Review: Los Lobos and Tower of Power prove why great live bands last for 50 years

Fifty years is a long time to be doing anything. Especially playing in a hard-touring band. And with some of the same players.

Two California bands that have been around for more than five decades — Tower of Power from Oakland and Los Lobos from East Los Angeles — delighted their baby-boomer fans with triumphant performances this weekend in the Twin Cities.

“Have we played here before?” Los Lobos singer/guitarist Cesar Rosas asked early during Sunday’s gig at the sold-out Dakota in downtown Minneapolis.

Fans shouted, “No.”

“We depend on you guys to tell us,” he continued.

Later, singer/guitarist/accordionist David Hidalgo said, “On our first road trip out of California, we came here,” meaning Minneapolis.

“First Avenue,” piped up bassist Conrad Lozano.

“7th Street Entry,” Hidalgo clarified.

It’s the same Los Lobos guys as it’s been for 50 years, save for drummer Alfredo Ortiz, who joined in 2021, and saxophonist/keyboardist/producer Steve Berlin, who has been on board since 1982. The one big difference on Sunday was the Dakota, capacity 350, was the smallest Twin Cities venue in which the veteran band has performed since that 1983 7th Street Entry gig. The Minnesota Zoo, First Avenue and the Ordway have been the group’s regular Twin Cities stops.

With Hidalgo and Rosas taking turns on lead vocals Sunday, it was the good ol’ Los Lobos, with a little more Grateful Dead flavoring (especially on the opening “One Time One Night”), more lead guitar from Louie Perez than in the past and some jazzy touches from drummer Ortiz.

Per usual, Los Lobos played a variety of American and Latin music, proving that this versatile, underappreciated ensemble is one of America’s great live bands. Highlights included the killer blues “Bound to Lose My Mind”; the back-to-back-to-back rockers “Don’t Worry Baby, “I Got Loaded” and the Dead’s “Bertha,” and a medley of the Temptations’ “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” recast as intense urban blues with the Sonny Boy Williamson blues classic “One Way Out.”

The bespectacled sextet (save for the drummer) played with so much feeling for 95 minutes but no facial expressions. Hidalgo’s voice was not as smooth as usual but still spirited. And the music had bodies moving in the Dakota even if clubgoers were seated.

Los Lobos’ encored with Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl” (by request) and their inevitable hit remake of Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba” mashed up with the Rascals’ “Good Lovin’.” Good times, indeed, as always.

For Tower of Power’s Holidays and Hits Tour Saturday at Mystic Lake Showroom in Prior Lake, the 57-year-old horn-driven band brought a brand-new singer. Jordan John, 38, proved to be TOP’s most exciting vocalist since heyday hitmaker Lenny Williams, who exited in 1975. John showcased an elastic tenor, with the sexy scream of Al Green and the guitar-scatting of George Benson. He hit his high notes with the ease and élan of a vintage doo-op singer. However, John needs to work on his stagecraft a bit; he spent the night pacing back and forth and seldom faced the audience or danced.

Featuring original members founder/saxophonist/singer Emilio Castillo and baritone saxophonist Stephen Kupka, the 10-piece band was funky as usual and strikingly tight, impressive considering drummer Peter Antunes joined just this year.

During its 1¾-hour set, TOP offered a dark and soulful “O Holy Night,” funked-up “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” sounding like James Brown lite, and added a new blues vibe to their own 1974 hit “Don’t Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream),” which featured a thrilling vocal run by John.

Having gone through more than 10 lead singers since Williams left, Tower of Power has finally found a keeper — still a young man with a veteran band.