Topline:
Keyboardist and member of Café Tacvba, Meme del Real, described downtown LA as “a desert” in the aftermath of the March ICE raids — in contrast to his past experiences in the city over the last three decades.
The context: Meme del Real, who has mostly been the keyboardist for legendary rock en español band Café Tacvba, is releasing his first solo album La Montaña Encendida on Oct. 15. He visited Los Angeles to announce the album last month.
Read on… to learn how and why Los Angeles has been pivotal to Café Tacvba and del Real’s trajectory and why he was disturbed by what he saw here.
Café Tacvba is arguably one of the most influential rock bands of all time — if not globally — in Latin America. The group is from the suburbs of Mexico City and rose to prominence in the 90s with their unique combination of traditional Latin American rhythms like norteño and cumbia mixed with alternative and grunge rock.
After three decades of continued relevance with hits like “Como te extraño mi amor” and “Eres,” keyboardist, guitarist and vocalist from Café Tacvba, Meme del Real, is putting out his first solo album, La Montaña Encendida, which will come out on Oct. 15.
He visited L.A. to announce the new album and swung by LAist to talk about the unique role Los Angeles has played in Café Tacvba’s trajectory and why his most recent trip to L.A. disturbed him.
Café Tacvba’s early L.A. days
The group first came to Los Angeles in the early 90s to work with legendary Argentine producer Gustavo Santoalalla, who was mixing their self-titled first album. Del Real recalled his first impression driving to the airport to Santoalalla’s place in Echo Park: “ I remember noticing the pavement on the freeway and being like, ‘Oh my god so straight and there are no holes! Fantastic!”
The group returned in September 1992 to perform in the United States for the first time as part of the Mexican independence festival organized by KMEX Channel 34. This was when del Real first realized that Latinos in the U.S. had a special connection with the kind of music Café Tacvba was making and performing.
“ People were looking for something that could represent them and we [brought] a little piece of their heritage and their roots and their families,” del Real said. “And they were [going] completely mad — they were crazy — like they were really joining in and we loved to be part of that moment.”
Del Real reflects on L.A. today
“I’m really used to L.A. as an exploding city,” del Real said in September 2025, referencing how in the past he’s seen Los Angeles teeming with life. “And yesterday I just came downtown and it’s like a desert. It was really, really sad. I mean, I was shocked.”
He said he can feel how the energy and mood has shifted since the increased presence of ICE began in March.
“To have the feeling that somebody can say, ‘No you are not allowed to live here because of your DNA'… it's horrible,” del Real said.
For more about Meme del Real’s new album La Montaña Encendida and how and why a corrido tumbado version of ‘Eres’ came to be viral, check out the full conversation between him and Antonia Cereijido.
