On Sunday night, the Puerto Rican King of Salsa, Marc Anthony, ended his tri-state Valentine’s Day weekend run in Uniondale, Long Island, at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Over 17,000 attendees including proud latinos of all generations (despite the extremely frigid weather) flocked to greet their King. The show opened with comedian Joey Vega warming up the crowd. In his 30 minute set, he joked about what it means to be latino. He seamlessly transitioned between English and Spanish. Immediately following a hilarious set, Tito “El Bambino” graced the stage with six bombshell dancers decked out in nude and silver embellished outfits that served as eye candy to the fellas in the audience. Singing his hits, the Puerto Rican native performed “Tu Y Yo”, “A Que No Te Atreves”, and “Llueve El Amor” to name a few. The Reggaeton dancing and sounds excited the arena and warmed everyone up for Marc.
90 minutes later, what seemed to be at least a fourteen member band took the stage and teased the King’s arrival with the instrumental to “I Need To Know”. Marc stepped onto the in-the-round stage wearing a black edgy geometrical tunic, grey weathered pants and black boots ready to own the night. Singing the only English song of the night – Grammy nominated “I Need To Know” – the crowd went wild. Everyone was on their feet singing along. The show had officially begun. A beautifully orchestrated live band, flashing lights, and Marc’s stunning voice set the tone for the evening.
Marc took us back, singing his hits “Te Conozco Bien” and “Hasta Ayer” from his 1995 album “Todo a Su Tiempo.” This featured a spectacular violin solo. Next were “Y Hubo Alguien” and “Contra La Corriente” from his 1997 album and “Ahora Quien” from his 2004 album “Amar Sin Mentiras.” Mid-concert and then again later on, Marc engaged the fans and sparked a “battle of the fans/stands” where they competed for his attention. Splitting the arena into four sections, the fans screamed at the top of their lungs and stomped their feet to win his attention. Similar to the chants in sports stadiums, it was not only chilling but what seemed to be a surprising energy even to Marc. Soon after, Tito “El Bambino” returned to the stage and joined Marc Anthony for “Por Qué Les Mientes”.
After awakening the prideful origins of various cultures in the audience by shouting out all the Boricuas, Dominicans, Colombians, Mexicans, Ecuadorians, Argentinians, etc. Marc made the point that “here. . . tonight. . .we are one . . . period”. He then performed “Mi Gente” from the 2007 “El Cantante” Soundtrack, a film about the life of Hector Lavoe. As Marc paraded across the stage with enthusiasm, images of the great Hector Lavoe played in the background, eventually ending with him taking a Puerto Rican flag from a fan and running around the entire stage with pride and leaving it draped on his mic stand.
Throughout the evening Marc engaged the fans — shaking hands, asking them to sing for him, and even photo bombing a few female fan selfies as he performed. He never missed a word. Towards the end of the evening, as Marc left the stage, fans screamed “Otra, Otra, Otra” beckoning for his return and an encore. He did not disappoint. Anthony ended the night with “Vivir Mi Vida” from his latest album “3.0” released in 2013. Images of all hispanic nationalities and people of all ages flashed on LED screens, while Marc and fans sang along to what felt like the new latin anthem. The audience truly became one. Marc Anthony put on an incredible show and you definitely have to see him live.
