María José and Moenia kicked off their eight-city co-headlining tour Wednesday night (Oct. 21) at San Antonio’s Aztec Theatre, bringing together two acts that have been part of Mexican pop music for decades.
The two have collaborated before, but this is their first time touring together. The nearly three-hour show was divided into three parts: Moenia opened with an hourlong set, both acts performed a handful of songs together, and María José closed the night with her own set.
It was a fun pairing, especially for an audience made up largely of fans in their 40s and 50s who grew up listening to this music. There’s a certain nostalgia that comes with seeing Mexican artists perform in the United States for those of us on this side of the border, particularly when their songs have been around for so long.
Moenia got things started with their electronic synth-pop sound, which has always reminded me a little of the Pet Shop Boys - but in Spanish ha! The band brought plenty of energy, with “Déjame Entrar,” “No Puedo Estar Sin Ti” and “Manto Estelar” being some of the highlights. “Ni Tú Ni Nadie” also made for a great singalong.
Vocally, however, the performance was a little inconsistent. There were moments when the vocals didn’t sound particularly good, and I initially thought it might have been an issue with the venue’s sound. That seemed less likely once María José came out later in the evening.
What Moenia lacked at times vocally, they made up for with their stage presence. Frontman Alfonso Pichardo was charismatic and seemed genuinely happy to be back in San Antonio, mentioning that it had been a long time since the band last played here. He even remembered a fan in the front row who had brought him a cherry pie to his hotel the last time they were in town.
Pichardo also talked about enjoying smaller venues because the band can actually see and feel the audience. He had a point. The Aztec Theatre’s size made it easy for the crowd to connect with the performers, and that energy carried throughout the show. They could see everyone in the audience from the top of the balcony down to the floor.
After a few songs with Moenia, María José took over for the final portion of the night, and this is where the vocals really stood out.
La Josa revealed that she was sick and taking medication, joking that there would be no alcohol for her that night. Despite that, she sounded great for much of her set, particularly during the ballads.
“Me Equivoqué” and “Adelante Corazón” were two of the night’s highlights, but my favorite part of her performance was the medley of canciones de despecho, or heartbreak songs, that included “Evidencias,” “Simplemente Amigos” and “Él Me Mintió.”
“Nada de migajeros hoy! Puro despecho!” she told the crowd, essentially declaring that there would be no settling for crumbs of affection that night, just full-on heartbreak. A roar from the crowd ensued and the singalongs were passionate to say the least.
Interestingly, some of her biggest hits didn’t land quite as well. During “No Soy Una Señora” and “Prefiero Ser Su Amante,” she relied more heavily on backing tracks, her backing vocalists and the audience to carry the songs. Given that she was sick, it seemed like she was trying to preserve her voice. She also didn’t appear quite as engaged during those numbers as she had during the ballads.
Overall, it was a fun opening night for a tour that will also visit cities in California and Nevada. Moenia brought the energy and some great synth-pop, while María José delivered the stronger vocal performance, even while under the weather. But both acts put on an entertaining show, and the smaller setting of the Aztec Theatre made the experience that much better.
Here are the rest of the dates on the tour:
Oct. 22 - Toyota Music Factory, Irving, Texas
Oct. 23 - Bayou Music Center, Houston, Texas
Oct. 25 - Abraham Chavez Theatre, El Paso, Texas
Oct. 29 - YouTube Theater, Los Angeles, California
Oct. 30 - San Jose Civic, San Jose, California
Oct. 31 - The Magnolia, El Cajon, California
Nov. 1 - Pearl Concert Theater, Las Vegas, Nevada
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