So, you’ve heard of Peso Pluma, right? Straight from the heart of Guadalajara, these groovy guys have taken the Latin music scene hostage, blending our beloved corridos with modern beats that make you want to shake your hips and raise your fists. When the whispers of the DOBLE P Tour reaching Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater started floating around, I almost choked on my morning coffee. June 29th was declared a national holiday on my calendar.
Ascend isn’t just a venue, it’s the coliseum of Nashville. Placed seductively by the Cumberland River, it’s an iron beast that can swallow 6,800 hardcore fans in a single gulp. Every nook and cranny hums with the energy of people who eat, sleep, and breathe music. With Peso Pluma on the bill, this monster was frothing at the mouth.
Look, I’ve played the waiting game: tapping my foot for the next tech gadget drop, huffing impatiently for the next cliffhanger episode, and yes, sometimes grumbling for the kettle to boil for a late-night café hit. But THIS wait? It was like time had taken up juggling. Every moment felt stretched, like Einstein and his relativity had decided to mess with my feelings. The epic saga started in the unlikeliest of places – Kansas, at my niece’s graduation bash. There I was, amidst Latin music purists passionately bickering about what ‘true’ Latin music ought to sound like. Peso Pluma’s audacious corridos became their main point of contention. Defiantly, I hit play on “Ella Baila Sola”. Boom! It was like injecting a raw, electric pulse straight into the party’s veins. Amidst the sneers and eyerolls, I was hooked, captivated. Tradition but with a maverick twist; that was Peso Pluma for me. Screw the haters – this was fire.
Peso Pluma was set to play both Ryman and Ascend. My choice? Ascend, June 29th. Even roped in a cousin from Florida to partake in the anticipated madness. But, Mother Nature had other plans. Rain danced on our parade, but hey, it wasn’t all doom and gloom. Met some groovy peeps, danced like I was auditioning for a musical, and created memories. Yet, the yearning to see Peso live? It stung, real bad.
Show was rescheduled for July 29th. The D-day. Leaving my house, the sky looked menacing, but I was armed with hope and a prayer to Elegua. And perhaps my prayer merged with thousands of others, as the weather held. We had an eclectic group: a Colombian, two Venezuelans, and yours truly representing Nicaragua. A cocktail of nationalities you’d not expect at a Regional Mexican concert, but hey, this was testimony to Peso Pluma’s universal appeal. Everywhere you looked, you could see people – some of whom didn’t even speak Spanish – being completely absorbed by the music. It transcended language and borders.
This wasn’t just a night; it was a damn revolution for Latin music in Nashville. Ascend Amphitheater? Popped its Regional Mexican cherry with a bang. With “La Melena”, “El Belicon”, and the intoxicating “Lagunas” rippling through, something primal was unleashed. The skies cried – or maybe even raged – but instead of drowning the vibe, it set up an ethereal rave. Phones and glowy bracelets pierced through the rain’s veil. The aroma of wax pens wafted like incense in an altar to rebellion. And right there, in the midst of it all, I found myself – dancing sola, lost in the wild rhythm, the world blurring out, leaving just me, the smell of grass and Peso Pluma’s raw beats.
The weather did cut our joyride a tad short, and while some fan favorites remained unsung, it barely mattered to die-hards like me. Peso Pluma’s energy was unparalleled. And when they played their song Lady Gaga, Ascend exploded into a fiesta!
The weather may have forced a premature climax, but it couldn’t dampen the fireworks Peso Pluma lit in our souls. We floated out of Ascend in a euphoric daze, hungry for more. The party continued at Brugadas, our ragtag group singing along to Pluma’s beats and Bad Bunny’s rhythms like it was the only language we knew. We ended the night at Music City Gyros, swaying to the beat of music, our spirits soaked with Pluma’s magic and our bellies full of kebabs. I’m already on the edge of my seat for round two.