The Bésame Mucho festival at Dodger Stadium was highlighted with headlining performances from Maná, Los Bukis and Gloria Trevi, but they weren’t the only acts that left an impression on the sold-out crowd.
With four stages representing the past and present of Latin music, here are some of our favorite sets from the one-day festival.
Live updates from the 2023 Bésame Mucho at Dodger Stadium. Headliners are Maná, Los Bukis, Gloria Trevi. Other acts are Los Lobos, Los Angeles Azules, Natalia Lafourcade
Flor de Toloache brings a Spanish twist to ’90s classics
The first performance at the ¿Te Gusta El Pop? stage came from Flor de Toloache. Dressed in pink jackets and sparkling pants, they performed Spanish covers of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit†and No Doubt’s “Don’t Speak.†— Andrea Flores
Inside the press tent, the Latin Grammy-winning, all-woman mariachi band spoke to De Los about carving a niche for itself in an unlikely hometown for any mariachi band: New York City.
The L.A.-based Bésame Mucho Festival is expanding to Austin, Texas, for legendary Latino performances at the Circuit of the Americas Stadium on March 2, 2024.
The band members reflected the city’s reputation as a melting pot, as they represent Mexican, Dominican and Cuban heritage.
“We started grassroots — by playing in the subways,†said vocalist-vihuela player Shae Fiol. “And if you can make it in New York … you can make it anywhere!†— Suzy Exposito
Paquita La del Barrio returns
Legendary Mexican singer Paquita La del Barrio graced the stage at the Bésame Mucho festival accompanied by an attendant and in a wheelchair as a precautionary measure after being hospitalized with respiratory issues a week before her appearance.
According to her representative, Rulli Vega, the singer was hospitalized 10 days prior to the festival and spent a week under observation from her doctors.
“It was very difficult for her to breathe,†said Vega. “She went to the hospital 10 days ago, but after five days she got up, and here we are.â€
After arriving to the Clasicas stage, one of four at the all-day music festival, Paquita was placed in a wheelchair after climbing the steps to get to the stage. Later she moved to a gold chair to sing some of her classics, “Invitame a Pecar,†“Cheque en blanco†and “Me saludas a la tuya.â€
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Her fans appreciated her performance and chanted her name while she plowed through songs from her legendary career. — Tommy Calle
Flanked by a mixed-gender ranchera band, Paquita La Del Barrio, Mexican queen of sass, led a spirited singalong of “Rata de Dos Patas†from her cozy throne — dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief for dramatic effect.
“Since 1947, I’ve received more applause than money, and that’s what matters most,†she told the crowd. — A.F. and S.E.
Kumbia Kings’ short set gets the job done
Nostalgia hit the stage in the form of Kumbia Kings who announced they’re in the house after kicking things off with “No Tengo Dinero.â€
“I am Selena-certified and that’s not A.B.,†a Kumbia King fan says as she points to the stage. Kumbia Kings was started by A.B. Quintanilla, Selena Quintanilla’s brother (A.B. was, in fact, on stage).
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Missing on the Kumbia Kings stage was singer and dancer Pee Wee on the fan favorites “Chocolate†and “Dulce Niña,†but the audience sang along regardless.
After the Kumbia Kings finish their quick set (the briefest I saw all day) practically all the crowd shuffled to the other side of the festival, presumably to catch the main acts of the night, Maná and Los Bukis. — A.F.
Natalia Lafourcade, fresh off Latin Grammy wins, hits the Rockero stage
Mexican singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade delivered a soft rendition of “Soledad y el Mar,†before switching mics and covering Juan Gabriel’s version of “Ya No Vivo por Vivir.â€
The moment the crowd had been waiting for finally arrived during Lafourcade’s set as she performed her cumbia mix of “Nunca es Suficiente,†which she originally remixed with Los Angeles Azules. There was no sight of the band to accompany her, but that didn’t stop the crowd from dancing along. — A.F.
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East L.A.’s Los Lobos bring family kickback vibes to the stage
In true East L.A. fashion, groundbreaking Chicano rockers Los Lobos converted the Beso Stage into a rockabilly family kickback. Generations of festivalgoers chowed down on birria while the band ripped through hits like “Soy Mexico Americano†— but several dropped their plates and got up in a frenzy to dance to their chart-topping cover of “La Bamba.†— S.E.
