Mexican superstar Carin Leon wows with 'countless colors' in Phoenix concert
Global hitmaker Carín León brought his Boca Chueca Tour to what appeared to be a nearly sold-out Footprint Center on Thursday, Sept. 12, leading a stage full of touring musicians whose ranks swelled to more than two dozen at times through two hours and 45 minutes of non-stop action.
Among the fastest-rising stars in the regional Mexican music universe, 35-year-old León was hand-selected by the Rolling Stones to serve as their direct support when the British Invaders brought the Hackney Diamonds Tour to State Farm Stadium in Glendale earlier this year.
And that was after earning raves at Coachella (where León was one of 20 Latin artists to perform at this year’s festival) and Stagecoach, a country music festival at which he became the first act ever to perform primarily in Spanish.
He’s even played the Grand Ole Opry.
It was easy to see how Carín León has become a global sensation
And seeing León in his element, working the crowd at Footprint Center, it couldn’t have been more obvious how the man has been able to take his music to so many different types of audiences these past few months.
León is a magnetic entertainer with an effortless charisma and the vocal range to make taking on “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey sound not only easy but wise, as he did Thursday night in Phoenix, where highlights of his crowd-pleasing performance ranged from festive dance songs to emotional ballads, of which there were many.
That touring band he’s put together is beyond fantastic — a 12-member horn section, several percussionists, an upright bassist and electric bassist, multiple guitarists (both acoustic and electric), keyboards, pedal steel, accordion and three backup singers, each of whom shared the spotlight with León on more than one occasion.
Carín León setlist highlights included 'Según Quién,' 'Que Vuelvas'
Musicians came and went as the music required, stripping it down to a single guitar and vocals at one point.
And he packed his performance with classic material that had the audience singing and dancing along from the time he took the stage in his signature cowboy hat to lead his bandmates in “Frene mis pies,” the first of several highlights pulled from the album that gives the tour its name, “Boca Chueca, Vol. 1.”
For nearly three hours, he moved from strength to strength, inspiring massive singalongs as he made his way through such triumphs as “It Was Always You (Siempre Fuiste Tú),” his collaboration with Leon Bridges; "Según Quién," an award-winning team-up with Maluma; “Que Más Puedo Pedir” and the chart-topping Grupo Frontera collaboration, “Que Vuelvas,” before bringing the show to a deeply soulful finish with “Primera Cita.”
Long before the set was through, he’d changed into a Phoenix Suns basketball jersey with his own name on the back, swapping his signature cowboy hat for a Boca Chueca Tour baseball cap.
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Carín León and his bandmates turned in a joyous performance
It was a joyous performance that grew more festive as the set wore on, León and his touring band losing themselves in the music as they danced the night away, clearly enjoying the moment as much as anyone in that arena. At one point, stagehands wheeled a bar on stage with an ice chest full of beer on top to complete the party atmosphere.
León’s sound is an effortless mix of traditional Mexican music, from mariachi to norte?o, with elements of gospel, country, rock and classic soul. He’s all over the map but with a clarity of vision that holds it all together.
His “Colmillo de Leche” won a Latin Grammy in 2023 for Best Norte?o Album (a year after winning Best Regional Mexican Song for “Como lo Hice Yo”).
He’d rather you didn’t consider him regional Mexican music, though, going so far as to spearhead an “(Expletive) Regional Movement” aimed at freeing dissimilar Mexican artists from being lumped together under that umbrella.
He issued a video manifesto for his movement.
“What is Regional Mexicano?” he asked in Spanish. “An umbrella label, a label for Mexico, for our culture… We don’t fit into that term. We are much more than that. We’re banda. We’re corrido. We’re mariachi. We’re flavor, emotion, and a revolution. Countless colors and feelings.”
León gave fans all that and more in Phoenix.
Ed has covered pop music for The Republic since 2007, reviewing festivals and concerts, interviewing legends, covering the local scene and more. He did the same in Pittsburgh for more than a decade. Follow him on X and Instagram @edmasley and on Facebook as Ed Masley. Email him at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Carin Leon Phoenix concert serves 'flavor, emotion and a revolution'