In Spanish, it was a night of “magia.”
The magic of rootsy Mexican-American rock and blues swept through the outdoor amphitheater at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park on Thursday like never before when Los Lonely Boys and Los Lobos paired up for a brilliant display of musical brotherhood.
With inspired jamming and an infectiously cheerful attitude that had fans gyrating and swaying from the get-go, the two bands’ summer “Brotherhood Tour” produced a bilingual, multicultural splash of rhythmic, guitar-driven tunes that lasted more than 2 1/2 hours (thanks to an earlier than usual start time).
<!– if (parseFloat(navigator.appVersion) == 0) { document.write('’); } –> Starting with Los Lobos’ opening salvo of its classic, 1984 roots-rocking gem “Will the Wolf Survive?” and ending with Los Lonely Boys’ cover of James Brown’s “I Feel Good” (featuring Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin on saxophone), the brotherly bands couldn’t have delivered a more perfect representation of their Mexican heritage and American upbringing.
There was Los Lobos’ dance-inspiring, Latin-flavored “Chuco’s Cumbia,” followed immediately by the throwback rock of “Come On, Let’s Go,” with Berlin’s throaty sax work and David Hidalgo’s sweet lead guitar riffs.
There was Los Lonely Boys’ Santana-hued “Oye Mamacita,” with a sizzling guitar introduction by Henry Garza, followed by the band’s tender pop ballad, “Forgiven,” from the trio of brothers’ brand new album.
And there were Mexican polkas, tributes to Fats Domino, Stevie Wonder and Jimi Hendrix, and rousing, bring-the-house-down renditions of both groups’ biggest hits, “La Bamba” and “Heaven,” which left the 1,500 or so fans on hand twisting, twirling and crooning at the top of their voices like happy guests at a Mexican wedding.
Which brings me to four critical observations:
1. I’m no mathemetician, but Los Lobos — Hidalgo, Berlin, Cesar Rosas, Louie Perez, Conrad Lozano — has some kind of algorithmic effect on audiences, with the number of unrestrained dancers and head-bobbers growing exponentially with every song the band plays.
2. Los Lobos, a 35-year-old American institution, absolutely OWNS the Meijer Gardens stage. Thursday’s rock-show performance, their third at the Gardens, was their best. Whether singing in Spanish or English, everything this band plays feels wholly authentic and street-cred honest. And all five band members sat at a table after their set and signed autographs for fans.
3. Los Lonely Boys’ Henry Garza is the most underrated, underappreciated young guitarist in rock today, period. Stunning fretwork, unbelievable tones. And drummer Ringo Garza and bassist JoJo Garza are no slouches either.
4. Thursday’s show may have been Grand Rapids’ best concert of the year, and one of the best in the Gardens’ six-year history. Heck, Los Lobos’ opening set alone could have ranked as the highlight of the summer series thus far.
OK, some fans might grouse that the younger, less-experienced Los Lonely Boys shouldn’t get top billing over the more influential Los Lobos, which has spent more than three decades doing what it does so well after emerging from the streets of East Los Angeles.
But none of that superficial, marquee stuff held sway with members of either band Thursday, and the brothers in Los Lonely Boys — who regard members of Los Lobos as living legends — more than proved their mettle as headliners with crisp musicianship and slick sibling harmonies.
“Honestly, it doesn’t matter. Somebody has to open (the shows),” Los Lobos’ Berlin had told me earlier.
“It’s not that big of a deal to us. It’s a night of entertainment and they’ve got a new record out, so we have no issue with that.
“Of course,” he joked, “there’s been discussion about playing golf together so that might change the whole picture.”
The bands’ sense of humor and positive demeanor certainly was on full display Thursday, from Hidalgo inviting female fans on stage to Henry Garza encouraging the crowd to scream during Los Lonely Boys’ extended, stirring “Heaven.”
All of it was pure magic.
Send e-mail to the author: jsinkevics@grpress.com