Every time I think I’ve heard everything there is to hear from Los Lobos, they serve up something that just takes my breath away. That’s amazing after 40 years of playing together and more than 30 years recording together. Last year’s Tin Can Trust was one of the three best releases of the year, so I shouldn’t have been surprised when last Friday’s show at the Varsity Theater in Dinkytown by the band’s primary lyricist (Louie Perez) and primary songwriter (David Hidalgo) was one of the best live shows I’ve seen this year.
Friday’s show—Hidalgo and Perez were accompanied by Los Lobos drummer Cougar Estrada and bassist Juan “El Unico” Perez (most recently of East LA’s Quetzal)—more than made up for a fairly weak and quite disappointing Los Lobos co-bill with Los Lonely Boys at the Minnesota Zoo last summer. It was a tight set, and most band members had been sick after an especially grueling European tour, but the set was far too short and low energy; I was hoping for and expecting more, especially after last year’s spectacular two-night stand.
Although the show was billed as David Hidalgo and Louie Perez (Dos Lobos?), it had the feel of a mid-1990s Latin Playboys show. Indeed, one of the highlights from the first set was “If” from the 1994 self-titled release. The other standout in the first set was a most excellent “Saint Behind The Glass.”
David Hidalgo and Louie Perez.
The second set saw Hidalgo break out the always-welcome accordion for a couple of tunes. Highlights from the second set were a positively shattering “Burn It Down” (with Rosie Flores on vocals), an outstanding “Ten Believers” (again from 1994’s Latin Playboys), and a scorching “The Long Goodbye.”
In 2010, Hidalgo and Perez released a virtually unknown recording of decades-old songs called The Long Goodbye. The pair performed several tunes from that release, including “What Good Is Love,” “Big August Moon,” and “The Long Goodbye” to close out the second set which were really, really nice surprises.
Connections between the Twin Cities and Los Lobos are both long and strong—Hidalgo name checked both the 7th Street Entry and Willie’s American Guitars. Hidalgo and Perez’s comfort in the Twin Cities—except for the weather—showed and was appreciated.
First set
Will The Wolf Survive?
What Good Is Love?
The Valley
Saint Behind The Glass
Big August Moon
A Matter Of Time
On Main Street
If
Chinese Surprise
Second set
La Pistola y Corazon
When Love Fails
Tony y Maria
Someday
Cuca’s Blues
Ten Believers
Burn It Down
Untitled Louie Perez poem
The Long Goodbye
Encore
Mas Y Mas
Forever Night Shade Mary
An audience recording (Schoeps MK5s > active cables > Nbox > Edirol R-09HR) by perks is available on Etree.org.
0 responses. Comments closed for this article.