The headliner for Go Tejano Day at RodeoHouston has been fairly strong the last few years with performances by legends such as Los Tigres Del Norte, Ramon Ayala, and Los Tucanes De Tijuana. Which is why I was surprised when La Fiera De Ojinaga were announced as this year’s lead act.
Honestly, I was more surprised at myself for not knowing the band’s music. I listen to local Mexican radio while driving around the city, and tend to keep up with the music trends, but La Fiera’s music had escaped my ears until very recently. Regardless, I pulled up to NRG stadium on Sunday afternoon with an open mind and ready for a great show.
The Norteño-Sax genre has always been full of high energy, driven melodies, and heartfelt emotion. As a former alto sax player myself, I can appreciate the complex arpeggios that accompany the accordion throughout La Fiera’s music. And yes, I definitely spent several hours “researching” La Fiera’s music on TikTok, wishing I was the guy dancing at the baile while wearing my Tejana and cowboy boots.
The band opened with “Beses A Quien Beses,” “En Otro Canal” and “La Boca Les Callamos,” each with a message of love and heartbreak. Lead singer Mauricio “Pikaro” Palma has a very distinct voice that grabs your attention and exudes amazing energy and confidence.
The attendance on Sunday held strong at 71,340, although it didn’t feel as jam packed as in previous years on this day. Nevertheless, I witnessed lots of couples dancing in their seats and in the aisles, and kids in boots “zapateando” the night away to La Fiera’s lively music set.
Highlights from the evening included a tribute to the late, great Vicente Fernandez as they sang “Volver, Volver” in his honor. Other covers included “Mi Forma De Sentir” by Pedro Fernandez, and the Norteño-Sax version of “Lo Dejaria Todo” by pop Latino artist Chayanne.
The crowd continued to dance and sing along to hits such as “Te Vas Acordar De Mi,” “No Paras De Hacerme Feliz” and “Chiquita Bonita.” It was a fun set with big Norteño enegy and quality compositions.
Prior to the headliner taking the stage, Houston’s own Mariachi Imperial de America won 1st place in the 2023 Mariachi Invitational contest. After making it to the finals at least three times in the past few years, the band led by Jose Longoria finally won the whole event by playing “El Rey” by Vicente Fernandez, “Tragos Amargos” by Ramon Ayala, and “La Boda Del Huitlacoche” by Carin Leon.
What’s next for Go Tejano Day? Will there ever be a Tejano music reunion? Who would you like to see and hear on this stage?
My predictions are someone like Carin Leon, Fuerza Regida or even Grupo Frontera.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
