ALEJANDRO FERNÁNDEZ PERFORMS IN CUENCA

Flanked by six musicians, including a man on a trombone, another on a trumpet, a saxophonist, several guitarists and three back up singers/dancers, Alejandro Fernández commenced his show March 14 amidst a great blaze of lights and musicianship.  The excitement accelerated throughout the 2 ½ hours of his presentation. Alejandro Fernández is a handsome man in his early forties, and sports a fine physique. Skilled as a horseback rider, he is at the top of his form. He has recently grown out his always longish hair, so that now he wears it in a pony tail. Fernández spoke several times between numbers to introduce various songs and acknowledge his Cuenca admirers. He enticed his women listeners with songs specifically intended for them. A highly charismatic performer, he addressed his audience with great presence. He paid homage to the lead saxophonist and guitarist on stage by interacting with them closely. His smile was effervescent throughout the evening. Indeed, his happiness and ease grew with every song, and by the evening’s end, he was rapturous, as was his audience.

The first hour of the Alejandro Fernández Cuenca performance included some of the artist’s more recent popular songs. Notable were hits Se Me Va la Voz, which means “My Voice Left Me,” translated to English; and Hoy Tengo Ganas de Ti, (“Today I am Desiring You”). Alejandro Fernández sang the beautiful Miguel Bosé ballad, Te Amaré, (“I Will Love You”). Canta Corazon, (“Sing my Heart”) was a huge hit during 2004, and was performed in the middle of the set. Fernández sang the evocative Me Dediqué de Pederte, (“I’ve Devoted my Time to Losing You”), close to the end of the first hour.  The set ended with the exquisite Si tu Supieres, (“If You Had Known”)

Everything changed in the second hour and a half of the Alejandro Fernández concert.  Twelve dexterous Mariachis playing strings and horns appeared on stage. Each was dashing in his classic Mariachi sombrero, bolero jacket, 3-buttoned vest and pants trimmed with silver buttons.  The performance shifted entirely to a presentation of the earlier, earthier forms of music Fernández was known for in the 1980’s and 1990’s. All at Cuenca’s Estadio Alejandro Serrano Aguilar stadium were on their feet, dancing and singing. The Mariachi Musicians opened with a spectacularly sumptuous rendition of El Cascabel, (“The Bell”), a song known throughout Latin America. Several other songs followed, and Alejandro Fernández appeared. He stood central stage while the Mariachis parted into two lines,  saluting him by removing their sombreros. The audience erupted into a fervor. Fernández stood still, the huge screen behind him projecting his outsized image. He lifted his sombrero, which until that moment, had covered his face. Together, the musicians and Fernández a rousing rendition of Donde Vas Tan Sola, (“Where are You Going So Alone”). Fernández dedicated the very romantic song, Mátalas, or “Kill Them,” to the women in the audience. One of the phrases of this song goes like this,

Mátalas
 

con una sobredosis de ternura
asfixialas con besos y dulzuras
contagialas de todas tus locuras

Or translated into English:

Kill them
with an overdose of tenderness
suffocate them with kisses and sweetness
infect them with all of your craziness

Other songs performed during the second half of the show were Que Lastima, “What a Shame,” about the demise of a great love. Cascos Ligeros, (Light Helmets) about a pony that won’t be broken featured a film of horses on a large screen behind the musicians. Fernández also performed  Tantina Pina, (“Hint of Sorrow”), a fast paced Bolero. Como Quien Pierda Una Estrella, (“Like Someone Who Has Lost a Star”) was among the songs of the second set. Once again, Fernandez sang a song specifically addressed to the women in the audience, Es la Mujer, (It’s the Woman) Alejandro Fernández completed the evening by singing a potpourri of his father’s most famous songs. These songs included Las Llaves de mi Alma, (“The Keys to my Soul”), Malditio Amor, (“Damned Love”), Mujeres Divinas (“Divine Women”),  and La Mentira, (“The Lie”).

Fernández tantalized the audience throughout his Cuenca performance simply with the tilt of his sombrero or a shift in his shoulder. The holographic images projected on large screens showed his body, as well as those of the dancers and musicians, quite clearly. There is nothing more rewarding than a live performance of an artist at the pinnacle of his career, and Alejandro Fernández is at his peak. Originally known for the traditional forms of mariachi and ranchera, Alejandro Fernández then successfully branched out into popular music. His father, Vincente Fernández, was famous for the rancheras he penned and performed. Alejandro Fernández, nick-named El Potrillo, or “The Pony,” is the youngest son of  the iconic Vincente Fernández. In 2003 Vincente Fernandez and his son Alejandro Fernández played together in front of a crowd of 60,000 in Mexico City in the final event of their tour, En Vivo: Juntos Por Ultima Vez, or, “Live: Together for the Final Time.”

The Estadio Alejandro Serrano Aguilar in Cuenca has a capacity for about 22,000 people. The night of the show, the stadium was several thousand people below capacity. It was chilly, and rained some during the several hours fans waited for the show to start. And of course, the show did start an hour and a half late. Yet all of that really didn’t matter when Alejandro Fernandez burst on the stage. Ecuadorians and Expats alike may have been deterred from going to the Alejandro Fernandez concert due to the cost of the tickets, which started at $35 for general seating.  However, the quality of staging, the lighting, and the number of musicians in the Alejandro Fernández production far surpassed that of well known artists whom I’ve seen in other Latin American venues for a ticket cost approximating $20. I'll remember the Alejandro Fernández performance in Cuenca my whole life! 

I'm seen in the photograph above with the beautiful Ecuadorian family that I adopted that night (or did they adopt me?). We sat on a cold hard cement bench in the rain for over 3 hours waiting for the show to start. We look happy though, don't we? We each knew, in our heart of hearts, that our wait would be rewarded with a terrific show, and it was.

This blog update is shorter than my previous blog postings. That's because I am going to post several days together early in the month. How perfect that I am starting with  Alejandro Fernández, as lately I've been have been watching him on youtube every chance I get. I'm completely absorbed in learning the lyrics to his songs. I have his tunes going around in my head all of the time. 

Tomorrow I'll write more about Alejandro Fernández. I will write about the birthplace of this great artist. After all, Alejandro Fernández is cultural ambassador for the mariachi and ranchera traditions of his birthplace, Guadalajara, Mexico. In the meantime, thank you for taking the time to review my latest blog update, and I hope you'll check in again tomorrow to read some more!

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