UPDATE: Mezcal advanced out of the weekend auditions and will be auditioning for a spot on the show this week in Las Vegas. The band is looking for local support in the form of comments on its MySpace page and the show's MySpace.

Popular Visalia band Mezcal is headed to Los Angeles this weekend -- but not for the type of performance you might think.

The Latin/rock band got a call from the producers of "The Next Great American Band," the coming-in-October-"American Idol" spin-off, and are hopping on a plane today to go audition. They'll perform tomorrow and, if producers like them, again on Sunday, according to frontman Carlos Rodriguez.

Unlike "Idol," this is not a cattle-call audition. This is more of a call back. The band already submitted a video and they're part of a select number of bands who are auditioning in front of producers. Rodriguez says he's not sure how many bands they're up against, but that it's less than 75. According to Rolling Stone, 10 bands will be semi-finalists when the show starts airing in October. "The cool thing is they really want to see us," Rodriguez says. "It's not like 'Idol,' where everybody and their mom gets to try out."

For a little more Mezcal, check them out in last week's FresnoBeehive.com local music podcast.