Cuco returns to stages and delivers an intimate concert at The Observatory North Park
On October 19th, Cuco brought his tour to The Observatory North Park for a memorable night marking a decade of his musical journey. From the moment his bassist walked onto the stage waving a Mexican flag and placing it prominently on the side, the room was charged with pride and excitement. Expressing how happy he was to be back performing after some time away, Cuco was ready for a warm, intimate show that would feel like a shared milestone with his audience.
Throughout the performance, Cuco proved to be funny, charismatic, and incredibly interactive, regularly pausing after every few songs to chat with the room. Opening with Ridin’ and Phanes, his vibrant trumpet melodies on the fourth track, Amor De Siempre, had the venue buzzing, leading straight into the lush grooves of Bossa No Sé and My 45. By the next section, featuring First of the Year, Hydrocodone, Si Me Voy, Sunnyside, and Foolish, the entire crowd was jumping in unison. Demonstrating his remarkable musical versatility, he seamlessly moved between playing guitar, blowing trumpet solos, and managing his audio console while displaying an impressive vocal range. When allergies threatened to slow him down, he joked with the audience that while he was pushing through being sick, he was definitely not allergic to good music or good vibes.
The central topic of the night arrived when Cuco asked the crowd if they wanted to hear cumbias, a request met with roaring enthusiasm. Highlighting how deeply personal cumbias are to him after growing up listening to all styles of the genre, he launched into a rhythm-packed stretch featuring a cover of Piel Canela, as well as Under The Sun, Llorar / Negra Tomasa, Los Plebes Morros, Gordibuena, Fantasma, and Loba. When a fan suffered a heat stroke mid-show, Cuco paused the concert immediately, thanking the crowd for taking care of one another before resuming the music. Because the audience passionately begged for more following his initial set of cumbias, he treated them to extra tracks, teasing that many of those very cumbias will be featured on his nearly finished upcoming album.
Taking time to address political and social themes, he paused to deliver an emphatic message against ICE before launching into Keeping Tabs, Mindwinder Outro, Lover Is a Day, and Lava Lamp. Moving into the final stretch with Ego Death in Thailand, Junkies and Rarities, Far Away From Home, and Lo Que Siento, he also paused the show to shout out one of his crew members, leading the entire room in singing happy birthday to him while he worked. Overwhelmed with emotion, Cuco thanked his fans from the bottom of his heart for supporting him over the last ten years, sharing that he would not be here without them. To top off an already special evening, he closed out the night with a surprise track that wasn’t even listed on the setlist, a fan in the barricade requested it and he delivered. To stay updated on upcoming releases, tour dates, and behind-the-scenes updates, be sure to follow Cuco on his official social media platforms. From ListenSD, we congratulate Cuco on a fantastic decade of music and look forward to welcoming him back to San Diego soon!
