Great Barrington — You may have first heard them opening for The Blasters or The Clash—bands that helped shape Los Angeles’ early-1980s punk and roots rock scene. But more likely, you know them from their Billboard-topping 1987 cover of Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba.” Mexican American rock group Los Lobos will appear in concert at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center on Friday, June 20—the third stop on a 44-city tour.
The genre-defying band formed in East Los Angeles in 1973. Originally rooted in traditional Mexican folk music, the group evolved into a celebrated rock band known for blending Chicano roots, rock and roll, Tex-Mex, blues, country, R&B, and Latin folk into a unique, distinctly American sound.
Until their first number-one Billboard hit put them on the international map, Los Lobos (“The Wolves”) were just another band from East L.A. Their 2015 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame cemented their legacy. They have won four GRAMMY Awards from 12 nominations.
The rock press has long embraced Los Lobos—Rolling Stone, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times have all praised their musicianship, cultural depth, and genre-defying sound. Rolling Stone wrote, “With the exception of U2, no other band has stayed on top of its game as long as Los Lobos.”
The New York Times wrote, “Los Lobos combines roots cred with an urban punk energy, creating music that is both authentic and wildly eclectic.”
And The Los Angeles Times wrote, “Their music conveys the character and diversity of Los Angeles as well as that of any band ever to emerge from the city.”
In 1988, Los Lobos recorded their cover of “I Wan’na Be Like You (The Monkey Song),” to the star-studded Disney tribute album “Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films.” The same year, they released “La pistola y el corazón,” featuring original and traditional Mexican songs. The album reached 189 on the pop charts and earned the band their second Grammy Award for Best Mexican American Album.
The group is famous not only for its covers but also for its original songs. Waylon Jennings performed “Will the Wolf Survive?,” one of the band’s breakout songs, blending country with Chicano rock roots.
Rock bands rarely publish their setlists in advance, making every concert a bit of a guessing game—especially with a band like Los Lobos, whose unbelievably immense repertoire includes everything from Disney’s “Jungle Book” to songs by Robert Burns, The Ramones, and The Beatles. Still, you can count on them to deliver the hits—this is a band that takes pride in giving audiences their money’s worth.
Hear Los Lobos at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, 01230, on Friday, June 20, 8 p.m. A few tickets may still be available here.
