Live Music in Los Cabos

«I was born in Cabo San Lucas,» Mauricio Acuna said, who went on to attend the Academy of Music in La Paz and added, »I have been playing music professionally for 25 years. My favorite style of music is soft Latin jazz. I really enjoy playing that style the most.» As for his immensely talented partner in musical crime, Felix Figueroa Agundez, Mauri noted, »Felix has been playing guitar for about 100 years,» Acuna jokingly mentioned. A rock & roll band that regularly plays within the outdoor confines of Cabo Blue Bar is the group Los Rancheros Tristes (The Sad Ranchers). The four-member band-mates originally hail from Orizaba, Veracruz, México. Lead singer and bass player, Albert Serrano, is accompanied by Aldo Petrelly on drums, and the Dominguez brothers Francisco, playing lead guitar and Jacobo Dominguez on keyboards. The quartet from the Eastern Mexico area, where Hernan Cortez and his Spanish soldiers first landed in February 1519, with eleven ships, about a dozen horses, and 500 men, arrived in Los Cabos themselves; two years and eight months ago. «We had reached our limit in Veracruz,» remarked Albert Serrano. «We were playing Cumbia and other traditional Mexican music for 10 years at weddings, anniversaries, parties, etc., and we all felt it was time to grow and move on towards something bigger and better, which for us has been Cabo San Lucas.» «Our favorite music is classic rock and blues,» added the mild-mannered Serrano. »We like to play music that people request, so it’s normal for us to play one Metallica song, for instance, and immediately thereafter, we’ll be playing Cumbia or any type of Mexican music that people request,» added Serrano. One of the most unique sounding bands when it comes to Live Music in Los Cabos in the Southern Baja California Region of Los Cabos is Pani-Hari. The three member group is led by the gorgeous-looking lead guitarist Daniela Hernandez, who is complemented in their surf jazz fusion sound by equally attractive drummer, Fabiola Verduzco. Both Daniela and Fabiola both hail from Irapuato, Guanajuato, while bass player Moises Rojas is originally from San Jose del Cabo. «We’ve been playing together since high school,» noted Daniela, in describing her friendship with Fabiola. Pani-Hari is one of the few local talents that play their own original songs. The band once headlined the San Jose del Cabo Music Festival in 2012. They also perform in La Paz, Cerritos Beach, Organic Markets, and every festival in the area, and Syracuis Bar is the lone venue that features the locally popular them. Some of their more popular songs are Punjab, Desierto Azul, Bar Man and All Night Long. For a taste of their distinct sound, look for and listen to Pani-Hari LIVE on youtube. Brian Flynn, has been strumming his guitar to country tunes and rock & roll songs in Cabo since the mid-1980’s. In August he is on tour in the U.S. American cities of Minnesota and South Dakota, and in September, the incredible guitarist, performed in the North American states of Nebraska and Washington. The world famous Cabo Wabo Cantina, hosts a tremendously good selection of house bands that regale the rock & roll crazed populace that fill the historic structure. The incredibly talented band Cabo Uno has been their resident band for nearly 16 years and is integrated by Fabian Mendez on base, Gilberto Mendoza on guitar, Geovan Olachea on drums and Chava Aguilar on vocals, keyboard and guitar. At the Jungle Bar, a mere 40 feet from Rip’s and Cabo Wabo, performs La Flaka Band, which consists of lead singer, Esther Torres, who also plays bass and saxophone. Esther’s other band-mates who all hail from Mazatlan, Sinaloa, are Kiki Martinez on drums and trumpet, Teban Quintero – percussion, and Walter Alvarez. Their website www.laflakaband.com, lists the multitude of songs they play every night they take the stage. The band’s versatility has elevated them from humble wedding, dinner party beginnings to the showcase band at Jungle Bar. This summer La Flaka Band threw down an exhilarating tribute to the famous Mexican band Cafe Tacuba at Desperados, a tremendous performance tour they repeated in La Paz at the Merramente Bar, a week later, during the months of June and July. Another fascinating act which performs at Cabo Blue as a precursor to the main event bands is the Los Huevos. The local rhythm and blues band has been taking the stage in Los Cabos since 1990, when they were first known as Dos Huevos. The two musicians band expanded and grew and thus became Los Huevos. Led by guitarist and singer Kevin Daniel, Dos Huevas has also taken center stage at Cabo Wabo, and he typically has a slew of guest musicians that accompany his jammin’ rhythm and blues guitar, that include Dave Larson and Jeff Stanley. The house band at Rips Bar, located in the front patio area of Cabo Wabo, is the rock & roll group known as The Yurok Band who’s members are guitarist Ricardo Lara, Cesare Zucolotto (keyboards), Jimmy Barran (bass) and Cesar Camerino (drums). «We’re here to play the best rock music in Cabo,» states lead singer Tarik Haces. A sentiment shared by Sheri Warren from Portland, Oregon, who echoed, «These guys are awesome. A must see if you go to Cabo.» Antonio Garcia, a former self-proclaimed professor of drums at La Casa de Cultura in Morelia, Michoacan called The Yurok Band, «the best band I have heard, during my vacation to Cabo.» The Yurok Band has also headlined at Cabo Wabo during March spring break 2015 and occasionally performs at a hotel along the four lane highway