Maluma, Steel Panther and more headed to local stages
The last week of April's entertainment at Southern California casinos will bring one of the biggest names in reggaeton to the Yaamava Theater, which recently celebrated its first anniversary. Other acts at casinos include a smooth jazz saxophonist, a glam metal band with an over-thetop act, the South Korean “Prince of Trot” and more.
Be sure to check the official websites for the latest event information.
Maluma
The singer-songwriter and actor from Medellín, Colombia, blends ballads, mambo, merengue, pop and Latin trap music. According to “LOUD,” a Spotify podcast chronicling the history of reggaeton, Maluma's sister introduced him to the genre when he was about 8. He asked his family to attend his first reggaeton concert at a stadium show where heavy hitters such as Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Tego Calderon and Ivy Queen were performing.
After the show, he abandoned his dreams of becoming a soccer player and pursued a path to reggaeton stardom. Years later, he would contribute to the massive boom of Colombian reggaeton, becoming one of the most prominent names in the genre. Maluma's most notable hits include “Borro Cassette,” “Felices los 4” and “Hawái.”
8 p.m. Thursday, Yaamava' Resort & Casino, 777 San Manuel Blvd., Highland. Tickets start at $150, 21 or older only. 909-864-5050, yaamava.com.
Kenny G
The smooth jazz saxophonist, composer, and producer got his first big gig as a sideman for Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra at age 17. After college, Grammy Award-winning record producer and executive Clive Davis caught a rendition of Abba's “Dancing Queen” by Kenny G and signed him to Arista Records. Kenny would embark on a solo career producing jazz hits such as “Songbird,” “Forever in Love” and “The Moment.”
8 p.m. April 28, Pechanga Resort Casino, 45000Pechanga Parkway, Temecula. Tickets start at $65. 877-711-2946, pechanga.com.
Steel Panther
Although glam metal was heavily associated with the 1980s, Steel Panther wasn't ready to put away the wigs and makeup. The group started in the early 2000s, playing covers of the genre's most popular songs on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles before producing its own music. The group denies being a parody band of the glam metal scene, but it incorporates exaggerated comedy in its act, dressing the part and writing lyrics that would've certainly made it a target of the Parents Music Resource Center in the 1980s. Popular tracks include “Death to All But Metal,” “If You Really Really Love Me” and “Party Like Tomorrow Is the End of the World.”
8 p.m. April 29, Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa, 32-250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage. $30-$75. 800-514-3849, aguacalientecasinos.com.
Park Hyun-bin
The South Korean singer is known as the “Prince of Trot,” a genre of Korean pop known for its use of repetitive rhythm and vocal inflections that first developed during the Japanese occupation of Korea. Many
Korean, Japanese, American and European genres influenced trot. Hyun-bin's sounds and lyrics are catchy enough to have been featured in election campaign ads and are sometimes sung at sporting events. Popular songs include “Thousands of Thousands,” “Dead Drunk” and “So Hot!”
8p.m. April 29, Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84-245Indio Springs Parkway, Indio. $39-$139. 800-827-2946, fantasyspringsresort.com.
Enigma Norteño
This regional quartet from Culiacán, Sinaloa, is known for its Sinaloan musical style and its narco corridos but in recent years has been embracing different styles to reach broader audiences with albums like 2017's “De Aquí Soy,” which embraced a softer sound. In 2020, the group teamed with Mexican singer Javier Rosas to write a trap corrido, “Del Este Soy,” that paid homage to East Los Angeles. Notable hits include “No Estoy Perdiendo Nada,” “El Mayito Gordo” and “El Deportivo.”
6 p.m. April 30, Pala Casino Spa & Resort, 11154Highway 76, Pala. $35-$50, 21or older only. 877-946-7252, palacasino. com.
Maluma