Music in Panama
Music in Panama has a very rich history, and in that vain continues to promote live music, concerts, and special events. Some very famous musicians have played in Panama, including recently Mandy Moore, Ricky Martin, Mana, and a number of world famous acts. Figali is perhaps the most famous venue, although the acoustics leave a bit to be desired. Teatro Nacional and the Teatro Anayansi are world class facilities that have begun hosting more events recently. The last major act to pass through Panama was dancehall sensation and world famous singer Sean Paul. The concert featured Sean Paul and his entourage playing to a sold out crowd at the Figali, performing many of his chart toppers like “Temperature”, “Get Busy”, and a few new songs like “Break it off”. The crowd definitely reciprocated the artists energy, and the show ended up being a resounding success. Other big acts as far as music in Panama that are scheduled for the rest of the year include reggaeton sensation Don Omar, Electronic DJ Deep Dish, and jazz phenomenon Kenny G. Other acts will be announced soon, however these are the confirmed bookings as of press time.
There are also a handful of musicians out of Panama who have gone on to enjoy world wide success. Perhaps the most famous musician from Panama is Ruben Blades, who now serves as the director of tourism here in Panama. In his heyday, Blades was the King of music in Panama, particularly Salsa. In the world of jazz, Luis Russell shared the stage with Louie Armstrong in the ‘20’s, alongside another Panamanian Mauricio Smith. Smith, a saxophonist and occasional flute player, played alongside the likes of Charlie Mingus, Dizzie Gillespie and the world famous Chubby Checker.
Rock group Los 33 have been living and touring in the US for the last 5 years, but will be returning to Panama on August 31st for a show at the Hard Rock Café, another good venue for live music in Panama. Spanish Rock is becoming very popular, with groups including Los Rabanes, Os Almirantes, Señor Loop, Roba Morena, Filtro Medusa, and Lemmiwinks, to name a few. See our reggaeton section for more information about this genre and other live music in Panama.