Concert Review: The Return of Juanes Cristo at Terminal 5
LONG-HAIRED JUANES IS BACK! LONG-HAIRED JUANES IS BACK! Yes, Long-Haired Juanes is back to become what Latinos will only know him as: Juanes Cristo. Yes, Juanes Cristo picks up the guitar and riffs it for all of us; killing it for our pleasures. The result was a Terminal 5 show that resurrected everybody’s good mood.
Prepare for me to gush about my people! I love being Latina, and Juanes’ concert was a reminder why. I have always said our “magic” lies in how we transfer our cheer into our resilience. It is as if our love to “gather and party” is the equivalent to a sword with armor. Thus, immediately, the “Latin Heat” was felt because people were EXCITED to dance, laugh, and sing as if Juanes was just their excuse to act like a star. Yet, the real marvel was seeing people of all ages deciding Juanes filled the “age gap.”
To his crowd, Juanes was “timeless,” and it sure felt that way as he interspersed his hits with the songs, from around the world, that inspired him. The show was particularly special because I felt like I was learning Caribbean and Latin American history via song. No track went without a spoken, love letter, from Juanes, on how it changed his life. Bringing in Vale, my fave duo of singing sisters, I noticed an “abuelita” of 88 years dancing with a 22 year old guy, I imagine was her grandson or who knows.… She had her hair braided with tiny flowers, like Frida Kahlo, while he wore a Kill Bill hoodie. The image will be embedded in my mind because it was so unique to the New York concert scene but common for Latinidad.
The U.S. concert scene can be ageist. I think if we let anyone above 32 into a show we’d treat it like a geriatric center, but, around the world, partying is ageless,. Why? Because fun is ageless, and it takes a star to help you realize that. Juanes gave such a lively performance that it reminded me of a fact I had forgotten; there is a difference between a performer and a star/ entertainer. The latter can make someone feel so present they are living in a dream, while the performer continues to dream of somewhere else. I have seen a lot of performers, but entertainers are rare, and Juanes is a rarity.
