POP WEEKEND : Los Lobos Returns Musically to East L.A. Roots at the Pantages

“It’s good to be back home,” Los Lobos’ Cesar Rosas said near the beginning of the quintet’s sold-out concert Friday night at the Pantages Theatre--and the remarks applied literally.

The East Los Angeles band was home after an 11-city tour to promote its new “La Pistola y El Corazon” album, and the musicians were pleased to be back in front of family and longtime supporters.

Songs during the 90-minute program were dedicated to moms, children, wives, fathers, friends and even alma maters (Garfield and Roosevelt high schools).

But the “back home” reference also summarized the musical spirit of the endearing evening.

“La Pistola” is a richly appealing collection of acoustic Mexican folk songs--music that the band’s four founding members played at bars and weddings when they started out together 15 years ago this month.

Though the musicians had also been rock fans, it wasn’t until the early ‘80s that Los Lobos began moving in a more contemporary direction, seasoning marvelously crafted tales of social idealism and struggle with the embracing spirit of their Mexican musical roots.

Following a major commercial breakthrough last year with the “La Bamba” sound-track album, Los Lobos decided to salute its roots with an album of the old folk songs--using traditional instruments--and playing a few Spanish-only shows.

At the Pantages on Friday, the band employed nearly a dozen acoustic guitars in various sizes to give the music much of its special shading. Adding color: David Hidalgo’s accordion and violin touches, and Steve Berlin’s soprano sax.

Though Louie Perez and Conrad Lozano joined on some vocals, Rosas and Hidalgo handled most of the leads, and they sang with such affection and care that it was easy for non-Spanish speaking members of the audience to relate to the emotion of the tunes.

As satisfying as the evening was on an entertainment level, it was also instructive. One of the most valuable aspects of Los Lobos’ rock albums is the warmth and sense of community that is woven into the songs. At times, Los Lobos’ music seems recorded in a living room or at a neighborhood block party rather than in a studio.

Often, bands are open to charges of compromise when they stray from their roots, but Los Lobos is a band that has grown as it has expanded. Its new musical home (and vision) is in such rich, multidimensional rock ‘n’ roll songs as “One Day, One Night” and “Tears of God.”

Friday’s concert was a joyous reminder that Los Lobos’ new music would have been impossible without the band’s roots. More importantly, it showed that in Los Lobos’ long musical journey to rock, it really hasn’t had to leave home at all.