Festival Review: Tropicália

Kali Uchis performing during her set at Tropicália 2019.

Going into its third year, Tropicália brought an eclectic lineup to the Fairplex in Pomona. Originally set to take place in Pico Rivera Sports Arena Grounds, the festival relocated in order to meet the demand from attendees. From the taco vendors to the artists, all aspects of Tropicália were carefully curated to create an experience that highlights the diversity in the Southern California music scene. In one weekend, Tropicália encouraged individuals to listen to both sounds of corridos and upcoming indie synths. With that said, here are some highlights from Tropicália:

Saturday

Hombres G and Los Enanitos Verdes

The two-hour set between Hombres G and Los Enanitos Verdes was filled with classics. The mix of the tracks kept the audience on edge – the approach was refreshing. The crowd went word for word with classics like “Tu Carcel” and “Si No Te Tengo A Ti.” And when Hombres G broke into “Devuélveme a Mi Chica,” the crowd went wild. At one point, lead vocalist David Summers simply let the audience sing the song back to him. The 80s dance-pop provided an escape, and the intricate guitar and saxophone sessions were fun to witness.

Los Tigres del Norte

A staple to any Mexican household, I was excited to see the songs of my childhood played out in front of me. The crowd took no time and immediately began to dance to the norteño band and their corridos. When “La Jaula de Oro” came on, everyone collectively started to scream the lyrics back to the Hernández brothers. The song tells the story about living undocumented in the United States - a story that seemed close to home to the audience. I didn’t get to go unscathed as I started to think about my own parents and their journey. The moment didn’t last long as the band continued to dive into their hits such as “La Manzanita,” a fast-paced brass-heavy tune. The night went on as Los Tigres sang their songs, the crowd singing along with them.

Sunday

Wallows 

Wallows broke into “Treacherous Doctor,” and without hesitation, the Gen-Z crowd went straight into moshing-mode. The set was filled with heavy hitters from their latest album Nothing Happens which made for a strong performance from the band. As everyone in the crowd sang along, the sense of emotional release was felt with every lyric screamed. Paired with witty visuals and high energy from vocal leads Braeden Lemasters and Dylan Minnette – Wallows was a surprise favorite of the night. 

Cuco 

The set began with the intro “Where is this foo going? Where is this foo going?” which delve straight into the next track “Keeping Tabs.” This performance marked Cuco’s last performance of 2019. After a difficult year dealing with the pressures of newfound success, the set felt to be an accumulation of all the human emotions. The performance was heartwarming and genuine. On the sidelines, you could find Omar Banos’s tight-knit audio team and production team hard at work. You could also see Bano’s mother watching carefully. The immigrant mother watching her son realize his creative dreams served as a reminder of the endless possibilities in a lifetime. Cuco went on to close the set with “Far Away from Home,” a beautiful piano ballad mixed with loaded guitar riffs. It was in this final song that Cuco answered the question he asked at the beginning of the set.

Kali Uchis

Easing into her set, Kali Uchis began with her 2015 single “Loner” before breaking into synchronized choreography. Uchis went on to set the tone with “Dead to Me,” and four male background dancers that kept her in the center of attention. Mid-way through her set, Uchis went into the crowd greeting, thanking, and even taking pictures with fans as a token for their continued support. The performance was that of a seasoned artist – from the glittery stage design to the avant-garde hair and make-up. With this extravagant performance, Uchis solidified herself not only as a talented artist, but as a keen creative director with untapped potential.

— Ana Cruz, DJ