La Onda Latin music festival thrives in Napa Valley, despite setback

San Francisco Chronicle​

01-06-2025

Festival La Onda made a lively return to Wine Country over the weekend, marking its second year with an exuberant celebration of Latin music, food and culture.
Despite a last-minute setback when Grupo Firme, one of Latin music's most prominent acts, was forced to cancel after being denied entry into the United States, the festival's spirit remained unshaken.
Hosted at the Napa Valley Expo on Saturday and Sunday, May 31 and June 1, the event still saw an estimated 20,000 spectators each day, all reveling in a weekend of high-energy performances and a deep sense of community.
Indeed, La Onda has carved out its own identity, distinct from the annual BottleRock Napa Valley festival, which is produced by the same team in the same spot over Memorial Day weekend. While BottleRock draws crowds from all over the Bay Area for rock and pop acts, La Onda is an immersive Latinx cultural experience, complete with rows of taco trucks, low riders and the unmistakable sounds of mariachi bands and lucha libre matches.
'It is wonderful to see the Latino community celebrating at La Onda,' said Dave Graham, partner at BottleRock, the team behind both festivals. 'You can feel a shift as soon as they enter the festival gates. The name La Onda translates to 'the vibe', and we are grateful to be able to provide our fans with such a supportive environment in these challenging times.'
Here are some of the highlights from the festival, which concludes Sunday, June 1.
Sunday, June 1
Adriana Ríos opens final day with commanding performance
Adriana Ríos, an up-and-coming force in Regional Mexican music, kicked off the festival at noon on Sunday with a captivating performance that showcased her powerful vocal range.
The Tijuana-born singer-songwriter, known for her commanding stage presence, delivered a mix of tracks from her debut album, 2021's 'Contundente,' and her sophomore release, 2022's 'La Lotería.'
Her set seamlessly blended Colombian pop influences with mariachi, norteño rhythms and dramatic romantic ballads, setting the bar high for everyone who followed the rest of the day.
— Aidin Vaziri
Saturday, May 31
Marco Antonio Solís proves he's far from finished
Few artists on La Onda's lineup could unite a crowd the way Marco Antonio Solís did to close out the second annual festival's first night. Old and young sang along to songs like 'Y Ahora Te Vas,' proof of the lasting imprint Solís has made over four decades. (The crowd's rendition of 'Tu Cárcel,' arguably the biggest Latin pop song of the '80s, was without a doubt the highlight of the entire day.)
Late in the set, Solís lightened the mood by dancing to a Mexican remix of Kendrick Lamar 's 'Not Like Us' wrapped in Mexican flair.
While other artists of his pedigree and longevity fade to the pages of history, Solís shows no signs of slowing down. And if the size of his crowd at La Onda while he closed out with 'La Venia Bendita' and 'Si No Te Hubiera Ido' is any indication, Solís is not in a farewell phase.
— Julio Lara
Pepe Aguilar honors tradition and evolution
Pepe Aguilar took the La Onda stage not as a throwback but as proof of continuity — of how tradition holds when it evolves with integrity. 'Hermoso Cariño' became an instant sing-along, with thousands of voices lifting in reverence for a living legend.
With 'Miedo,' he delivered a masterclass in crossover without compromise, solidifying his role as a blueprint for the current wave of genre-fluid regional artists. Later in the set, he captivated the audience with the timeless one-two punch of 'Prometiste' and 'Por Mujeres Como Tú.'
Then came the encore: a 15-minute return to his mariachi roots, rich and measured. For an artist who's been touring since birth, Aguilar's ability to conjure raw emotion over and over is its own kind of gift.
'¡Que viva el movimiento Latino!' he declared near the end of his performance— not as applause bait but as benediction.
In true Aguilar tradition and lineage, his daughter Ángela will take the same stage on Sunday. Saturday evening, Pepe made sure it was blessed first.
— Julio Lara
Xavi soulful corridos captivate La Onda crowd
Leave it to one of the festival's youngest stars to give La Onda its first real breath of life. Kicking off with 'Poco a Poco,' Xavi's songs moved like molasses in the festival sun — slow, methodical, and heavy with heart.
At just 20 years old, the ASCAP Latin Songwriter of the Year carries the weight of soul-wrenching lyrics in a body still young enough to wear braces. His corridos tumbados don't chase tempo; they simmer beneath it, rich with brass and anchored by bass lines that don't just vibrate — they bruise.
With only seven musicians onstage, Xavi leans into restraint over spectacle, letting minimalism magnify the melancholy. He debuted 'Qué Hay Que Hacer' live, but it was 'En Privado' that triggered the afternoon's first eruption — until, of course, he performed his chart-toppers. Draped in a Mexican flag for the final stretch, Xavi transformed heartbreak into heritage, striking a chord that went deeper than melody. 'La Diabla' and 'La Víctima' closed the set.