Music: Calexico – an exceptional American folk rock band that crosses borders

Born from the cult band Giant Sand, Joey Burns and John Convertino have embraced the strains and styles of americana, tex-mex, desert rock, latin and world music, and jazz in formulating the Calexico sound.
After Giant Sand decided to move to Arizona, Burns and Convertino, along with Bill Elm, formed Friends of Dean Martin (subsequently Friends of Dean Martinez), signing a deal with Sub Pop before they split with Elm, and the duo became a much in-demand rhythm section. They then formed Spoke, which transformed into Calexico, named after the border town in their home state of California (along with the border with Mexico). Since then they have released eight albums, and crossed many musical borders, embracing a multitude of diverse styles, working with the likes of Iron & Wine, Giant Sand, Tortoise, Arcade Fire and many others along the way.
More recently, last year saw the release of ‘Edge Of The Sun’, an album once again filled with an eclectic cast of collaborators including Sam Beam of Iron & Wine, Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses), Gaby Moreno, Amparo Sanchez and Neko Case, in continuing the journey of restlessness and rootlessness that has characterised their oeuvre, that skirts around American folk rock whilst utilising music from around the globe in creating cinematic soundscapes.
They continue to make exceptional music that like their name, crosses borders.
Concert Hall, Brighton Dome, Tues 26 April, 8pm, £20