Seems Like Old Times: Reunion Concert Evokes Cabo’s Golden Age of Live Music
Tuesday, January 21 will be a big night for long-time locals, as well as more recent arrivals curious about what Cabo San Lucas was like in its wilder and woollier days. That night, from 8 to 11 p.m., Brian Flynn, Lulu Small, and friends will stage a reunion concert and birthday bash at Puerto Paraiso on the Cabo San Lucas Marina. Or, as Flynn puts it: “Lets do it all over again like we did 20 years ago.”
Singer and guitarist Brian Flynn has been a fixture of the Los Cabos live music scene for more than 20 years.
Flynn, of course, remains a fixture on the local nightlife scene. In addition to touring and performing with some of the biggest names in country and rock ‘n’ roll with his Brian Flynn All-Stars, the talented singer and guitarist regularly performs at local nightspots like Baja Brewing Co., Cabo Lounge, Cerritos Beach Club and Surf, Rock & Brews and Tanga Tanga. The Brian Flynn Band was also, for many years, the house band at Cabo Wabo Cantina.
But when he first began performing in Los Cabos in 1993, at the request of his record company, Flynn quickly discovered that he wasn’t the area’s biggest draw. That was Lulu Small, who had been reigning queen of the local musical scene since landing at Land’s End in 1990.
“I first saw her play at a place called Señor Sushi’s, and she was something,” Flynn said. “Smart, funny, great musician, and incredible vocal range. She could go as low as Elvis and as high as Maria Callas.”
The two developed a quick appreciation for the other’s talents: Flynn’s fiery guitar playing and showmanship, and Small’s extraordinary range, which extended from her vocals to a virtuoso facility with multiple instruments. Flynn and Small played together at countless Los Cabos locations from 1993 to 1996. At one point, they even toured the United States together.
Fortunately for Los Cabos residents, Lulu Small hasn’t lost any of her punch since leaving the area in 1996. She’s still a powerhouse, larger-than-life performer with a five-octave range and stage patter worthy of a stand-up comedian. Nowadays, she mainly performs on her home turf in Alaska, where she is one of the state’s most beloved singer-songwriters. There are also periodic forays into the Lower 48 and across international borders.
The January 21 reunion and birthday bash at Puerto Paraiso will be the first time Brian Flynn and Lulu Small have played together in 17 years.
But Flynn remembers the period he and Small played together as the golden age of live music in Los Cabos. “Seemed like every other bar on the strip had a band or a great musician playing. There was always something going on at Señor Sushi’s, Maybe Later, Carlos’n Charlie’s, Tiburna Lounge or Tanga Tanga.”
Most of those places are but memories, which is why the reunion concert is generating a lot of buzz among long-time locals. The January 21 show will mark the first time Flynn and Small have played together in 17 years. It also happens to be both of their birthdays: Flynn turns 57, Small 60.
Baja Brewing Co. is sponsoring the highly anticipated event, and the patio at the popular bar and restaurant’s Marina location is the perfect place to enjoy the show, and of course to sample some of Baja California Sur’s best pub grub and microbrewed suds.
An invitation only afterparty will be held at locals’ favorite Cabo Lounge, which will also provide a showcase for the pair on the following night, Wednesday, January 22. That show will also begin at 8 p.m. No cover will be charged for either event.