When Coachella announced its lineup back in January, norteño fans were thrilled to see Los Tucanes de Tijuana booked for the mammoth two-weekend festival. In the U.S., Latino artists rarely get bookings at mainstream music festivals, and legacy acts like Los Tucanes de Tijuana are typically at the bottom of the list, even when their counterparts in the Anglo world make regular appearances at these large-scale events.
Now, fans have another reason to celebrate: the legendary norteño group will be presented with the keys to the city of Coachella ahead of their historic performance at the Indio, California festival this weekend. As local news channel KESQ reports, Los Tucanes de Tijuana are the first norteño band to grace the stage at Coachella, and they are also the first artists in the festival’s history to be awarded with this recognition.
The key-giving ceremony will take place on April 11 at 4 p.m. at the Coachella Library, followed by a panel discussion about the group’s history and impact in the world of regional Mexican.
According to local publication Desert Sun, the group has strong ties to the city of Coachella; Los Tucanes played many of their early shows in a now defunct venue called La Copacabana, and several of the group’s musicians have family members who reside in the community.
If you’ll be around for the festival, make sure you also catch Los Tucanes de Tijuana at CHELLA, a Goldenvoice concert dedicated to celebrating the Latino community in Coachella Valley. CHELLA is focused on promoting artists that reflect the tastes and experiences of the people who actually live and work in Indio, California, and is all-ages and open to the entire community.
CHELLA takes place on Wednesday, April 17 at 6 p.m. Click here to learn more and purchase tickets.