by the El Reportero’s news services
Marc Anthony & ChayanneWith a combination of catchy numbers and a great deal of energy, Chayanne and Marc Anthony got the more than 100,000 people attending their free concert in the Zocalo, Mexico City’s main plaza, up and dancing on the weekend.
Dressed in black and wearing sunglasses, Anthony took the stage first to the beat of his hit “Valio la pena,” which got the mainly female crowd going after waiting for hours for the concert to kick off on the huge plaza on Saturday.
This is the first concert held under Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera, who is following the lead of his predecessor, Marcelo Ebrard, in fostering huge – and free – cultural events organized in the Zocalo in a country where having to pay to go to a concert is not within everyone’s financial grasp.
Anthony was on stage for an hour and said he was very impressed to be able to perform there.
“I’ve seen a lot of things in my life, but this is incredible,” the 44-year-old singer said.
Then Chayanne came on stage, also dressed in black and wearing a tight T-shirt that provoked excited cries from among the concertgoers, to sing his number “Boom, Boom,” accompanied by a group of dancers.
Rock Band Quetzal takes home first Grammy Award for Best Latin Alternative, Urban, or Rock Album For Imaginaries Album
Last night, was an extraordinary night at the 55th Annual Grammy® Awards (www.grammy.com) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where East L.A. Chicano rock band Quetzal took home their first Grammy for Best Latin Alternative, Urban, or Rock Album, for Imaginaries, released on Smithsonion Folkways Recordings (www.folkways.si.edu).
Lead singer of Quetzal, Martha Gonzalez expressed that she felt this was a recognition for her community by saying “Imaginaries is an album that reflects the ways in which our communities, against all odds, ‘imagineer’ new realities. In this sense, the Grammy is acknowledging not only the working people in our own communities, but people in struggle all over the world.” Martha also represented her community by wearing a pink dress, with a hand painted portrait, by East Los Angeles Chicana artist Yolanda Gonzalez, and designed by Goldsmith & Klein. She also wore a silver necklace with a large sacred heart shaped stone designed by Sergio Flores of Mexico City. Band members Tylana Enomoto and Peter Jacobson proudly rode up to the red carpet on bikes saying “We’re from the neighborhood, and live down the street, so we don’t need a limo.”
The night before the Grammys, Quetzal celebrated their nomination with a free pre-Grammy concert in Boyle Heights (East L.A.) at the historical synagogue, The Breed Street Shul, where they shared the stage with other Grammy nominees Los Cojolites, and members of Sistema Bomb. The synagogue was filled to capacity as members of the East L.A. community gathered to congratulate the nominees.
Bless Me, Ultima movie to be screened at 200 more theaters nationwide
Latino culture vultures across the country will soon have a chance to see the film adaptation of a classic Mexican-American novel.
“Bless Me, Ultima,” based on the 1972 novel by Rudolfo Anaya, will be released to more than 200 theaters in February, according to Politic365. The film, directed by Carl Franklin, premiered in El Paso back in September.
Set in 1940s New Mexico, the book tells the story of the relationship between a young boy named Antonio and a curandera named Ultima. Antonio must then learn to reconcile the Catholic and Native American beliefs that are both part of his heritage.
“I fell in love with her in the sense of understanding her conduct, her character and a little bit of her soul,” actress Miriam Colon, who plays Ultima, fortold the El Paso Times. “She is the type of woman that I love because she reminds me of my mother.”
Update on Tego Calderón’s health
Los Angeles, CA (February 13, 2013) – The office of Puerto Rican rap star, Tego Calderon, reports that he suffered an accident this past weekend while vacationing with his family. He is currently hospitalized. As part of the recovery process, Tego requires surgeries that involve a prudent period of rest.
For this reason all commitments scheduled for the coming days have been postponed, but he will be ready to meet his obligations including his European tour this summer and the release of his new album, “El Que Sabe Sabe (The One Who Knows Knows)” due out in May.
Tego would like to thank all his fans and appreciates all the emails and messages he has received on his social networks.
(Hispanically Speaking News contributed to this report).
