Pop-Break Live: Mana at The Prudential Center in Newark, NJ
Editor’s Note: Pop-Break sent staff photographer, and longtime Mana fan Saidy Lopez to the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ to photograph the iconic Mexican Pop Rock band, Mana. Below is her review…
I don’t think there is another album that can better define my teenage years like Dónde Jugarán Los Niños by the Iconic Mexican Pop Rock band known to millions of Latinos as Maná. “Me Vale” a song that gives the middle finger to the critical, judgemental and dictating members of society, was my teenage anthem and “Oye Mi Amor” was the song that had me on the dance floor at many Quinceanera parties. They provided the soundtrack to so many of the memorable moments of my life including my first love and heartbreak with songs like “Vivir Sin Aire,” “Rayando El Sol” and “Te Lloré Un Rio.” So you can imagine my reaction upon hearing I was going to cover their show for the Cama Incendiada tour at Prudential Center back in June. I could not contain my excitement and smiled all day knowing I was going to be so close to a band that has meant a lot to me over the years.
When the screen/curtain came down on the stage revealing front man Fher Olvera, Alex “The Animal” Gonzalez on drums, Juan Calleros on Bass and Sergio Vallin on guitar I felt this surge of nervous energy along with the energy of the enthusiastic crowd at my back. Maná has been around for almost 30 years, they have won 11 Grammys, accumulated many other accolades and sold out countless arenas. I have attended several of their concerts in the past with friends and family, so to say they put on a great show is an understatement. The lighting and effects are always top notch and they play a lot of their older hits mixed with some of their newer material like “Mi Verdad,” a song they collaborated on with Shakira.
The night also got political when Fher addressed the racist and ignorant statements made by Donald Trump by the saying that “it is unjust that the people who have come here to work hard, construct and build this country be referred to in this form and that Mr. Trump is full of hate and it is a joke that he is running for President.” Fher urged the audience to vote for the candidate that supports their hard work and that will make a just reform to the immigration policy because everyday “we are more” and that led to the cover of “Somo Mas Americanos” by Los Tigres del Norte. The crowd was riled up and proudly waved their flags along with their “I Love You Maná” signs and cell phones. One of the truly wonderful things about attending a Maná concert is the rich diversity of the adoring fans. It is as Fher would say, the United Nations of audiences.
