At the beginning of his show on Friday, Luis Miguel told the Dodge Theatre audience what to expect: Boleros, ballads, pop songs and "a little mariachi" thrown in for good measure. The 38-year-old singer followed through with a set that delivered precisely what was promised. If the vocalist didn't exactly challenge himself, he did demonstrate why he is such a beloved presence in the Latin music scene.
Miguel started recording in Mexico when he was 11 years old. He's been famous ever since, and millions of Latin-music fans have matured with him. He has a passionate, intense vocal ------------- that works in either contemporary or traditional settings. Unfortunately, his albums tend to be overly polished; when he recorded a mariachi album (2004's Mexico En La Piel), it was about as glossy as folkloric music can get. His live shows aim to be equally sleek, with three video screens and 12 band members scattered about a multi-tiered set.
The handsome singer opened the show sporting a suit-and-tie combo that made him look like a starchy young executive. Musically, too, it was an equally conservative night. His band is enormously skillful, and a four-piece brass section gave the songs a vibrant R&B edge (one of Miguel's signature hits is a Spanish-language version of a Tower of Power song). But Miguel's arrangements have always strayed toward the middle-of-the-road; you can imagine a Vegas show band using the same charts.
During a series of classic Latin standards including No Me Platiques Mas and La Ultima Noche, the songs were shortened to essentially one verse and a couple of choruses. You can tell Miguel wanted to squeeze as much material into the show as possible, but it wound up killing the emotion on some of the tunes. He was backed by keyboards and synthesizer; the sound of a genuine piano would have suited the timelessness of the material so much more. The same thing went for a mariachi segment late in the evening. Miguel can sing the material convincingly -- his version of Si Nos Dejan is gorgeous - but the band couldn't simulate the genuine excitement and feeling of being accompanied by actual mariachis.
Although he was in terrific voice throughout, Miguel was frustrated by sound problems for most of the evening. He was constantly gesturing and making angry faces toward the sound booth; a catcher in a nine-inning game probably doesn't make as many gestures as Miguel did at the Dodge. It didn't matter to the audience, which was loudly enthusiastic throughout. Some went beyond enthusiasm, crashing through security and landing on stage to hug the bemused singer. No one said being a pop idol was all fun and glamour.
Set list
Tu Imaginacion
Suave
Tu Y Yo
Si Te Vas
Hasta Que Me Olvides
No Me Platiques Mas
No Se Tu
El Dia Que Me Quieras
Inolvidable
Besame Mucho
La Ultima Noche
Amor, Amor, Amor
Pensar En Ti
Te Necesito
Amarte Es Un Placer
Tu O Ninguna
Quiero
Bravo
Si Tu Te Atreves
Si Nos Dejan
Echame A Mi La Culpa
Sabes Una Cosa
Que Seas Feliz
Y
La Bikina
´p
El Viajero
Que Nivel De Mujer (Attitude Dance)
Sera Que Me Amas (Blame It On the Boogie)
(Encore)
Es Mejor (Reach Out)
Lo que se dice aquí es que es muy repetitivo y no ofrece nada nuevo!!!
