Read in Spanish here
Getty Images
“¡Hola México! ¿Como están Carnales?” (Hello Mexico, how are you guys?) That was the greeting from the famous metal rock band Metallica, leaving the 65,000 people attending their weekend concert in Mexico City in awe and filled with joy after seven years of waiting.
In a performance of some of their greatest hits, led by Mexican-American bassist Robert Trujillo, Metallica surprised the crowd with a spectacular performance of “La Chona”, an unforgettable song by Los Tucanes de Tijuana.
The crowd reaction at the GNP Seguros stadium was fantastic.
“This is a big party. It’s an honor to be here with all of you, in the spirit of ’72 Seasons.’ Kirk (Hammett) and I are going to play a song for all of you. We’re really nervous, so if you know this song, please help us sing it,” Trujillo said in Spanish.
Immediately, the chords of “La Chona”, one of the most famous songs in Mexican musicbegan playing. Trujillo and Hammett, the group’s lead guitarist, drove the crowd wild with their performance.
As a cherry on top, Trujillo wore a mariachi hat, paying homage to his Mexican heritage. No doubt Los Tucanes would applaud Californian Roberto Agustín Trujillo Veracruz, the son of Mexican parents, and Hammett for their performance of the 1995 song, part of the album “Me Robaste El Corazón.”
Part of the crowd’s excitement stemmed from the fact that it seemed unlikely that a band known for playing thrash metal would cover a song as iconic to Mexico as “La Chona.” Hearing a song that is often played at weddings and quinceanera in a surreal metallic arrangement.
Can any Latinos dance this? grandmother Don’t think about Hammett’s guitar now?
But it’s also “La Chona”… the song that became the center of a viral social media challenge in 2018, where people danced to the song while jumping out of moving cars.
What’s even crazier is that this is the second time in just a few weeks that Mexican music has been celebrated by international entertainment icons. Bruno Mars, who opened the stadium with his concert, made a similar gesture by covering another classic. Brunito, as he calls himself, combined his song “El Sonidito” with his hit “Uptown Funk,” playing to the rhythms of cumbia and quebradita.
More about Metallica in Mexico
Of course, Metallica is about more than just “La Chona” and their first Friday show. They will play four concerts in total to meet high demand in the country, which has also welcomed the band on tours like the “World Magnetic Tour” and the “WorldWired Tour,” both of which were well received by their loyal fans in 2010 and 2017.
After a few months off, their next show is December 13 at the YouTube Theatre. The Latino community loves “La Chona” too—will they dare sing it again?
While we wait, here is the original version of Los Tucanes de Tijuana
First published in Latin Times
Metallica Card