Carin León Celebrates Mexican Music y Más at Toyota Center

Carin León
Boca Chueca Tour
Toyota Center
October 6, 2024

In Spanish, the word sorono is an adjective that means “imposingly deep and loud.” Carin León is from the Northern Mexican state of Sonora, which is absolutely perfect because that man is loudness personified. From his big, imposing body structure and swagger, Carin uses his voice as a tool of celebration, honoring the musical traditions of his country and his city of birth, which is Hermosillo.

On Sunday evening at Houston’s Toyota Center, Carin León and his banda took the stage for an after-party celebration. This crew played the main stage at ACL Music Festival on Friday, then taped an episode of Austin City Limits on Saturday. Now I’m not saying that Toyota Center isn’t as special as those other two stages, but I would have understood if Carin would have performed a more subdued show here in Houston.

However, the exact opposite occurred. It seems that after the pressure-filled shows in Austin, Houston received a show full of special surprises and an abundance of energy. León appeared on stage with his customary cowboy hat tilted to the side, a brown jacket with fringe, and enough energy to rival the sun. He strolled and danced his way across the stage to the opening track “Frene Mis Pies” which opens with a funky guitar riff that repeats throughout the song.

“Muchas gracias por siempre aguantarme Houston!” he thanked the crowd (Thank you for always supporting and putting up with me). The set list continued with “Te Vi Con El,” “Según Quién,” and the duo “The One” with Kane Brown. León is such a fan of music of many genres, that he will skip around from banda to country, tejano to rock, keeping the party going until the venue says its time to go.

And then the bottle of Claze Azul tequila made an appearance. Leon took a few drinks and it fueled his vocals, which he needed in order to complete his extensive set list. “Quien quiere llorar esta noche?!” he asked the audience (who feels like crying tonight?). This question led into the Colombian vallenato song “Si Tu Amor No Vuelve,” which was a welcome and interesting selection.

Halfway through the concert, León changed into a personalized Houston Rockets jersey. He continued to thank Houston for all the support declaring that he will carry Houston in his heart with him until the day he dies. He then picked up an acoustic guitar, sat on a bar stool, and sang a beautiful cover of “You’re Still The One” by Shania Twain. Unexpected but really beautiful.

click to enlarge

Carin León thanked his Houston fans throughout the evening, declaring to hold Houston in his heart until the day he dies.

Photo by Violeta Alvarez

And the covers kept coming! Songs by Bobby Pulido, Los Cadetes de Linares, Chalino Sanchez, and Cheyenne made the crowd stand up and dance in their seats and in the aisles of the nearly full arena. I especially loved the medley of Banda music from the ’90s, including “Nina Fresa,” “La Noche Que Murio Chicago” and “Ramito De Violetas.” And of course, we can’t forget “La Boda Del Huitlacoche,” which was definitely a highlight of the night.

But by far, the most sentimental tribute was the set in honor of the late Joan Sebastian, who Carin has previously called one of his heroes.

As the night came to a close, we were serenaded with “Tennessee Whiskey” and then Carin’s biggest hit “Primera Cita.”

León is a spectacular talent with a sincere love for music of all genres, and we are lucky to celebrate this love together during his performances. Viva Mexico, viva Carin León!