Tags: Argentina, julieta venegas, LAMC, Shakira
- The Recently Released Julieta Venegas: MTV Unplugged Album And Its First Single “El Presente” BOTH Continue At #1 On The Charts In Mexico
- In The U.S., The Album & Single Are Both In The Top-5 Of The “Latin Pop” Charts
- Julieta Receives Critical Praise For Her First Ever-Performance In Boston, And Fills New York’s Central Park SummerStage To Capacity - Forcing The Venue To Shut Its Doors Early – As Thousands Turn Out For Her Free Performance At The LAMC
“Venegas [is] a true Latin pop star. Forget about Shakira. There’s a new Latina pop star in town… The adoring throng in attendance showered Venegas and her 14-piece ensemble with love, singing every word to the opener, “Limon Y Sal,” …She was a nonstop display of multi-instrumental talent: playing accordion on “Seria Feliz,” strumming guitar on “Algo Esta Cambiando” and playing electric piano on “Mirame Bien” and the gorgeously melancholic “Lento.” While the unplugged format cast an old-world, organic feel, it didn’t stop the band from treating songs distinctively. The string quartet on hand added dramatic texture to “Amores Perros” and the recent “El Presente,” a No. 1 hit in Mexico and Argentina, possessed ska-like punch. Trumpets, banjos, ukuleles and woodwinds also contributed… you couldn’t help but get caught up in the festive energy. It’s a rare pleasure to see an audience so genuinely excited - and with good reason.” – Boston Herald, 7/12/08
“Venegas has fans falling for her sweet sound… More than a phenomenal voice and a clutch of hit songs, nothing flatters a pop star quite like grace and understatement. Julieta Venegas is such an artist. She made her Boston debut Thursday night, and from her simple greeting - “Hola. Buenas noches, Boston” - you’d never know she’s one of the most celebrated musicians in Latin pop today, an ambassador of good will who’s beloved by her peers far outside her native Mexico… a young singer-songwriter with a big heart and an even bigger audience… She’s no doubt the only pop star who can prompt a zealous fan to exclaim, “Oh, good! I see the accordion coming out! …The lush setting was an extension of Venegas’s new “MTV Unplugged” album, which captured her live and carefree with cameos from mutual admirers (Spanish rapper La Mala Rodríguez and uber-producer Gustavo Santaolalla, among them)… she stripped several of her songs to their cores, revealing emotions you didn’t detect the first time around… Venegas’s recent hits, the inescapable “Me Voy” and “Eres Para Mí,” both from 2006’s “Limón y Sal,” recaptured the unlikely juxtaposition of joy and heartbreak that made them so catchy in the first place. For a final encore, Venegas launched into “Andar Conmigo,” wandering away from the microphone, playing her accordion, and engaging the audience. It was time to go, but no one wanted her to. So she mouthed the lyrics, needlessly: The audience, louder each refrain, sang the song for - and to - her.” - Boston Globe, 7/12/08
“Venegas is one of the Mexican rockers who are spinning together everything they hear — rock, funk and pop from the United States; boleros; reggae; electronics; accordions — in songs that are as engaging and catchy as they are ambitious… Venegas brings sly insights to love songs… [and] is now a full-fledged hit maker” – NY Times
Julieta Venegas came backed by a 13-piece band that included a string quartet, brass, keys and percussion…By the time she came on, the venue was filled to capacity (many latecomers were turned back at the door)…It was impressive to notice that Venegas did something seemingly impossible – she played what seemed to be an intimate show to a crowd of thousands. She showcased not only her vocal chops but also her ability on the guitar, piano and accordion, going through a mix of pop, rock and more traditionally sounding material…Venegas’ music has quite a universal appeal.”
- Miami New Times, 7/14/08 (reporting from Central Park Summerstage in New York)
Guanabee Editor Cindy Casares had the opportunity to interview Camilo Lara of the Mexican Institute of Sound on Friday at New York’s Latin Alternative Music Conference. “*