Los Lobos

Los Lobos play Knuckleheads Saloon on Saturday, December 5, at 7 PM. It's a single-bill night, so they're the only act on the bill.

If you're not familiar with them, they're an East Los Angeles band whose five original members—David Hidalgo, Louie Pérez Jr., Cesar Rosas, Conrad Lozano and Steve Berlin—have played together for more than five decades. That's a long run for any group, let alone one that's stayed the same lineup since the beginning. Over those years they've put out 17 studio albums, seven live LPs and three compilations, and picked up five Grammys along the way.

Their sound pulls from a few different places. On one side, there's the soul, R&B and doo-wop of late-night radio, alongside African-American blues, jazz and rock 'n' roll. On the other, they lean on their Mexican and Latin American roots: norteña, rancheras, bolero, cumbias and the rhythms of son huasteco and son jarocho. It's a wide reach, and they've managed to keep all those threads running through the same set.

Beyond the music, they've collected a fair bit of recognition: induction into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame, an ALMA Richie Valens Pioneer Award, an NEA and Hispanic Heritage Foundation Honor, and plenty of 'Keys to the City' and 'Los Lobos Day' celebrations. The show is at Knuckleheads Saloon, 2715 Rochester Ave, Kansas City, MO, starting at 7 PM.