Los Lobos Lives it Up

by Maesyn

Los Lobos is not just a band, they are a cultural melting pot.

While Spanish is one of the most popular languages in the world, its music has never quite had the same mainstream success.

The notable exception to that would be a band that is gracing Maui this Friday night, called Los Lobos (“The Wolves”).

When Los Lobos started out in the early ’70’s, they were just a group of high school friends living in East LA who played in various rock bands. On a whim, they gathered together to learn a Mexican song for someone’s mother’s birthday, and a revolution in musical culture-mashing was born.

Known as an “American-Chicano rock band,” their distinctively spunky, celebratory, fiery music blends rock and roll, Tex-Mex, R&B, country, and blues in a perfect blend with traditional Mexican and Spanish music. Their catchy danceable music has won them three grammies since the late 1970s over the course of 19 studio albums.

They recorded the title track for the Ritchie Vallens movie, “La Bamba” in 1987, which took them all the way to number one on the charts. In the late 1980s and early 1990s Los Lobos opened for acts like Bob Dylan, U2 and the Grateful Dead.
They also wrote the film score for the movie, Desperado.

Los Lobos is currently back on the road after 30 years together, touring to share their new album release, “Tin Can Trust.”

The new album was created under fascinating circumstances. The band intentionally booked a “no frills” studio (they had to bring their own couch), and went in to record with no planned material. Putting themselves on the spot, the band members had to rely on one another’s ideas and work as a team to create and record the whole album.

The result is a magical and authentically diverse collection of Chicano flavored songs that represent the creativity of musicians who just keep on melting new styles together to create humble, in-your-bones music.

Los Lobos will be playing at the MACC’s Castle Theatre this Friday December 10th at 7:30 pm.

Tickets are $45, $50, and $55. You can purchase them in advance by calling 808-242-7469 or by going online to www.mauiarts.org

Be sure to come early to get into the thematic spirit of the evening, with catering by Maui Tacos.