Vicente Fernández continued...
Everything he sang was familiar to the crowd, I recognized a lot of it as I have several of his CDs. He didn't sing some standards that I like, Guadalajara or El Tapatio which are more regional and about his home state Jalisco in the north. He did sing many that I know and love, Que te vaya bonito, Tu Camino y El Mio, Los Mandados.
All night people were handing notes to security to give to him. He'd take them and read them, never missing a note, and either hand them to the band leader or put them on a table. So, I think he sang a lot of songs by request. It looked like he didn't know before the band started playing which song was next, he would listen to the opening bars and then get a big grin and pump his fists. When he wanted to take a drink from a bottle or a hit on his cigarette, he would just hold the mike out to the crowd and they would sing for him.
Late in the night he got a huge response singing México Lindo y Querido. By now, there were a lot of pretty happy people in the crowd. The young kid who had been leaning over the railing spilling his beer and singing at the top of his lungs, leaned down, tapped me on the shoulder and said "Viva Mexico". Of course, I responded "Viva Mexico" and we had a high five. After that, he was much more careful with his beer and he patted me on the head a couple times.
Oh, I've got to tell you about the blond. At one point this gorgeous, blond girl of about 20 somehow made it past the security ringing the stage and got up on it on her knees. The security guys were making some small effort to pull her back but Vicente waved them away and walked over to her. She was sobbing and wrapped her arms around his legs. He got her to her feet, never missing a word of the song he was singing, and she then clung to him like a limpet until the security guys pulled her away. She grabbed him again around the knees and at that point the drunken boys behind me started yelling ¡Chupale! which I won't translate for you but you can ask a spanish speaker. Shades of James Brown!
At 2:30am, he finally sang the song everyone had been yelling for all evening Volver, Volver and then Don Chente left the stage. I noticed the security guy had a tight grip on the back of his belt as he went down the stairs. There was not an empty seat in the arena, we all stayed for the last note. He had started singing at 10pm and he never stopped and he never left the stage for four and a half hours.
¡Qué Hombre!
Everything he sang was familiar to the crowd, I recognized a lot of it as I have several of his CDs. He didn't sing some standards that I like, Guadalajara or El Tapatio which are more regional and about his home state Jalisco in the north. He did sing many that I know and love, Que te vaya bonito, Tu Camino y El Mio, Los Mandados. All night people were handing notes to security to give to him. He'd take them and read them, never missing a note, and either hand them to the band leader or put them on a table. So, I think he sang a lot of songs by request. It looked like he didn't know before the band started playing which song was next, he would listen to the opening bars and then get a big grin and pump his fists. When he wanted to take a drink from a bottle or a hit on his cigarette, he would just hold the mike out to the crowd and they would sing for him.
Late in the night he got a huge response singing México Lindo y Querido. By now, there were a lot of pretty happy people in the crowd. The young kid who had been leaning over the railing spilling his beer and singing at the top of his lungs, leaned down, tapped me on the shoulder and said "Viva Mexico". Of course, I responded "Viva Mexico" and we had a high five. After that, he was much more careful with his beer and he patted me on the head a couple times.
Oh, I've got to tell you about the blond. At one point this gorgeous, blond girl of about 20 somehow made it past the security ringing the stage and got up on it on her knees. The security guys were making some small effort to pull her back but Vicente waved them away and walked over to her. She was sobbing and wrapped her arms around his legs. He got her to her feet, never missing a word of the song he was singing, and she then clung to him like a limpet until the security guys pulled her away. She grabbed him again around the knees and at that point the drunken boys behind me started yelling ¡Chupale! which I won't translate for you but you can ask a spanish speaker. Shades of James Brown!
At 2:30am, he finally sang the song everyone had been yelling for all evening Volver, Volver and then Don Chente left the stage. I noticed the security guy had a tight grip on the back of his belt as he went down the stairs. There was not an empty seat in the arena, we all stayed for the last note. He had started singing at 10pm and he never stopped and he never left the stage for four and a half hours. ¡Qué Hombre!
posted by Jonna at 11:35 PM
7 Comments:
You made me feel like I was there - thank you!
What a wonderful night, thank you for sharing.
Oh Jonna; that was a marvelous play by play. What a wonderful birthday present!
Merida; it's one hell of a town!
I completely agree with the others. Your description gave me goosebumps! Deb
loved reading this.... and i want his outfit!
Happy birthday jonna.... remind me to send you some pics from when we were 'young'! HA!
love, rachel
Jonna:
Wow...I felt like I was there with that great description of the concert!!
I did my own translation of the drunk guy who was yelling to the girl!!!
Check your email because I'll be sending you a separate email about your return back to California.
Linda & Mando
When I was 22 and had the body for them, I wanted a pair of charro pants soooo bad. They aren't cheap though, even back then. Of course, I wanted the ones with the real silver conchos and the detailed stitching. You had them made for you then, it was all custom. I did find the place to have them made (I was living in Mexico City) but first, they were resistant to making them for a woman. It is male attire. They wanted to make me the skirt that is worn by the women singers. Second, I was poor and ended up using the money for rent and food.
If you ever get the chance to see Don Chente live, it is well worth it.
Jonna,
I could almost hear Vicente singing, and I've never actually heard him. You write so well!
On another subject - your house - check out this B&B there in Merida. They did some neat things with the walls that are similar to your new/old home. Maybe you might see ideas that would work for your remodeling?
http://www.casasantana.com/
Still wish you two could go to Alaska with us this summer. If we don't go this summer, we'll go to Burning Man in August and hit Alaska next summer '08. ;^)
Ilene
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