u us on "c"comunidad d del valle."" we'r're going toto leave you again wiwith the gododfather ofof local banands in the e bay, rurudy madrid d of rudydy and the c cruisers. he s shared someme moments w we in the stutudio a few w years o on "comumunidad del l valle." hehere is old d brown eyes rudy y madrid. [s[singing in n spanish]

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ damian: here's old brown eyes with a little bit of bold blue eyes, rudy madrid and the cruisers. ♪ and now, the end is near, ♪ ♪ and so i face the final curtain. ♪ ♪ my friend, i'll say it clear. ♪ ♪ i'll state my case of which i'm certain. ♪

♪ i've lived a life that's good. ♪ ♪ i've traveled each and every highway, ♪ ♪ but more, much more than this, ♪ ♪ i did it my way. ♪ ♪ regrets, i've had a few, ♪ ♪ but then, again, too few to mention ♪ ♪ i did what i had to do ♪ ♪ and saw it through without exception. ♪ ♪ i've lived a life that's good. ♪ ♪ i've traveled each and every highway, ♪

♪ but oh, much more than this, ♪ ♪ i did it my way. ♪ ♪ yes, there were times i'm sure you knew ♪ ♪ when i bit off more than i could chew, ♪ ♪ but through it all when there was doubt, ♪ ♪ i ate it up and spit it out. ♪ ♪ the record show i took the blows ♪ ♪ and did it my way. ♪♪

♪ just one more time let me hold you in my arms, ♪ ♪ one more time. ♪ ♪ let me wake up next to you ♪ ♪ one more time. ♪ ♪ baby, let me tell. ♪♪