When it comes to iconic Regional Mexican music, Los Bukis is at the top of the food chain. Since opening the Strip’s first Spanish-language music residency at Dolby Live in May, the group has attracted a multigenerational audience.
For most Latinos, Los Bukis permeated adolescence. Their songs played throughout our homes on early Sunday morning cleaning rituals, at quinceañeras, weddings and every family gathering imaginable. And as we grew, the tunes found new life on our playlists to share among adult friends whose histories with the band often run parallel to each other.
Famous for their ability to combine the prominent parts of Latino sound, including cumbias, mariachi and corridos, while infusing modern rock elements with pop production, Los Bukis’ sound is transformative, always relevant and nothing short of influential.
Cousins Marco Antonio and Joel Solís formed the band during their teenage years in 1972. The duo eventually enlisted a full ensemble consisting of Roberto Guadarrama, Eusebio “Chivo” Cortés, José Guadarrama, Javier Solís and Pedro Sánchez and debuted their first album Falso Amor in 1973. The project’s success led the septet to release 16 albums and tour extensively until frontman Marco Antonio decided to pursue a solo career in 1996.
In 2021, 25 years after the band’s separation, their long-awaited reunion finally came. With just nine U.S. shows, they launched one of the biggest Latin tours of the year according to Billboard, drawing over 350,000 attendees. As a friend put it, Los Bukis are like The Beatles to our Mexican parents and grandparents.
Walking into Dolby Live during the band’s residency feels like stepping into a living, breathing scrapbook of Mexican musical history. The generation-spanning audience—Boomers, Gen X and a sprinkling of Gen Z fans following in their parents’ musical footsteps—exudes a humble and familial energy. And everyone shares a unified anticipation to be serenaded by the ballads.
Dressed in matching stage ensembles, their necks adorned with shiny gold pendants, Los Bukis displays a timeless elegance while displaying Vegas level showmanship throughout the evening. Marco Antonio Solís, the ever-charismatic frontman, moves and sings with the same finesse that’s made generations of fans swoon.
Throughout the two-hour set, the audience is treated to a visual feast with interactive graphics, backup dancers, slideshows of photos and videos from the band’s early days. Songs like “Y Ahora Te Vas,” “Chiquilla Bonita” and “Mi Mayor Necesidad,” stir tearjerking nostalgia, while classics like “Tu Cárcel” trigger a standing singalong. People dance in their assigned seats, often spilling into the walkway aisles to twirl and dip their companions. Live crowd shots capture tender moments—tears, laughter and the kind of joy that only comes from reliving the soundtrack of youth.
It’s clear that Los Bukis is the perfect band to pioneer the first Spanish-language residency in Vegas. Their ability to bridge generations through blending tradition with modernity makes them a natural choice. The Los Bukis residency is not only a celebration of music; it’s a testament to the band’s longstanding fandom and its enduring legacy as one of Mexico’s most iconic groups.
Los Bukis: La Residencia July 12-13, 19-20, 8 p.m., $85+, Dolby Live, ticketmaster.com.
