Kings Of Los Angeles: Iconic Mexican Band Maná Sets Record For Most LA Arena Shows

Halfway into their third of five sold-out nights at the Inglewood, California’s Kia Forum on Nov. 21, Maná shifted gears and left the main stage and surprised the crowd by performing on the opposite end of the iconic arena to perform Mexican rancheras. One of the songs the Mexican rockers performed was the José Alfredo classic, “El Rey,” which translates to “The King,” an appropriate song for what turned out to be a watershed moment for the quartet.

Appropriate because that night, Maná surpassed Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band for the most arena shows performed in the Los Angeles area. The Boss owned the record with 42 shows before Maná brought their Live Nation-promoted “Vive Sin Aire Tour” to the Forum this month. The band was originally scheduled to perform for four nights at the L.A. venue and later added a fifth due to overwhelming demand, which will extend the record to 45.

Live Nation and Forum staff members honored Maná’s milestone by welcoming them with the USC Marching Band, the Inglewood High School band and the L.A. Clippers Spirit team, and it was then that they were informed of the record. A permanent wall installation rests backstage at the Forum commemorating the four-time Grammy winners.

During the concert, lead singer Fher Olvera told the crowd about their record and said, “That makes it very clear to us the power that our Spanish language has. Pay close attention to what I’m saying because it is historical and cultural, not for Maná but for you—the power that the people have, the Mexican and Latino communities here in Los Angeles. … The community is large, powerful, and it’s badass. ¡Que viva México, cabrones!”

Maná’s achievement is not only a testament to the band’s standout hits and legacy but also demonstrates the influence of Latin music in the live industry and its importance in major markets like Los Angeles. The group hailing from Guadalajara first played in Los Angeles in 1993 at the Hollywood Palace, and in 2007, they rocked out for an unprecedented 13 shows at what was then Staples Center (now it’s Crypto.com Arena). The band has performed dozens of sold-out shows at the Kia Forum alone, including a memorable residency in 2022 that made them the first act to have an arena residency in L.A. The feat caught the eye of legendary music executive and Eagles manager Irving Azoff, who championed Maná when the band was being considered for a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination in February.

“The Maná residency at The Forum is truly historic — 16 sold-out shows and more to come,” Azoff, co-founder of Pollstar‘s parent company Oak View Group, said earlier this year. “One can see how special this band is when you see them perform and interact with their fans. It’s time for the Hall of Fame to induct a Spanish-language band, and Maná should be first.”

Olvera often interacted with the crowd throughout the two-and-a-half-hour show, giving backstories to some songs and thanking the fans for doing their part in making Maná one of the most prominent acts in the Latin rock scene. The singer also expressed his love for the Forum, a place where they have performed 31 times.

“We are right now in a place that is one of our favorites, acoustically speaking—caliente, tasteful, beautiful,” Olvera said of the Forum. “Not too big, not too small; the Forum is badass.”

See Artist POV: Maná’s Alex González On Earning Historic Rock Hall Nod

Since forming in 1986, the band embraced every sound and country, and in turn, countries accepted them, allowing them to climb up every music chart following the success of their 1992 album, ¿Dónde Jugarán los Niños?, with breakout hits like “Oye Mi Amor,” “Cachito” and “Me Vale.” Maná, along with bands like Caifanes, Soda Stereo, Café Tacvba, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Maldita Vecindad, Héroes Del Silencio and La Ley, helped rock en español expand beyond Latin American borders and found audiences across the globe, especially in the U.S.

Drummer Alex González spoke to Pollstar in February when Maná made the shortlist for Rock Hall nominations and said the band will tour as long as they can, not to achieve milestones like having the most arena shows in L.A. or being enshrined into the Hall of Fame, but to give back to the fans who have given them so much for nearly four decades.

“We’ll try to get inducted again and play the right music,” González said earlier this year. “If the Stones can do it, and they’re in their 80s, then as long as we’re healthy, we’re going to continue playing and touring. … Just the fact that they nominated you, they appreciate you and what you did as a piece of art, it’s just great. We’ve always said this very humbly that the greatest award that we’ve had in our career are the fans who stood out in the rain, in the cold and extreme heat to buy a ticket or wait to see us. To have millions of fans all over the world love what you do, that’s…wow, man. It’s incredible.”

The band isn’t done with 2025 just yet. They still have shows at Fresno’s Save Mart Center and two nights at SAP Center in San Jose. Maná takes a small break before resuming the “Vivir Sin Aire Tour” in February, visiting Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena, UBS Arena in Belmont, Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Orlando’s Kia Center, Kaseya Center in Miami, Atlanta’s State Farm Arena and First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro.