Sin Bandera's Escenas Tour @ Kia Forum
Sin Bandera's Escenas Tour made its way to the Kia Forum on September 27, 2026. And though I find myself saying it way too often, the sun has yet to let me down, and so it was a beautiful day in L.A. Getting there before doors open, we were able to experience the sunset as it casted its final rays, lending the sky its light, giving us this stunning pastel red/pink/orange hue - all while we had our very own air show.
(This photo does not do the day justice; it only captured a fraction of the look/color.)
Deciding to get to the venue early was a decision that ended up being completely worth it! Not only was there no struggle to get to our seats, but we were also able to experience two opening acts that were not formally listed - one of which started before the anticipated 8pm start time.
Opener #1, which opened at approx. 7:40pm, was Dynamo Productions' artist NOAM (@elnoam_) - who also does backing vocals for Sin Bandera. NOAM's vocals were as strong and sharp as his outfit was and completely caught me off guard with his incredible vocal control. His sound was quite unique. I would almost say that it was a blend of folk, country/americana, and a touch of soul. Especially his newest song "Stand and Deliver," it reminded me a lot of songs you would hear from The Teskey Brothers. Whether he was singing in English or Spanish, he had an amazing sounds and overall presence. As a big fan of this (his) sound, I am looking forward to adding his music to my "deep-in-thought" playlist.
Next up, we had Ecuadorian artist, Moncayo (@soy.moncayo; also a Dynamo Productions artist), who started off with an homage to Los Angeles Azules, with whom he had just come off of tour with. While always a welcomed, it wasn't until he started to perform his own music that I feel like I really got a taste of his sound. It was at this time that I noticed he had a similar style/sound - at least in the sense of catchiness. His music was all feel-good, and he clearly knows how to command a crowd with his presence - which was more impressive due to the small amount of 'real estate' that they had for their performance. I will definitely be adding Moncayo's music to my social playlists.
Last but not least, we have the talk of the night, the duo that is Sin Bandera - Noel Schajris and Leonel Garcia. I don't even know where to begin, but I do want to preface this with the fact that their performance was like nothing I could have ever imagined.
Sin Bandera is one of those bands that I know I listened to when I was young, but the only song that I really knew off the top of my head was "Que Lloro." It wasn't until the show went on that I realized how many songs I actually knew, from all of those mornings that my mom would loudly play music while cleaning. From my knowledge of their music, I knew that the music, and the general ambiance, was going to be romantic, which it was, but I never expected to see such a beautifully produced show. It wasn't so much the general production and/or lights, but the way they may have drawn up their choreography. There was clearly a lot of heart and soul in the singing, the movements, and the conversations with the crowd; above all else, it was clear to see that this was still fun for them and that they had a this brotherly bond.
While both artists (both of which have their own solo careers) were amazing performers and singers, I think they both had their strengths, which they played to very well. Noel had this incredibly high-energy intensity to him; he was ripping up his shirt(s) and running around the venue. Meanwhile, Leonel had this almost stoic look as he sang on stage, wearing his heart on his sleeve. Leonel had amazing vocal control and range. He sang like he was auditioning for his big break, which I felt like I wanted to give a standing ovation for - for each song.
The whole show was something of beauty and there was clearly a lot of love in the air. There were a lot of the artists' families in the crowd showing their support, and at one point, we even got to see someone get proposed to. There wasn't a single dull moment in the night. That said, I thought I'd feel out of place with all of the romance, but it only made the night feel more special - getting to live in the joy of those around me. Nothing was overly "sappy" where I thought I would be uncomfortable going to the show alone or with a friend. It was just a perfect performance.. a perfect night to a perfect day.
