The Riverside Press-Enterprise
Maná readies to start string of Forum shows When: Where: Tickets: COVID-19 protocols: Information:
On Friday, Mexican rock band Maná will start a run of concerts that will make history at one of music’s most storied venues.
The show will mark the first of 10 concerts for the band at the 17,500-person capacity Forum in Inglewood over six months.
Maná, which formed in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 1986, is one of the biggest Latin rock bands in the world, selling more than 40 million records and winning four Grammys and nine Latin Grammys.
The band, which includes singer Fher Olvera, guitarist Sergio Vallín, bassist Juan Calleros and drummer Alex González, is known for hits such as “Rayando el Sol,” “Oye Mi Amor” and “Labios Compartidos.”
Originally announced in November, the Forum shows are part of a residency that started with four concerts before four more shows were added. According to Forum officials, more tickets were recently added to all shows to meet demand.
And it’s no hyperbole to call it a recordshattering residency.
The band sold out seven nights at the Forum in 2019 as part of the 35-stop “Rayando El Sol” tour, the most dates by any act in the same year at the Forum since the venue’s renovation and reopening in 2014.
(The record was previously held by Kanye West and the Eagles, who each had six shows in one year.)
And now with a total of 19 sold-out shows, according to Forum officials — though there are still some tickets available for the upcoming residency — the band broke its own record. The newly added September shows, which go on sale March 25, could add to that total.
González spoke to the Southern California News Group about the shows in a November interview when the band announced the residency. This conversation has been length.
QBands are getting back on the road and touring, but you guys decided to pretty much move into the Forum and make it your only concert venue. Why did you want to go that route?
AWe had this idea about doing something different, the residency, and obviously Los Angeles is our second home — that’s where the whole Rock en Español movement exploded, and from there it took off in the rest of the country.
QBesides being the place that launched Rock en Español in the U.S., what is it that makes L.A. so special for Maná?
Alightly edited for clarity and
We played about 30 years ago at the Hollywood Palladium. That was our first show with Maná [in Los Angeles]. So L.A. is such an important city for us. There are so many Mexican and Latino fans all over the United States that have supported us and have gone to all our shows, but there’s just a bond and a very just special chemistry with Los Angeles and Maná.
QYou’re going to keep adding nights to the residency until fans stop buying tickets. With the potential for so many shows, how are you going to make each night special?
AWe’re working really hard with the set list. We’re going to really be doing some cool surprises. The idea is as the show continues going, we’re going to be adding surprises, inviting guests and changing the set list to keep it interesting and exciting for the fans.
QWithout having to worry about being on tour and instead having a set home for 2022, is the band working on anything else in 2022? New music, maybe?
AThere’s talk of maybe working on a new studio album. So the good thing about that is if we’re going to be doing the residency in L.A. we also have time to be back home working, writing music and maybe find time to be in the studio. I know there’s talk about that, but right now we’re focusing on these shows in L.A.
QSo since the Forum is pretty much becoming the house of Maná, is there any added pressure on the band with all these back-to-back shows?
AAre you kidding me? We love being onstage; we have this chemistry onstage between the band and the audience. It’s just a huge party and we love people to live happy and inspired.