Despite canceling her El Dorado tour earlier this year due to a vocal injury, Shakira hit all the right notes during her rescheduled September 1 gig at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. That doesn't mean she was heard loud and clear.
The problem wasn’t the queen of Latin pop or her vocals, but with the Garden's mix, which sounded quiet and muddy throughout the duration of Saturday's 20-plus song set. From the beginning of the show, which opened with 1995 rock single “Estoy Aquí” from her major label debut Pies Descalzos, Shakira's projection and audible talents were obfuscated by the lackluster sound.
Luckily, the Colombian star still captivated the crowd with her mesmerizing dance moves, her light and bubbly stage banter and the occasional ballad—the latter being one of the few instances where the audience could actually hear the star’s impressive range.
Three decades into her career, Shakira is still stunningly fierce, and her emotive dancing skills carried the performance, from the Giorgio Moroder-esque disco track “She-Wolf” and the fiery Meluma collab “Chantaje” to the Middle Eastern-inspired belly-dancing dance number at the end of her 2001 hit, “Whenever, Wherever,” complete with pyrotechnics and confetti.
Throughout the set, Shakira's energy went above and beyond. Had MGM’s sound system matched the singer’s intensity, it would have easily been a show for the books.
