Luis Miguel's balladry soars at colorful, sold-out Indianapolis show
English is a deficient language when it comes to love songs. Spanish is superior in every way — even though I can recognize maybe 100 words of it.
"Heart" and "love" are monosyllabic and boring. "Corazón" and "amor" have a musical quality even when only spoken.
Oh, she left, and you're sad? No. You're triste.
The science on this is clear, and Appleton's theory of bolero relativity was on full display Friday night as Mexican superstar Luis Miguel seared the Gainbridge Fieldhouse stage with burning balladry.
I couldn't name a single song apart from an ill-advised "Come Fly With Me" duet with a Frank Sinatra recording, nor could I understand most of the lyrics. Neither mattered.
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Miguel led a band of around 14 musicians and backup singers, including a mesmerizing horn section. At one key moment, it swelled to nearly 30, as a full mariachi group joined in the celebration.
The musicianship was on another level — at times even overshadowing the former teen idol. I was interested in what Miguel was doing, but I was enthralled with his band.
The sun of Mexico had the sold-out crowd moving and screaming along to pretty much every song. Confetti and giant balls launched into the audience. It was not the type of show you sit down for.
Most in attendance had bracelets with multicolored lights that synchronized to the stage's light show. I go to a lot of concerts, and I have never seen that before. It's a genius idea that, mixed with the four-tiered stage's video and light work, gave the night a colorful visual appeal.
I also found myself supremely underdressed, as my fellow audience members were dressed to the nines. But not everyone planned for the sudden dip in temperature. As we waited in the security lines before the show, a gust of wind slapped us pretty hard, and I heard a few Spanish words that I understood but ought not repeat.
Miguel excelled during his ballads.
His voice would slow and quiet to a whispering crawl with almost no backing music before soaring alongside the horns and drums. Again, that specific Spanish delivery lends to an emotional rise and fall that just feels better than English-language love songs. There is so much more drama to it.
However, there was a persistent flaw noticeable from the very first song and uncorrected throughout the night.
While the ballads were exceptional, Miguel's voice was almost totally drowned out during the up-tempo stuff. I'm not sure if it was a sound issue or he just wasn't projecting, but his vocal was buried by the instruments and even his background singers. At times, his mouth was moving, but no sound could be heard whatsoever.
If the people sitting near me noticed, they didn't care. Folks were dancing in the aisles, and the crowd almost seemed to fill out Miguel's vocals on the faster songs with their own screams.
A bump in what was otherwise a smooth ride. It was a strong show in my eyes, but the ravenous crowd would probably rate it even higher.
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Rory Appleton is the pop culture reporter at IndyStar. Contact him at 317-552-9044 and rappleton@indystar.com, or follow him on Twitter at @RoryEHAppleton.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Concert Review: Luis Miguel solid in Gainbridge Fieldhouse performance
