As Maná entered the bowels of the Kia Forum on Friday night, its members received a royal welcome from the USC Marching Band, the Inglewood High School band and the Los Angeles Clippers Spirit Team.
That evening’s performance marked the Mexican rock band’s 43rd arena show in the L.A. area, surpassing Bruce Springsteen’s record for most arena performances in the region.
In honor of Maná’s longstanding history with L.A. and the historic Forum venue, a permanent wall installation was revealed backstage at the venue following their spectacle-filled arrival that read: “Mana – Kings of L.A.”
Overall, the Grammy winners have played more than 30 shows at the Forum; in 2012, they played 11 straight sold-out shows at Staples Center in support of their eighth album “Drama Y Luz.”
Further tying them to L.A. is their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which was cemented in 2016.
Formed in the Mexican city of Guadalajara in the mid-1980s, Maná first played in L.A. in 1993 following the release of their acclaimed 1992 album “¿Dónde Jugarán los Niños?” The band was instrumental in popularizing the rock en español genre, and their music is often heard across the Southland, from house parties to sporting events.
Earlier this year, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced that the group was among the 14 artists nominated for the 2025 inductee class, alongside Oasis, Mariah Carey, Outkast and Cyndi Lauper.
Though the band was ultimately not inducted into the Rock Hall this year, they represented the first primarily Spanish-language act to be nominated for induction.
“This alone makes Maná’s nomination important in an increasingly global society,” De Los contributing columnist Alex Zaragoza wrote back in February. “But when considering the Mexican band’s impact on Latin music, as well as the Trump administration’s increasing crackdowns on immigrants in the United States, their inclusion is imperative.”
Weeks after tens of thousands of Angelenos gathered for “No Kings” protests against the policies of President Trump, the newly minted “Kings of L.A.” showed solidarity with the many residents of their “second home” who have been affected by the current administration’s actions in recent months.
“L.A. has always been very influential for us … and we’ve seen the city evolved,” lead singer Fher Olvera told The Times. “We’ve seen that Latinos have continually gained power, but also that the problems facing the community here have grown, especially over the last few years.”
Following the initial wave of Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids that took place throughout L.A. in June, Maná was among the many artists that spoke out against ICE’s actions by reaffirming that immigrants and Latinos “make this country great.”
“Right now our message is to have faith, do not despair,” Olvera said. “Like the Buddhists say, ‘Everything shall pass.’ And these problems will also pass and thankfully it won’t take too long [because] presidential term don’t last so long — although this term has felt like five minutes underwater.”
Olvera expressed optimism about the future of Latinos in the U.S., pointing to the growing power of the confounding Latino vote.
“The power of Latinos will continue on after this [period], and Latinos will be the ones to change future elections,” he said. “And that scares [politicians], but there’s no way of going back.”
Drummer Alex Gonzalez noted that there hasn’t been any issues with ICE at their concerts since the onset of Trump’s second term and called on Latinos to know and use their rights throughout the country.
That sentiment was more clearly expanded on when the band closed out the Friday show with a truncated rendition of Bob Marley’s 1973 hit “Get Up, Stand Up.”
“Get up, stand up / Stand up for your right / Get up, stand up / Don’t give up the fight,” Olvera belted out after delivering an impassioned speech about the Latino community to the packed stadium.
“I think it’s important to take advantage of the stage we have to share messages about the environment and human rights,” guitarist Sergio Vallín told The Times. “[We’ve] also stood for something positive for our fans.”
From their earliest tracks, the group has commented on social issues in tracks such as “Falta Amor,” “Me Voy a Convertir en Un Ave,” “Justicia, Tierra y Libertad” and their cover of Rubén Blades’ “Desapariciones,” which discusses how dictatorships across Latin America have disappeared citizens.
In 1996, Maná launched the Selva Negra Foundation — named after a song released that year with the same name — which protects species, restores ecosystems and promotes environmental education. They have also been vocal in protecting vulnerable sea turtle species in Mexico and prominently feature sea turtle motifs in their concert set designs.
Friday night also served as an occasion for families to carry on the legacy of Maná fandom and to have cross-cultural connections through the band’s music.
Maritza Castillo was celebrating her 48th birthday with her husband, two children and siblings-in-law at the concert. A native of San Miguel el Alto in Jalisco, Mexico, she was first exposed to Maná at age 16.
“I love Maná because it brings me back to my youth and they were the first concert I’d ever been to here in the States,” Castillo said. “My love for the band is now moving on to other generations. To have my son want to play their music in the car without me asking, I’m like, ‘Wait, you like Maná?’ So that’s made it all very exciting.”
With Maná also having roots in the Mexican state of Jalisco, Castillo expressed joy that her children are connecting with their heritage through music history.
“I just keep trying to pass on our culture to the kids who are grown up and born in L.A.”
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