The Mexican rock band Los Jaguares doesn't often use opening
acts. The Jaguares' fan base is notoriously hard on whatever
luckless band takes the stage as a warm-up act to their heroes.
On the surface, Eugene Rodriguez and his band Los Cenzontles
looked like ripe fodder for the Jaguares crowd. After all, Los
Cenzontles played corridos, rancheras and other song forms of
Mexican tradition, not something this crowd would have much
interest in. Imagine Pete Seeger opening for Nine Inch Nails.
But Rodriguez found himself and his band in the position of
opening for Los Jaguares at the Fillmore in San Francisco. And
he was more than a little wary.  "These kids were rock and
rollers. They were not activists. They were not folklorists.
They were rockers who identified more with Mexico than the
United States."  So, Los Cenzontles -- "The Mockingbirds" --
took the stage with their folk instruments and their beautifully
dressed female singers and sang what has turned into the group's
signature song, the anthem from the