Café Tacvba’s set hits multiple genres for multiple generations
At the Rockero stage, Mexican avant-gardists Café Tacvba breezed from ska to disco to dance punk — to the biggest crowd the fest has seen all day. Picture the moodiest primo/a in your family, multiply them by 2,000 and you get Café Tacvba’s audience, singing along wistfully to the emo-tinged indie-rock ballad “Eres.†— S.E.
Maná admires L.A. for its Mexican roots
One of the most anticipated bands of the night, Maná opened with their song “Señal.†Fans were already yelling “Échale vampiro,†the opening line from the band’s song “Me Vale.â€
“Sigue estando Mexico aquà en Los Angeles,†lead singer Fher Olvera said to the audience, noting the food, culture and people (women, specifically) of L.A.
The jam-packed schedule was tricky for folks, with many leaving Maná’s almost 2-hour set early to catch other acts like Alejandro Fernandez and Gloria Trevi. But as attendees passed through crowds, they were jamming out to “Me Vale.†Olvera gave the audience the middle finger as a symbol of theâ€Me Vale†vibe. — A.F.
Gloria Trevi embraces monstrous labels during her dance-rock marathon
“Hace frio, pero aquà siente muy calentito!†said Gloria Trevi to her screaming fans as she shedded her shaggy pink coat to reveal a glittering silver getup fit for Club Renaissance.
The fashionably late Mexican pop queen made up for the 10-minute delay with an explosive dance-rock marathon. She changed looks mid-set, emerging in an orange fishnet mini-dress to sing a nu-disco remix of her 1991 smash, “Pelo Suelto;†she then belted her way through a stretch of other ’90s hits, including a breathless performance of “Con Los Ojos Cerrados,†and even sang upside-down for a spell in “Dr. Psiquiatra.â€
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She managed yet another costume change for her incisive new dance track, “Medusa†— perhaps to address her latest legal issues, in connection to her years ensnared in a disturbing arrangement with her convict ex-manager.
“They say I’m a monster … This is for all those they call monsters,†she said, dressed in scarlet sequins, with nod to her most disenfranchised of fans. Her high-octane set ended with a dose of high drama — and we wouldn’t expect anything less from La Trevi. —S.E.
Los Bukis give fans a glimpse of their tour bus, and a taste of their legacy
Love was certainly in the air at the west entrance of Dodger Stadium, where the El Buki bus was parked and primed for fan photos. Painted flamingo pink — and decked with portraits of the head Buki himself, Marco Antonio SolÃs — the bus blasted the band’s greatest (and weepiest) hits. Fans were allowed to board the school bus and role-play life on the road. — S.E.
The temperature dropped but Los Bukis brought that Michoacán heat with their love ballad, “Quiéreme.†Their act transported fans back to the ‘90s with their quintessential long hair and carefree vibes. Los Bukis reunited in 2021 for their first tour in 25 years.
“El Tiny†completed its third annual takeover of NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series during Latinx Heritage Month. Produced by the Alt.Latino team, “El Tiny†featured eight acts from various corners of the Latino community.
Though the years have passed, singer Marco Antonio Solis continues to bring the same flare and excitement to the stage. Not only did he don a long, sparkling blazer, but he also played the standing drums as he sang. A multi-talented, and fashionable, legend. — A.F.
Bomba Estéreo ends the night with a dance party
In one of the final performances of the night, Bomba Estéreo graced the Beso stage with three drum kits, three giant mushroom sculptures and one glowing Li Saumet. The Colombian singer wore flowers for earmuffs, and spread her arms to reveal rainbow day-glo tassels streaming from her elbows.
The electro-tropical ensemble led a psychedelic dance party, accented with samples of bird calls and massive, rumbling percussions.
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“Let’s go to the beach,†said Saumet, ironically putting on a pink coat she famously sported at a Bad Bunny’s SoFi Stadium concert last year, embellished with a frilly vulva decal.
As if in a trance, members of the audience undulated in sync to the beat as Saumet led them into a sultry rendition of 2015’s “Somos Dos,†followed by a sing-along to their dreamy ballad “To My Love.†The band took an upbeat turn with a champeta jam session, jolting the crowd awake and steering them into a Caribbean dance frenzy. — S.E.
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