40 Years and 19 Songs: Mana Fills Detroit Arena
The Mexican rock group performed a two-hour, 20-minute set in all Spanish for a nearly full crowd at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday night.
By Carlos Rousseau ·
Four decades passed before the Mexican rock group Mana finally reached Detroit.
The band, which has released nine albums and won four Grammy Awards, had only one prior stop in the Motor City: a corporate promotional event for the Chevrolet Volt in 2010.
That wait concluded on Sunday, Nov. 1, at Little Caesars Arena.
A mostly full crowd attended the show, which ran nearly two hours and 20 minutes.
The setlist consisted of 19 songs, all performed in Spanish.
The band did not take the stage until nearly 9:30 p.m., a late start that allowed the audience time to prepare.
Mana performed as a quartet joined by three additional musicians.
Frontman Fher Olvera led the group, while drummer Alex Gonzalez delivered a lengthy solo involving stick twirling.
Guitarist Sergio Vallin provided a steady rhythm section, playing economic solos that did not dominate the mix.
The group’s catalog dates back more than 11 years, with no new album released since 2006.
The set included heavy melodies with Latin and reggae influences.
Olvera and Gonzalez performed songs with romantic and political themes, including a focus on the environment in the track “Me vale.” The opening number, “Como te deseo,” was followed by “Angel de amor.” The band played “Clavado en un bar,” which transitioned into a segment of Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Stand Up.” Juan Gabriel’s “Se me olvido otra vez” featured polyrhythms that prompted a dance floor reaction across the venue. Mana performed a version of “Corazon espinado,” a track from Santana’s “Supernatural” album. The group also played six songs on a satellite stage located at the back of the arena floor. Olvera invited two young women to the stage to sing “Bendita tu luz” with him. A wide video screen and a stage-top display dominated the visual presentation. During “Mariposa traicionera,” a digital butterfly animation appeared above the band. For “No ha parado de llover,” the performance took place behind a water curtain where images of a woman were projected. The main set closed with “Rayondo el sol,” during which Olvera wore a cowboy hat and played acoustic guitar and harmonica. The encore consisted of “Oye mi amor,” a track combining reggae rhythms with a punk energy. Mana will livestream the “Vinir Sin Aire Tour (Live From Red Rocks)” at 8:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, on the band’s official YouTube channel.
