Hit after hit, Mexican rock band, Enjambre, packs a punch to remember at sold out Chicago show

We start off this windy, cold Sunday night (2/8/26) at the House of Blues Chicago, where the only thing harder than maneuvering to the front of the packed venue was waiting in the cold in a line that never seemed to die down. It was almost 8PM and the line didn't seem to have an end - and the inside of the venue was so full that it made you think if they might've gone over capacity. All that said and done, I made my way to the pit to meet with other familiar faces (other photographers and familiar staff) and hunkered down. To my surprise, when those lights dimmed down, it wasn't Enjambre that came out.. it was none other than Los Angeles' Surely Tempo!

For those that aren't familiar with this band, Surely Tempo is a Chicano band who plays a wide variety of sounds. You can clearly hear the latin influence in their music, but you can also hear the indie/alt influence in their music. For their English influence, think of bands like Arctic Monkeys and Catfish and the Bottlemen - like actually English/British. Their Spanish music definitely takes a bit of a turn with their song "PAZ" taking influence from artists like Sublime and "El Metro Tumbado" having that classic corridos tumbados sound.

As they rock the stage, the bass hits you in all the right ways.. the lights flash.. first RED, BLUE, ORANGE, and then all at the same time.. one minute you're listening to them sing in Spanish and the next they hit you with the English. One minute you think you're at a Sublime concert and the next you wonder how you managed to get tickets to Arctic Monkeys (listen to "Time Will Tell"). I definitely wasn't complaining - I just wish I could've stayed in the pit to listen to their whole set.

Surely Tempo is one of those bands that has a sound equivalency of being a jack-of-all-trades. With a growing discography, they're a force to be reckoned with. As they continue to blow up, the argument for them being a contender in the age old question "if you had to listen to one band, who would it be?", will become a greater possibility - fortifying their place amongst many others.

Now, the reason why I was stuck waiting out in the freezing cold... ENJAMBRE!! A band of brothers, and lifelong friends, that define and inspired generations of Mexican/Spanish/Latin rock bands. People always talk about becoming the next big thing.. but, Enjambre did it! Though their band has undergone a few changes over the years - from names and a few members - they still remain true to their sound and ideals. For those that aren't aware, Enjambre means "hive or swarm - usually of bees" which is a play on words of their surname 'Navejas"... I'll be the first to admit that as a fellow L.A. Chicano, my Spanish can be a little bit broken, so it was news to me.. the whole time I was wondering why concert-goers were wearing little bee-like antennas!

Enjambre is UNIQUE. They are very good about not sticking to one sound - meaning they have something for everyone. Sometimes you're listening to a beautiful, slower, ballad-like songs that will have you rethink your entire life, but the next you don't remember why you were so upset, rocking out to this darker-sounding indie-rock sound. Listening to them now - thinking back to the actual day of the show - I realize the weight that their music carries, not just for me, but their overall influence. I recently found, and had the opportunity to cover, another Mexican alt/rock band, Odisseo, who you can tell takes a lot of influence from bands like Enjambre. For a band that was formed within this century, Enjambre is clearly a name that carries a bright, red-hot torch - matched only by the heat that is their performance.

House of Blues has never - so quickly - gone from loud chatter, to a quiet room, back to a roaring cheer. I'm not normally one to record a phone video from the pit, but when you have a set of legends and one of the best walk-outs you've ever seen, I had to stop and just let myself be a fan for a minute. Honestly, the walk-out wasn't even anything spectacular, but in conjunction with their new, unreleased song, it was like a cinematic masterpiece. I won't out their new song, but I can't not see it climb the charts soon after its release, which I hope is SOON. I need to inject that song into my veins and upload it to my personal cloud network (my brain).

Lead singer, Luis Humberto Navejas, has these special, hypnotizing moves on stage. It's like that feeling you get when you're dancing alone and you close your eyes - just letting your body feel the music. But, I understand it. I think it's a great sign that he just truly believes in the music they are putting out. I often found myself opening my eyes not fully aware of where I was, but I felt good inside.. like my soul just had the time of its life without me. Ultimately, I think that's what makes Enjambre's music so amazing... it's thought provoking in a world where a lot of music is made for the sole purpose of becoming the next big thing. Their music has structure and balance in a world that is so full of chaos and confusion. It'll knock you on your *ss and make you wonder, reminisce, and most importantly, feel.

Although Enjambre has already hit many different heights and peaks, I know that they will continue climbing, creating a new pinnacle that others can only dream about achieving. I believe that they have already cemented themselves as one of this generation's greatest rock bands, but as they continue to create, they will also become one of the many other great foundations that others will look to build atop - hopefully housing the next generation's 'next big thing.'

Many many thanks to Enjambre and their team for having me out to experience them live firsthand. The performance was everything I could ever wish for and then some. Between their performance, Surely Tempo's performance, and the liveliness and demeanor of the crowd, I wish I could live this night over time and time again.