Los Lobos at the Rhythm City Casino Resort Event Center -- May 3.
Friday, May 3, 7 p.m.
Rhythm City Casino Resort Event Center, 7077 Elmore Avenue, Davenport IA
Having risen to international stardom in 1987, when their version of "La Bamba" peaked at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and also topped the charts in the United Kingdom, the California-based, Mexican-American rockers of Los Lobos headline a May 3 concert event at Davenport's Rhythm City Casino Resort Event Center, their accomplishments including four Grammy Awards and 2018 induction into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame.
The journey of Los Lobos began in 1973, when David Hidalgo (vocals, guitar, and pretty much anything with strings), Louie Perez (drums, vocals, guitar), Cesar Rosas (vocals, guitar), and Conrad Lozano (bass, vocals, guitarrón) earned their stripes playing revved-up versions of Mexican folk music in restaurants and at parties. They were soon sharing bills with bands such as the Circle Jerks, Public Image Ltd., and the Blasters, whose saxophonist Steve Berlin would eventually leave the group to join Los Lobos in 1984.
Since then, Los Lobos has continued to deliver daring and diverse albums such as Colossal Head (1996), Good Morning Aztlán (2002), The Town & the City (2006), Tin Can Trust (2010) and Gates of Gold (2015). Through the years, they've managed to keep things interesting with unexpected side trips that include an album of Disney songs in 2009, along with countless contributions to tribute albums and film soundtracks. One of those, "Mariachi Suite" from Robert Rodriguez's 1995 film Desperado, earned the band a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. Los Lobos' love letter to the city of Los Angeles as their album Native Sons (2021), returned the band to the Grammy winner's circle with Best Americana Album of 2022.
Songs by Los Lobos have been recorded by Elvis Costello, Waylon Jennings, Frankie Yankovic, and Robert Plant, and the ensemble has sold millions of records, won numerous prestigious awards, and made fans around the world. But perhaps its most lasting impact will be how well its music embodies the idea of America as a cultural melting pot. In it, styles such as son jarocho, norteño, Tejano, folk, country, doo-wop, soul, R&B, rock 'n' roll, and punk all come together to create a new sound that's greater than the sum of its parts.
Los Lobos plays their Event Center engagement on May 3, admission to the 8 p.m. concert is $30-60, and more information and tickets are available by calling (563)328-8000 and visiting RhythmCityCasino.com.
