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September 5, 2006
Shakira shakes it up
I didn't really know what to expect when I arrived at the Mohegan Sun Arena Monday night for the Shakira concert. I had heard the song "Hips Don't Lie" - who hasn't - but other than that, not much by the Colombian sensation.
I sort of figured I would witness another pop spectacle, where style triumphs over substance, but I was in for a very pleasant surprise.
This girls rocks.
This was a full-blown rock concert with a killer band and just the right mix of upbeat numbers and ballads to satisfy the festive crowd.
Even though I didn't understand the majority of her lyrics - sung in Spanish - I couldn't help but get caught up in the festivities as her adoring crowd treated her as their queen, which is what she is. She's the female equivalent of The King, Elvis Presley. Good looking, energetic and extremely talented. And like Elvis the Pelvis, Shakira moves in ways that most people can't.
I would get even more caught up in the proceedings when Shakira sang in English - songs such as "Don't Bother," "Underneath Your Clothes" and, of course, "Hips Don't Lie."
As a male of the species, I also must confess that Shakira is by far the sexiest performer I have ever witnessed, and it didn't hurt that she performed, for the most part, in very low-riding outfits that showed off her incredible abs and her famous hips. The crowd oohed with every hip shake and aahed with every suggestive grind.
The crowd was nearly as entertaining as what was happening on stage. It had the feel of a South American soccer game as people came with the flags of their nations and T-shirts emblazoned with the names of their home countries. Naturally, there was an abundance of blue and yellow Colombia apparel.
Unlike Mariah Carey's recent show at the Mohegan Sun Arena, which saw her on stage for just 60 of the concert's 75 minutes, Shakira was definitely worth the money as she packed 17 songs into her 100-minute performance. She kept the costume changes to a minimum, about four, and even those amounted to just brief pauses in the action.
If Monday night had one disappointment, it would have to be the opening act, Wyclef Jean. He came on stage after DJ Leon played his music for 10 minutes as a sort of introduction to the crowd. If Wyclef's in the building and has his band with him, why didn't he just come out and perform these songs?
Then he performs a good, if unnecessary, cover of Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry" before bringing out his sister, Melky, to overdo a song, as in making each syllable last forever.
Soon, Wyclef was going through the rap concert cliches ("Everybody say 'Hey' everybody say 'Oh'" and "How many [insert ethnicity here] do we have in the house?") I think he hit on every country in South America.
His talk of leaving the immigrants alone was amusing when he cited Puerto Ricans, who, if memory serves, are from a U.S. commonwealth.
Very disappointing, even if he atoned for it somewhat with Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" in the encore, handling his parts from their hit collaboration.
Posted by Sean on September 5, 2006 5:10 PM
Comments
Shakira was awesome. This has been the best concert I have been to. Cannot wait for the next one.
Posted by: Liz da Silva at September 6, 2006 8:57 AM
seany-boy.....why bother traveling to mohegan sun?.....aren't there any strip joints closer to home?.....while i agree, the "crows" stank it up for tom petty, to classify shakira as a "musical" act is a disservice to music......it's analogous to saying brittney (sp?) spears has a "great voice".....have a great day and keep on bloggin'!!!
Posted by: $bill at September 6, 2006 12:11 PM
hey sean...you're still the best, kid!
Posted by: $bill at September 6, 2006 12:11 PM
Sean,
Have another beer at the Ale House...
Posted by: Karen at September 11, 2006 8:55 PM
