Cuco’s Para Mi Tour rolled through Denver on September 19th, landing at the Mission Ballroom, after originally selling out the Gothic Theatre.
Cuco’s Para Mi Tour rolled through Denver on September 19th, landing at the Mission Ballroom, after originally selling out the Gothic Theatre. Before Cuco took the stage, KAINA and Ambar Lucid warmed up the crowd; KAINA with her brand of dreamy Latinx pop; Ambar Lucid with a much more experimental indie-rock sound. If anything, the lineup let those of us in the crowd who are Latinx know that this would be a night for us. During her set, KAINA shouted out first-generation Americans and their hardworking families.
Omar Banos, aka Cuco, took the stage, his video background a perfect accompaniment to his mix of lo-fi indie pop and keyboard fueled Latinx psychedelia, a throwback to his predecessors, other Chicano and Latinx rock bands, as well as a nod to his contemporaries like Clairo and Mac DeMarco. His preset playlist was a nod to his own musical tastes, a mix of hip-hop, rancheras, and banda, making the crowd dance, and get hyped for his set.
The crowd loved Cuco, a number of people emulating his style, embracing their inner geek, singing aloud throughout the set. He roamed the stage, moving between his keyboard and between singing and rapping in front of the crowd. Cuco and his band displayed a musical maturity and confidence that you wouldn’t necessarily expect from a group of twenty-somethings.
Cuco spent the majority of his set running through songs from his new album, Para Mi, as well as a few other deep cuts from his previous EPs. His between-song banter encouraged audience participation; he worked hard to create a space that definitely felt Latinx and inclusive. Highlights of the show included “Lover is a Day” and “Bossa No Sé.” At one point, Cuco stopped to thank the audience for purchasing tickets, sharing how his parents recently became citizens and how our ticket purchases can help do the same for others in our communities.
Cuco’s tour continues throughout the USA and it definitely should not be missed. (Photos and review by Manuel Aragon)
Setlist:
- Intro (feat. Foos Gone Wild)
- Do Better
- Winter’s Ballad
- Hydrocodone
- Lover is a Day
- Ego Death in Thailand
- Feelings
- Neon Baby
- Amor de Siempre
- Lo Que Siento
- Bossa No Sé
- Sunnyside