corridor; most recently Secrets Resort. At Captain Tony’s Bar & Grill, the band Pura Vida plays on Thursday nights, while the group Tienes Fuego takes center stage every Friday evening, both bands are equally talented and each delivers quite an outstanding performance, respectively. Tienes Fuego, (You’re On Fire) is by far one of the hippest bands in Cabo. The group is the regular house band at Captain Tony’s Restaurant and Bar that plays a dizzying array of hip hop, funk and soul, rhythm and blues and rock & roll; both classic and modern. The group is led by guitarist Gabriel Fuentes. Tienes Fuego also delivers great female vocals by Lizanka Padilla. Jose Manuel Sandoval has the bass, and Alfredo Villanueva is their energetic drummer. Their diverse two and a half to three hour set includes cover songs like Sunshine of Your Love (Cream), The Gambler (Kenny Rogers), Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds, Move Over (Janis Joplin), Suds in the Bucket (Sara Evans), Sam Cooke’s Bring it on Home and Every Breath You Take by The Police. The youngest group of talented musicians that have hit the Live Music in Los Cabos scene, is the Val Garcia Band. The five member team, and their high school garage band appearance, is truly a virtuoso unification of solid vocals that is accompanied by a superb sounding blend of phenomenal music. The Val Garcia Band is also the only band in the Southern Baja California region, that plays songs no other groups dare attempt to include in their respective repertoire of cover songs. The voice of the Val Garcia Band is Valeria Garcia, an attractive young woman who is the driving sound and name of the group. Valeria is backed by the strong performances of Linden Welsh on lead guitar and Benjamin George (rhythm guitar) and Carolina Festugato on percussion. It’s been three years since the band made their debut at the San Jose Music Fest and they definitely have come along way in terms of tightening their sound and looking fabulous on stage. A gorgeous and smooth sounding must-see Los Cabos band. Aside from the great food at his restaurant, and the Circuito Cultural Art Festival on the Marina that he created, owner Brian Solomon, also features an entertaining band of musicians at Solomon’s Landing Restaurant, known as KY4. The three member group is led by the guitar sounds of Yako D’Rosales and the scintillating vocals of their female front person, Karina Lozano and Daniel Valenzuela on keyboards. The Leones (Lions) Band is a four member family group comprised of three brothers and a friend on keyboards. Phenomenal guitarist, and singer Jair Rivas, is a flashy, superb showman, who extends riffs with his guitar and beautifully performs impressive one handed electricity with his early childhood instrument of choice.  With his long-haired, bass-playing brother sharing vocals duties, the Leones Band lives up to the hype of their early success and Mexico City. Jair Rivas, is joined by Leo Rivas and Eliot Rivas and their other musician, Rodi. «This kid is an AMAZING guitarist!,» said Michael Howard of Los Angeles, CA., co-founder and partner with Livestream Video Marketing, who added, «Okay, so he’s around 30 years old or so now. I met him and his family in Mexico City (where they live) about 15 years ago and he shredded then. Gene Simmons of Kiss saw him playing when he was like 13 years old (at a battle of the bands). He said he thought Jair Rivas was going to be the next Eddie Van Halen.» The Leones are the complete rock & roll package, with an explosive electrifying act that is sure to impress. *   WHEN AND WHERE – Live Music in Los Cabos? Electric Lady Band Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 pm @ Rockstone Bar. Fridays from 6:00 – 9:00 pm @ Pueblo Bonito Pacifica beach. Saturdays at 10:00 pm @ San Jose del Cabo at Rock & Brews. Mauricio Acuna & Felix Figueroa Wednesdays at 7:30 pm @ Tanga Tanga. Thursdays and Sundays nights, Mauricio Acuna jams on his own from 6:30 – 9:30 pm @Sand Bar on Medano Beach. Fridays  acoustic set from 7:30 – 9:30 pm @ Fenway Bar. Los Rancheros Tristes Tuesday until Saturday at 10:30 pm @ Cabo Blue Bar. Bryan Flynn Tuesday nights @ Canela Restaurant. Friday afternoons @ Hooliganz Corner Bar. Flynn also entertains crowds @ Dana’s Bar & Cantina in Pescadero; just outside of Todos Santos, and @ Lattitude 22 Road House on Saturday’s. In San José del Cabo, Baja Brewery highlights the band Breaking Silence on Thursday night and the rock & roll sounds of the Aztec Band on Friday’s beginning at 8:00 pm as well. Cabo Uno Six sets every night except on Mondays @ Cabo Wabo. Patio acoustic set at 7:30 pm and electric rock set indoors at 10:30 pm. La Flaka Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 pm @ Jungle Bar. Fridays @ Oxido Bar in San Jose del Cabo. Occasional Saturdays at 10:30 pm @ Cuervo House. Los Huevos Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays @ Cabo Blue Bar. Fridays from 8:00-11:00 pm @ Toro Restaurant and Bar. The Yurok Fridays and Saturdays from 10:30 – 12:30 pm @ Rip’s Bar. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 7:30 – 9:45 pm @ Mango Deck on Medano Beach. Sundays they jam at Rockstone Tavern and Eatery. Tienes Fuego Fridays at 7:00-11:00 pm @ the Resort in Pedregal. Saturdays from 8:00 – 11:30 at night they headline @ Captain Tony’s. The Val garcia Band Cabo Villas Resort from 7:00 – 10:00 pm. Saturdays at 8:00 – 10:00 pm @ Cabo Blue Bar. KY4 Fridays from 8:00 – 10:00 pm @ Solomon’s Landing. Leones They can be heard jamming on Friday nights at Rockstone.    ]]>