POP REVIEW : Newcomers Spark Cinco de Mayo Fest

It was the closing series of veteran acts, including Los Tigres del Norte, Mexico’s hugely popular norteno-pop group, that probably attracted most of the estimated 53,000 people to Monday’s belated Cinco de Mayo celebration at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

But some of the eight-hour event’s most satisfying moments were supplied by some relative newcomers, including Banda Sonido 13, a more innovative norteno outfit from Mexico, and Laurie, a Los Angeles pop/hip-hop singer.

The free festival, which was rescheduled from May 3 because of the riots in Los Angeles, ran from 11 a.m. to nearly 7 p.m. and featured more than a dozen bands--most from Mexico--representing a variety of musical styles, from romantic ballads to spicy tropical cumbias .

The lineup included several established acts, including balladeers Jose Javier Solis and Venezuela’s Nestor Daniel y sus Terricolas, but they didn’t generate the energy or freshness of the newcomers.

Banda Sonido 13, a nine-piece ensemble from Tepic, Nayarit, added some enticing twists to the flavorful norteno approach, spotlighting an animated brass section that danced in front of the rest of the band as the entire unit served up its infectious sound.

Laurie, who offered a bit of Paula Abdul-style urban vigor, lacks vocal authority, but she has a lot of visual flair as a dancer-performer and employs a sturdy rock back-up group.

The music itself was conventional but catchy.

By using two stages, the festival promoters kept things moving well, unlike many marathon shows where things are hopelessly slowed down by set changes. Emcees also, thankfully, kept their roles--and remarks--to a minimum, never interfering with the flow of the show.