entertainment

Santana Enthralls All at Moody Center.

At 77, Santana proves age is just a number with a performance showcasing his legendary guitar skills and impressive song catalog.

Published August 19, 2024 at 1:00pm by Mars Salazar

Santana Shines in Austin, Pays Homage to Stevie Ray Vaughan

Gray hairs shone like tinsel as the golden years crowd packed the Moody Center in anticipation of Santana, with support from Counting Crows. At 77, Carlos Santana cemented his legend status with a sublime guitar performance.

"Being here in Austin, I feel very inspired. If I were to go to the Vatican, I wouldn't be as inspired... No disrespect to the Pope, but he can't play guitar." - Santana

Here are five key moments from the concert:

Ode to Stevie Ray Vaughan: Santana reminisced about his memories of Austin, sharing a story of a near-death plane ride and his subsequent challenge to Stevie Ray Vaughan, which ended with Vaughan and his brother inviting Santana to their mother's home for a meal. "I'm honored to be here in Austin," he said, "we're gonna do our best to keep Stevie Ray's genius alive."
Put Your Lights On lit up the room: The arena darkened to spotlight guitarist Tommy Anthony's emotive rendition of "Put Your Lights On." The crowd raised their phones, blanketing the stadium in twinkling lights, creating a nebula effect during the heartfelt ballad.
Cindy Blackman Santana's drumming masterpiece: Cindy Blackman Santana, with her dreadlocked head illuminated by spotlights, dazzled the crowd with a 10-minute intense and precise drum solo. Her muscular arms showcased her stamina, leaving the audience, and her husband, in awe.
'Foo Foo' frenzy: Santana transformed the stadium into a baile with 'Foo Foo.' A psychedelic kaleidoscope mesmerized spectators as Santana's fingers tumbled through riffs. His mastery of the guitar was evident in his nodding and closed eyes, leading to a frenzied response from the crowd, especially the moms and aunties, who chanted his name.
Santana's sermon: Closing the set, Santana shared wisdom from his peace and love generation perspective, offering well-wishes of good health, wealth, and self-acceptance to his fans. His words carried a theistic tone, with a message of self-acceptance: "Stop thinking and believing like a wretched sinner... The victim mentality doesn't work." Santana's turn to spirituality, including Christianity, has been well-documented, and he often uses his platform to preach and share his passion.

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