As I arrived at Ovo Arena Wembley, people from all over Latin America were outside to witness one of the most influential Latin rock bands of the century. I could hear Maná 's fans singing global hits like ‘’En el Muelle de San Blas’’ and ‘’Mariposa Traicionera. With a career spanning over three decades, Maná has cemented their place as icons in the Latin music world. From their early hits like "Rayando el Sol" to the anthemic "Clavado en un Bar," their music has transcended generations and borders.
The lights dimmed and the first chords echoed through Wembley, the anticipation of thousands of fans erupted into an electrifying roar. Maná, the legendary Latin rock band, was about to take the stage, promising a night of unforgettable music.
The show kicked off with an explosive rendition of "Manda Una Señal" immediately setting the tone for an energetic show. Followed by back-to back hits like ‘’De Pies A Cabeza’’, ‘’Corazón Espinado’’, ‘’Angel De Amor’’, ‘’Labios Compartidos’’, ‘’Vivir Sin Aire’’, ‘’Se Me Olvido Otra Vez ’’, “Mariposa Traicionera’’, ‘’Donde Jugaran Los Niños’’. This song gained a very conscious light when the lead singer,Fher Olvera, mentioned the importance of voting for politicians that want to help their country prosper. Each back-to-back song met with enthusiastic sing-alongs and cheers.
After Maná’s back to back setlist, Fher got a bit emotional and shared that he had been dreaming of coming to London for approximately 30 years. ‘’Nos sentimos muy afortunados de poder estar aquí por primera vez en Londres’’. ‘’Si supieran lo que significa para nosotros estar aquí.’’ His emotional speech got the crowd emotional as he promised a memorable night.
With "Oye Mi Amor," the concert took an exciting turn with a burst of improvisation. Fher, interacted enthusiastically with the crowd, creating a fun and vibrant atmosphere. He divided the audience, prompting them to wave their flags, which beautifully showcased the diverse representation of people from all over Latin America and Europe (Colombia, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Nicaragua, Honduras,Brazil, Mexico, Republica Dominicana,Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Cuba, Spain,Bolivia, Italia,etc).
Mana’s showcases are certainly known for their improvisation. The band transitioned into a rendition of Bob Marley's "Stand Up for Your Rights" and continued improvising, further energizing the crowd. Then, a goosebump moment when Alex González, the band’s drummer, shined with a solo-performance delivering a solid 6 min showcase. The crowd united clapping to a standing ovation of Gonzalez’s stellar presentation.
As the first half of the show was over, Maná surprised the crowd and they transitioned to a second stage closer to his fans with a full romantic repertoire of songs like ‘’Te Solte La Rienda’’. Olvera then shared a personal story of how he shared ‘’Te Lloré Un Río" to his first love. This followed another breathtaking hit ‘’Relojito Cucu’’. Olvera motivated the crowd to dedicate this song to all of those we have ever loved and are no longer with us.
Fher delighted the fans with ‘’Si No Te Hubieras Ido’’ and shared that London was so special to them as they were closing their European tour in the city. O lvera then invited a woman onto the stage, María Carmen from Cambridge, who came to the concert just to see Maná. He sang with her ‘’Eres Mi Religion’’ as she dedicated this song to her boyfriend Armando. For any OG Maná fan, this moment was the holy-grail. The emotional duet was a touching moment that left not a dry eye in the house.
The crowd's energy never waned, with fans dancing, singing, and cheering throughout the entire performance. Maná finished the night with their ultimate classics ‘’Me Vale Todo’’, ‘’En El Muelle de San Blas’’, ‘’Clavado En Un Bar’’. It was a special moment as Olvera grabbed flags from all over Latin America and the world, including the UK flag, and united them all. What a special moment symbolizing Maná’s global influence with a remarkable career spanning several decades. Maná has captured the hearts of millions of fans worldwide through their powerful music, impactful lyrics and a distinctive blend of rock, pop and Latin Influences.
As the concert was over, the crowd continued asking for more and Maná closed their European tour with what is considered for many a timeless classic in the Latin music scene, the band’s first hit single with ‘’Rayando El Sol’’. A song with haunting melody and emotional vocals leaving the fans with a sense of longing and heartbreak. The perfect way and a complete full circle as Maná’s dream of performing in London came true, so did the dream of many fans waiting for this legendary band to come to the UK’s capital city also came true.
There was only a flaw with the show, not enough time to continue enjoying one of the most iconic Mexican rock bands of all times. Maná's performance at Wembley was nothing short of spectacular. Olvera finished the show encouraging everyone to turn off their lights and for the crowd to be a light of hope. His last word: ‘’Gracias por el amor y por el cariño. Muchas gracias México, muchas gracias Latinoamérica.’’ As the final notes faded and the crowd slowly dispersed, one thing was clear: Maná delivered a night to remember.
