It was night two for Maná in Chicago at the United Center on Saturday (April 29), but it was the 12th show overall for the Mexican rock band who’s been on the road with their México Lindo Y Querido Tour in the United States since March.
“Tonight, we have to beat the excitement we’ve felt in other cities throughout our tour,” Fher Olvera, the band’s frontman, informed the crowd — which roared in response, obviously up for the challenge. “We’ve missed you all so much,” he continued. “It’s been more than three years since we were last here. Latinos have gained so much territory in Chicago. We feel at home here, like if we were in Mexico.”
Rocking black nails, skintight black jeans and a blue jacket, Olvera was the ultimate rockero. And so were his bandmates — Alex González, Sergio Vallín and Juan Calleros — whose typical uniform includes dark jeans, T-shirts and/or black vests. “Age is just an attitude,” Olvera, 63, stated. “You see Mick Jagger from the Rolling Stones who’s almost 80 and he’s still rocking out. I don’t know if I’ll get to that point.” After watching him work the stage, even after a suffering a knee injury earlier this year, Olvera is clearly in his prime. With his signature raspy vocals, he serenaded a crowd that hadn’t seen the band live since they last performed in this city in 2019 with their Rayando el Sol Tour.
As ever, Maná’s concerts are the type where you know you’re going to get hit with the classics, which means you’ll be on your feet and singing at the top of your lungs over the course of two hours, the duration of the group’s set. This concert was no exception. The show featured a stacked setlist including hits from albums released over the span of three decades, such as ¿Dónde Jugarán Los Niños?, Cuando Los Ángeles Lloran, Sueños Líquidos and Revolución de Amor.
The songs that were part of the setlist included “Cómo Te Deseo,” “De Pies a Cabeza,” “Labios Compartidos,” “Vivir Sin Aire,” “Eres Mi Religión,” “Mariposa Traicionera,” “En El Muelle de San Blas,” “Me Vale” and “Clavado En Un Bar,” to name a few.
They closed with the ’90s anthem “Rayando el Sol.” “Thank you for the love, Chicago. Thank you for the affection,” Olvera said, expressing gratitude for a city that has welcomed the band with open arms for more than 30 years. To return the love, they’ve announced a third show at the city’s United Center for later this year on Oct. 1.
A testament to their timeless rock-en-Español anthems and performance prowess, Maná kicked off their trek in March, just months after an unprecedented sold-out residency at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles last year. “The main thing is our shows are a big party and a celebration of life,” González previously told Billboard Español. “We are excited to continue that celebration and share it with more people across the United States.” Olvera added, “We don’t take this for granted. It’s amazing to feel the love from all our Latin fans across the world. It’s an honor to represent our heritage.”
As one of the most important Latin pop-rock bands, Maná’s career spans over three decades. Throughout the years, the band has scored 10 No. 1s on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart and eight No. 1s on Top Latin Albums.
Maná’s México Lindo Y Querido Tour continues with stops in cities such as Atlanta, Las Vegas, Greensboro and two back-to-back shows in Los Angeles, among other cities. Here’s more info on upcoming dates and tickets.
