Watch Panteón Rococó Bring Pro-Immigrant Struggle to Tiny Desk Concert
The Mexican ska rock band Panteón Rococó joined the list of Latin acts performing on NPR’s iconic Tiny Desk on Thursday to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. The band used the emblematic platform to highlight the causes they support, such as the pro-immigrant movement and the crisis of disappeared persons in Mexico.
The legendary act, led by vocalist and social activist Dr. Shenka, performed some of their most well-known songs, including “1993,” dedicated to the nearly 133,000 people reported missing in Mexico, according to official figures cited by The Associated Press.
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“We’re representing Mexico City, the great monster,” Dr. Shenka said in his introduction. “So this next song, ‘1993,’ is dedicated to all the disappeared in Mexico,” he added, in a mix of English and Spanish.
During the session, guitarist Leonel Rosales can be seen wearing a T-shirt with the phrase “no human being is illegal” in Spanish — a clear stance against U.S. immigration policies — while bassist Dario Espinosa sports a shirt featuring an image of a dog urinating on an ice cube, in what could be a reference to ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement). Guitarist Rodrigo “Gorri” Bonilla wears a shirt with the logo of the German soccer team St. Pauli and the phrase “Make Fascists Afraid Again.” And Dr. Shenka is seen wearing a sports jersey in the colors of the Palestinian flag.
Their energetic set includes classics like “Arréglame el alma,” “Cha-Cha Love,” “La dosis perfecta” and “La carencia.” Just over 24 hours after its release, Panteón Rococó’s Tiny Desk session had already surpassed 1 million views on YouTube.
Their participation in NPR’s series comes ahead of their Dec. 26 show at the GNP Seguros Stadium, before taking an indefinite hiatus, as announced by the group. Vocalist Dr. Shenka suffered a mild heart attack in June 2025, which required the band to take several weeks off for his full recovery.
This year, Panteón Rococó was also recognized by Billboard as one of the 50 Best Latin Rock Bands of All Time and held a historic free concert for more than 120,000 people in Ciudad Neza, one of the most densely populated municipalities in the world, to celebrate their 30-year career.
