The last week of April’s entertainment at Southern California casinos will bring one of the biggest names in reggaeton to the Yaamava Theater, which recently celebrated its first anniversary. Other acts at casinos include a smooth jazz saxophonist, a glam metal with an over-the-top act, the South Korean “Prince of Trot” and more.
Be sure to check the official websites for the latest event information.
Maluma
Maluma is a singer-songwriter and actor from Medellín, Colombia, who blends ballads, mambo, merengue, pop and Latin trap music. According to “LOUD,” a Spotify podcast chronicling the history of reggaeton, Maluma’s sister introduced him to the genre when he was about 8 years old. He asked his family to attend his first reggaeton concert at a stadium show where heavy hitters such as Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Tego Calderon, Ivy Queen were performing.
After the show, he abandoned his dreams of becoming a soccer player and pursued the path to become a reggaeton star. Years later, he would contribute to the massive boom of Colombian reggaeton, becoming one of the most prominent names in the genre. Maluma’s most notable hits include “Borro Cassette,” “Felices los 4” and “Hawái.” 8 p.m. Thursday, April 27, at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino, 777 San Manuel Blvd., Highland. Tickets start at $150; 21-and-older only. 909-864-5050. yaamava.com.
Kenny G
Smooth jazz saxophonist, composer, and producer Kenny G got his first gig as a sideman for Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra at 17 years old. After college, Grammy award-winning record producer and executive Clive Davis caught a rendition of Abba’s “Dancing Queen” by Kenny G and signed him to Arista Records. Kenny would later embark on a solo career producing jazz hits such as “Songbird,” “Forever in Love” and “The Moment.” 8 p.m. Friday, April 28, at Pechanga Resort Casino, 45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula. Tickets start at $65. 877-711-2946. pechanga.com.
Steel Panther
Although glam metal was heavily associated with the 1980s, Steel Panther wasn’t ready to put away their wigs and makeup. The group started in the early 2000s, playing covers of the genre’s most popular songs on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles before producing their own music. The group denies being a parody band of the glam metal scene, but they incorporate exaggerated comedy in their act, dress the part and have lyrics that would’ve certainly made them target of the Parents Music Resource Center in the 1980s. Some of their most popular tracks include “Death to All But Metal,” “If You Really Really Love Me” and “Party Like Tomorrow is the End of the World.” 8 p.m. April 29 at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa, 32-250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage. $30-$75. 800-514-3849. aguacalientecasinos.com
Park Hyun-bin
South Korean singer Park Hyun-bin is known as the “Prince of Trot,” a genre of Korean pop music known for its use of repetitive rhythm and vocal inflections that first developed during the Japanese occupation of Korea. Many Korean, Japanese, American, and European music genres influenced trot. Hyun-bin’s music has been featured in several election campaign ads and are sometimes sung at sporting events due to his style of catchy lyrics and sounds. Some of his most popular songs include “Thousands of Thousands,” “Dead Drunk,” and “So Hot!” 8 p.m. Saturday, April 29, at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84-245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio. $39-$139. 800-827-2946. fantasyspringsresort.com.
Enigma Norteño
Enigma Norteño are a regional Mexican group from Culiacán, Sinaloa. The quartet is known for its Sinaloan musical style and its narcocorridos, but in recent years has been open to branching out and embracing different styles of music to reach broader audiences with albums like 2017’s “De Aquí Soy,” which embraced a softer sound. In 2020, the group also teamed up with Mexican singer Javier Rosas to write a trap corrido titled “Del Este Soy” that paid homage to East Los Angeles. Some of the group’s most notable hits include “No Estoy Perdiendo Nada,” “El Mayito Gordo” and “El Deportivo.” 6 p.m. April 30, at Pala Casino Spa & Resort, 11154 Highway 76, Pala. $35-$50; 21-and-older only. 877-946-7252. palacasino.com.
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