Los Angeles is opening Hispanic Heritage Month with a double celebration built around one of Mexican cumbia's biggest names: Los Ángeles Azules will have a Panorama City intersection named in their honor before headlining the city's free El Grito concert at City Hall one day later.
The first event kicks off at 9 a.m. at the intersection of Van Nuys Boulevard and Chase Street in Panorama City, according to NBC Los Angeles. The North Hills East Neighborhood Council says the site will be officially dedicated as Los Angeles Azules Square during a September 14 ceremony featuring Mayor Karen Bass and Councilmember Imelda Padilla, who represents Los Angeles City Council District 6. As part of the celebration, the band will leave their handprints in cement at Plaza Del Valle, the report notes.
A Plaza Steeped in Local History
Plaza Del Valle isn't just any strip mall. The block-long, open-air complex was designed to resemble a traditional Mexican town square and sits in Panorama City, according to the Los Angeles City Council District 6 office. The plaza also figures in the neighborhood's local story.
The choice of venue places the celebration in the neighborhood, while the band's own origins trace back to Mexico City. Los Ángeles Azules was formed in 1976 in Iztapalapa, Mexico City, by six siblings of the Mejía Avante family, according to Grammy.com. The group later scored a huge hit with “Cómo Te Voy a Olvidar,” and per NBC Los Angeles, they’ve also recorded songs including “El Listón de Tu Pelo” and “17 Años” over a career now spanning five decades.
From Coachella to a Lifetime Achievement Award
The band's résumé stretches well beyond neighborhood dance halls. In 2018, Los Ángeles Azules made festival history as the first traditional cumbia sonidera group to perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, where their afternoon main-stage set drew an exceptionally large crowd, the Los Angeles Times reported. The group has a five-decade career, according to Grammy.com. NBC Los Angeles notes the band has picked up numerous music awards along the way and is currently touring the U.S. as part of its Cumbia Sin Fronteras run.
City Hall's Free El Grito Concert
One day after the Panorama City dedication, Los Ángeles Azules will headline the city's El Grito celebration at Los Angeles City Hall on September 15, running from 5 to 10 p.m., per NBC Los Angeles. The free concert will also feature Trish Toledo, Estradafoo and comedian Concrete, the outlet reports.
El Grito commemorates Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla's 1810 call to revolt. The current celebration also features the performers listed above.
Why the Timing Matters
September 15 marks the start of Hispanic Heritage Month. The observance runs through October 15, per the U.S. Census Bureau.
That timing carries particular weight in Los Angeles, where Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations are unfolding across the city. A Panorama City plaza dedication and a downtown City Hall concert are unfolding this month.
Hoodline previously reported on East LA's 80th parade milestone as celebrations ramped up across the region this month.
