Four legendary norteño acts — Eliseo Robles, Lalo Mora, Raul Hernández and Rosendo Cantú — travel as a supergroup across Mexico and the U.S. for a tour called El Palomazo, which in Mexican slang means an impromptu performance or a jam session. Over the past six years, El Palomazo — launched in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico by the late regional Mexican executive Servando Cano — has introduced these música mexicana stars and norteño pioneers (all in their early or late 70s) to a new generation of música mexicana fans, who are connecting in a whole new way to the music that soundtracked their homes.
“My dad worked in norteño music for many years; he was knowledgeable and loved norteño music,” Cano’s son, Servando Cano Jr., now president of SERCA Live, tells Billboard. “When we launched it, we were having a conversation about how people wanted to see something different on stage, different concepts. So, we thought it would be cool to do a show of just hits with the most representative norteño music stars. It has evolved throughout the years but we knew people would like it because we created it as fans of norteño music.”
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While initially it took place only in Mexico with the four artists taking turns on stage, it was brought to the U.S. in 2023 with the concept that stands today: All four artists take the stage at the same time singing back-to-back hits with a norteño band in tow. “People give us feedback continuously on social media and we listen,” Cano Jr. says. “They wanted all the artists together instead of having to see them one by one and waiting for the next artist to set up.” The hits go from “No Hay Novedad” to “Aguanta Corazón” and “Eslabón Por Eslabón,” songs that have stood the test of time. To date, the supergroup has recorded four albums to complement their Palomazo shows via indie music label SERCA.
El Palomazo is a testament to norteño and música mexicana’s current hold on culture. While the new generation of regional Mexican music hitmakers tend to be younger today, and have brought in an equally youthful fanbase, these four veterans are further proof of the demand for this style of music, regardless of age. In 2024, the tour completed 14 shows across the U.S., with 13 of them sold out. Nine shows have already taken place this year, eight of sold out, with 11 more dates scheduled for later this year. Cano Jr. says they’ll be announcing new tour dates soon and an expansion into larger venues across the U.S.
“This music is in our blood,” Cano Jr. says categorically. “Thanks to technology, we can see who is listening to us today, and for sure the audience has changed over the years. Our understanding, based on data, was that people 45 and older would make up 80% of regional music listenership. Today, that 80% is now made up of 15-34 year olds. It makes sense. We’ve seen that shift in our shows. Before, it was older people who went to our concerts, but now it’s a family affair. It’s a connection to your roots, your past, your family.”
To further connect with that newfound younger fanbase, the artists have turned to TikTok to market their shows. And yes, that means that these 70-year-olds have also turned into TikTok stars.
“All four are so different, and that has informed our marketing,” Cano Jr. adds. “They love everything that’s happening and they knew the concept would work I just don’t think they imagined it would grow so much. To be able to accomplish this at their age and perform on stages they hadn’t even performed before is really beautiful to see.”
