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Tag: Norteño

  • Carin León Celebrates Mexican Music y Más at Toyota Center

    Carin León Celebrates Mexican Music y Más at Toyota Center

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    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.

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    Carin León’s Boca Chueca Tour, which translates as “crooked mouth,” includes songs from many genres such as banda, tejano, rock, country, and more.

    Photo by Violeta Alvarez

    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.

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    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!

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    Marco Torres

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  • Eden Muñoz Leads a Showcase of Mexican Music at 713 Music Hall

    Eden Muñoz Leads a Showcase of Mexican Music at 713 Music Hall

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    Eden Muñoz
    Como En Los Viejos Tiempos Tour
    713 Music Hall
    August 17, 2024

    I wasn’t expecting to cry at a concert, but last night my emotions got the best of me and the tears rolled down my face. On stage was Eden Muñoz, formally of the Norteño-Banda group Calibre 50, and the song that caused me to shed a tear was “Corrido De Juanito.” It tells a story of a Mexican man who crossed over to work in the United States to obtain a better life, working long, hard hours in constant fear of deportation, all the while longing to revisit his home and family back in Mexico. His mother dies and he isn’t able to pay his last respects, and all he wants to do is hug his father once again.

    And yet, through all of this, he’s still supremely proud to be “Mexicano hasta al tope!” After a quick scan through the crowd, I wasn’t the only one feeling sentimental while listening to this song. It just hits so hard, especially hearing it live in a room full of your fellow Mexican community, knowing that we have all experienced some form of these hardships at least a few times in our life.

    But like true Mexicans, with good music playing we are able to transition from sadness to joy in an instant. And out of all the Regional Mexican concerts I’ve seen this year, Eden Muñoz has probably been my favorite so far. He began the show with “A La Antigüita” which provided a jolt of energy into the crowd, causing yelps of joy and dancing through 713 Music Hall.

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    Eden Muñoz exudes a love for life and country that resounds loudly in his music.

    Photo by Marco Torres

    I remember being introduced to the music of Muñoz’s former band Calibre 50 while I was visiting Monterrey, Nuevo Leon over 10 years ago. There was something magical about his attitude and songwriting, a love for life and country that resounded loudly in his music.

    Muñoz was surrounded on stage by a large banda orchestra, with an entire brass section of trumpets, tuba, and trombones joining in harmony with the saxophones, clarinets, and accordion. He wore an oversized button up shirt, jeans, boots, and a dark black cowboy hat, which he often tilted down and at an angle to cover his gaze, providing a mysterious aura around him.

    Do you ever see somebody and say “that guy really loves his job!” That’s exactly what I felt as I watched Muñoz dance across the stage, playing his accordion and laughing with the crowd. “I get emotional when I drink” he said en Español, holding his glass of tequila (or maybe whiskey) high as he toasted the crowd with a “salud, raza!”

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    Eden Muñoz provided an energetic and lively set during his performace at 713 Music Hall.

    Photo by Marco Torres

    He took a seat and traded his accordion for a guitar, strumming the opening notes to “Simplemente Gracias” along with the piano player and saxophone. A fan near the front row took this opportunity to propose to his girlfriend at his very moment. They caught the attention of Muñoz, who stumbled over his lyrics as he congratulated the couple.

    “I wrote that song six years ago for my soon-to-be wife, specifically to sing at our wedding” said Muñoz as the crowd clapped for the happy couple. He asked their names, which were Luis and Riley, and toasted his best wishes once again.

    Les gustan los corridos, Houston?!” he asked before playing “Javier El De Los Llanos” and “Consejos Gratis.” I swear, the list of hits that Eden has written is so extensive, and all are crazy good.

    One of the highlights of the evening was the “Ruleta de Homenajes” that picked a seemingly random Mexican music legend for the band to cover. Last night, this included tributes to Selena, Valentin Elizalde, Vicente Fernandez, Joan Sebastian, Chalino Sanchez, Ramon Ayala, and Marco Antonio Solis. My favorite though was probably the cover of “Como Estás Tú” by the cumbia group Liberacion. If I had a date to this show, I definitely would have danced to this one!

    This show really felt like a celebration, as if the banda was playing en la feria or at a jaripeo. I’m sure Muñoz and his banda could easily play another two or three more hours, but alas… all good things come to an end.

    Gracias Eden. Simplemente, gracias!

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    Marco Torres

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