On Friday, March 18, Mexican rockers Maná will start a run of concerts that will make history at one of music’s most storied venues.
The show will mark the first of eight concerts for the band at the 17,500-person capacity Forum in Inglewood that will take place over the course of four months.
Maná, which formed in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 1986, is one of the biggest Latin rock bands in the world, selling more than 40 million records and winning four Grammys and nine Latin Grammys.
The band, which includes singer Fher Olvera, guitarist Sergio Vallín, bassist Juan Calleros and drummer Alex González, is known for hits such as “Rayando el Sol,” “Oye Mi Amor” and “Labios Compartidos.”
Originally announced in November, the Forum shows are part of a residency that started with four concerts before four more shows were added to the residency. According to Forum officials, more tickets were recently added to all shows to meet demand.
And it’s no hyperbole to call it a record-shattering residency.
The band sold out seven nights at the Forum in 2019 as part of the 35-stop “Rayando El Sol” tour, setting a record at the time for the most dates for any artist performing in the same year at the Forum since the venue’s renovation and reopening in 2014.
(The record was previously held by Kanye West and the Eagles, who each had six shows in one year.)
And now with a total of 19 sold-out shows, according to Forum officials — though there are still some tickets available for the upcoming residency — the band broke its own record for sellouts at the Forum since the venue’s renovation and reopening in 2014.
Drummer Alex González spoke to the Southern California News Group about the shows in a November interview when the band announced of the residency. This conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and space.
Q: Bands are now getting back on the road and touring but you guys decided to pretty much move into the Forum and make it your only concert venue. Why did you want to go that route?
A: We had this idea about doing something different, the residency, and obviously Los Angeles is our second home, that’s where the whole Rock en Español movement exploded and from there it took off in the rest of the country.
Q: Besides being the place that launched Rock en Español in the U.S. what is it that makes L.A. so special for Maná?
A: We played about 30 years ago at the Hollywood Palladium. That was our first show with Maná (in L.A.). So L.A. is such an important city for us. There are so many Mexican and Latino fans all over the United States that have supported us and have gone to all our shows but there’s just a bond and a very just special chemistry with Los Angeles and Maná.
Q: You’re going to keep adding nights to the residency until fans stop buying tickets. With the potential for so many shows, how are you going to make each night special?
A: We’re working really hard with the setlist. We’re going to really be doing some cool surprises. The idea is as the show continues going we’re going to be adding surprises, inviting guests and changing the set list to keep it interesting and exciting for the fans.
Q: Without having to worry about being on tour and instead having a set home for 2022, is the band working on anything else in 2022? New music maybe?
A: There’s talk of maybe working on a new studio album. So the good thing about that is if we’re going to be doing the residency in L.A. we also have time to be back home working, writing music and maybe find time to be in the studio. I know there’s talk about that, but right now we’re focusing on these shows in L.A.
Q: So since the Forum is pretty much becoming the house of Maná, is there any added pressure on the band with all these back-to-back shows?
A: Are you kidding me? We love being on stage, we have this chemistry on stage between the band and the audience. It’s just a huge party and we love people to live happy and inspired.
Maná
When: March 18-19, April 22-23, June 24-25, July 15-16.
Where: The Forum, 3900 W. Manchester Blvd., Inglewood
Tickets: $49.50-$299.50, plus fees
COVID-19 protocols: Proof of vaccination or negative test required for entry.
Information: thelaforum.com