Rubén Blades Fotografías Tour at the Hollywood Bowl

Rubén Blades is coming back to the Hollywood Bowl on Wednesday, September 30, and he's bringing a full big band with him. The Panamanian singer, songwriter and actor shares the bill with the Roberto Delgado Big Band for a stop on the Fotografías Tour. It's also the final night of the Bowl's summer season, so if you've been meaning to get up to Highland Avenue once more before fall, this is the one. Among the Latin concerts in Los Angeles this month, few carry this much history.

Who's on stage

Blades has been writing salsa with a reporter's eye since the 1970s. "Pedro Navaja," his street-corner story song from the Siembra album with Willie Colón, is still one of the best-selling salsa records ever made, and plenty of people in the Bowl will know every word. The Hollywood Bowl lists him as a 12-time Grammy and 13-time Latin Grammy winner. He's also served as Panama's Minister of Tourism and run for president there, which tells you something about how seriously he takes the politics running through his lyrics.

Roberto Delgado leads the orchestra. He's a Panamanian bassist and bandleader, and his band backed Blades on Salswing!, the record where they mixed salsa with American swing-era big band writing. Expect a stage packed with horns.

What to expect

The Bowl describes the night as a mix of Blades' latest production, Fotografías, and hits from across his career. So you'll get newer material alongside the songs that made him famous. Doors and picnic time come before the show, and the Bowl lists an 8pm start. It's a school night, so plan on a late drive home.

Of all the LA concerts on the calendar this week, this is the one where you'll want to show up early with a bottle of wine and a picnic. The terraces fill up fast, and a September evening in the hills gets cooler than you'd expect. Bring a layer.

Practical info and getting there

The Hollywood Bowl sits just off the 101 on North Highland Avenue. Parking in the stacked lots is tight and slow to empty after the show. The Bowl's Park & Ride buses and the shuttle from the Hollywood/Highland B Line station are the easier options on a big night.

Ticket prices weren't listed in our source, so check the Bowl's box office or the Discover Los Angeles events listing for current seats. Resale tends to climb in the final days before a closing-night show.

If you're building a whole evening around it, there are plenty more Things Happening In Hollywood that week. You can also browse the rest of our concert listings. The last song of a Bowl season always runs a little longer than planned.