“We can’t believe we are here again!” Juanes took the stage at ACL TV for the third time on Monday, having previously performed on season 32 and 39. For his third taping, Juanes presented a hits-packed set drawn from his entire career, and how fitting to welcome him back in celebration of ACL’s 50th anniversary. Bearded, tattooed, wrapped in a sleeveless denim jacket, the Colombian superstar took the stage like the international rock star he is. For his third taping, with songs drawn from his entire career, hopping from jangly guitar pop (“Gris”) to blues rock cumbia (“Mala Gente”) to romantic balladry (“Nada Valgo Sin Tú Amor”) – and that was in the first ten minutes. Backed by his five-piece band, the singer/songwriter not only emphasized the breadth and depth of his catalog, but also his own musicianship, with several extended guitar solos.
But the heart of the show was the interplay with the adoring crowd of diehard fans who turned out to literally cheer him on. Juanes encouraged singing along starting with “Mala Gente;” by the time he got to “Fotografia,” the eager audience needed little prompting, cheering loudly at the first note. Other giddily-received fan favorites included “Es Por Ti,” “La Paga,” “La Camisa Negra,” and the call-and-response powered “La Noche” and “A Dios Le Pido.” But two moments especially stood out. For “Para Tu Amor,” Juanes planted himself in the center of the floor with a mic stand and an acoustic guitar, performing the folky ballad surrounded closely by his loving crowd. In salute to the Mexican contingent of the audience, Juanes performed “Querida,” a classic Juan Gabriel ballad that Juanes recorded with its creator a few years ago. He ended the show with back-to-back monsters: “Me Enamora” and “La Luz,” which gave the crowd plenty of opportunity for call-and-response.
At one point during the show, Juanes talked about coming to Los Angeles in 1996 in order to make it in music, and how hard those years were. “But you know what?” he shrugged. “I made it – Austin City Limits!”
Juanes performs on Austin City Limits, March 4, 2024. Photos by Scott Newton.
Setlist:
Gris – Vita Cotidiana
Mala Gente – Un Día Normal
Amores Prohibidos – Vita Cotidiana
Nada Valgo Sin Tú Amor – Mì Sangre
Volverte A Ver – Mì Sangre
Lo Que Me Gusta A Mi / Fuego / Hermosa Ingrata – Mì Sangre/Mis Planes Son Amarte/
Fotografía – Un Día Normal
Es Por Ti – Un Día Normal
Es Tarde – Mis Planes Son Amarte
Más – Vita Cotidiana
Ojalá – Vita Cotidiana
Para Tu Amor – Mì Sangre
Gotas De Agua Dulce – La Vida…Es Un Ratico
La Paga – Un Día Normal
La Camisa Negra- Mì Sangre
La Noche – Un Día Normal
A Dios Le Pido – single
Encore:
Querida – Juan Gabriel cover
Me Enamora – La Vida…Es Un Ratico
La Luz – Loco De Amor
Musicians:
Juanes – vocals, guitar
Emmanuel Briceño – keyboards
Felipe Navia – bass
Juan Pablo Daza – guitar
Richard Bravo – percussion
Marcelo Novati – drums