By Daniel Paiz

Kali Uchis and Santana deliver classic concerts at Red Rocks during this last week of May 2026. Affectionately touting it as “Red 2 Rocks”, these two delivered two sets scattered across the musical spectrum of Rock, pop, and more. Uchis (5/26) shared the stage with two openers in Laila and Mariah the Scientist. Santana (5/27) initially listed the Doobie Brothers as openers, but for an unknown reason they were not there.

Both nights had a chorus of wonderful moments.

Kali Uchis’ “For the Girls” Tour

Openers

Laila & Mariah the Scientist

The opening acts were interesting for different reasons. Laila opened the evening and it was evident she was pretty nervous. The crowd greeted her with applause and support and as the set went on, she seemed to get more comfortable. To say this stage might’ve been too big for her at this point in her career might seem mean, but it’s being mentioned because there was a clear experience and production gap between the openers. The more rehearsals and shows Laila has, the more that experience gap will fade away; also, the songs performed didn’t really pull the crowd in that much.

Mariah the Scientist is right on Kali Uchis’ heels when it comes to performance, production, and song selection. “Is It A Crime”, “From A Woman”, and “2 You” were just a few of the long list of songs that had the rocks swaying and grooving as the sun set midweek. Mariah appeared to be quite enamored with some fans on the Rocks. The performance was at times measured and soulful, yet playful and grooving during other tracks. There was a sense of Mariah having been on this kind of stage before, and it’s clear this artist is still growing and evolving for the better.

Kali Uchis

The stage was prepared amicably by Mariah, as Kali Uchis picked up where the scientist left off and delivered jam after jam. “Dead to Me”, “Moonlight”, and “Heaven is a Home…” are just a sample of the songs that rattled around Red Rocks. Moods smoothly shifted from frenetic and festive to reflective and yearning.

Uchis performed a fair amount of choreography with numerous dancers and then went from dancing to singing in a bed to being lifted in a chair, all in a short amount of time. The crowd adored her every move, every lyric, and every glance. “Muévelo” and “Muñekita” were two memorable tracks as well amongst a heavy rotation of songs in Spanish. More of the set was in Spanish than English, which thrilled attendees. Every moment of the headlining set appears to have delivered to these appreciative fans.

Santana’s “Oneness” Tour

This Red Rocks concert on May 27th, 2026, felt like a trip to the past. This show was all-encompassing; rock, soul, blues, Latin, pop—there was something for everyone. Carlos and his bandmates exuded energy, passion, and joy throughout their set. There were performances inside of performances when it came to solos and highlighting various band members.

Songs across the Santana spectrum delighted fans of all ages. From “Black Magic Woman” and “Evil Ways” to “Oye Como Va” and “Maria Maria”, the entire musical timeline of this stalwart rocker reverberated rhythmically across these hallowed Red Rocks. There were few pauses.

The occasional time or two Carlos spoke to the crowd, it was about weed being legalized or about a favorite guitarist of his who “played like a tornado”. I can’t recall that guitarist’s name, but the keyboardist from that man’s band played a track or two as well. The keyboardist’s name sadly wasn’t repeated as he scuttled offstage as the night continued. There were also three standout performers amongst the dozen or so skilled musicians onstage this cloudy Wednesday evening.

Cindy Blackman (technically Cindy Blackman Santana) was the drummer for the evening, and she walloped every drum set piece in the best way possible. Her energy is tangible, her relentless drive to guide each song along, and her impressive endurance at altitude all combine to show why she’s on that stage. The long tenured drummer from Ohio has played with bands ranging from Lenny Kravitz to Buckethead. Blackman has also been the bandleader of numerous groups and put out her own music as well. On this chilly Colorado evening, she turned up the heat with those drumsticks. The keyboardist also matched her performance.

David K Mathews (not the other guy) has also been in the music game quite a while. Etta James and Herbie Hancock are just two of the dozens of big names Mathews has played with, and that laundry list of experience is evident at altitude. Bantering musically with Santana’s guitar, driving other songs along with Blackman, and supporting the other artists onstage all take place this evening, and it sounded routine for this guy. When something looks easy, that usually means the performer is top-notch, and Mathews seems to meet that label.

Carlos Santana was the third standout, but that’s also clockwork. The tumultuous joy vibrating out of those strings is the soul in physical form. The thought “this person is made for this” was one of the first that came to mind while witnessing his prowess. Carlos just belongs with a guitar, playing his tunes and also toying with some improvised choices throughout the evening.

The entire set is wonderful, and both nights end with big smiles and tired shuffles as the lights go up at Red Rocks.