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Show Lineup: Los Ángeles Azules
Genre(s): #Cumbia #CumbiaMexicana
Venue: Anselmo Valencia Amphitheater (AVA Amphitheater)
Date: April 15, 2023
I'm going to be completely honest with you all: I signed up to do press for this event as a joke in the beginning. I was in a Discord call with my friends from Mexico back in January, looking at the press opportunities, and they all said "You should do Los Ángeles Azules, that would be funny." So I wrote my name down, and completely forgot about it until last week, when I got news about actually getting the press opportunity for this iconic cumbia group. It is to say the least that as soon as I got the news, I got really happy and excited.
I was unaware the AVA Amphitheater was just outside of Tucson. The place itself is really nice, providing all types of food and drinks to the audience, right next to the Casino Del Sol. The staff and security were amazing at their jobs by directing people where to sit, and calmly adressing issues amongst audience members and seats. The only "real" issue I have is how far away the venue is from Tucson, but this shouldn't be a problem if you have access to a car ($50 for Lyfts and Ubers is an estimated expense if you don't).
As soon as the concert started, most people began getting up from their seats and dancing. The group played a lot of well known songs, such as Como Te Voy A Olvidar, El Listón De Tu Pelo, Nunca es Suficiente, 17 años, Amor a Primera Vista, Mis Sentimientos, and many more; but also featured songs with only instrumentals for dancing and little to no lyrics with a focus to the accordion (the accordion player was going so hard always oh god, they were on the spotlight at least twice) and synthesizers.
The artists and musicians themselves were joking around with the audience too, and these interactions gave a sense of community within the Hispanic/Latin American people of Tucson. I, myself, have been feeling very homesick after this concert, and I know I am not the only one who has been feeling this way ever since. You would have never guessed a "Cumbia Sonidera" would be emotional, but it is to those who miss the sense of community within their own countries. And while there is a great Hispanic/Latin American community in Tucson, it doesn't replicate the exact feeling there is within the country.
Overall, this was a great experience. I wish I could have brought with me some Mexican or Latin American friends to dance cumbias with, but I still had a great time by myself. I can't stress enough how I don't recommend paying for Ubers and Lyfts to go to the venue, unless the featured artist is really that important to you and you can't be take by someone with transportation. I know Ice Cube is coming to the AVA Amphitheater in late May, so keep this in mind if wanting to go!
Thank you so much for KAMP Radio for giving me the opportunity to get in there and tell my experience. From Iztapalapa to Tuscon, Los Ángeles Azules did a great show, and I hope they come back in the future.
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