For two consecutive nights, Fito Páez walked onto a stage bereft of everything but his piano and a few glasses of water. The Argentine musician thrilled audiences at San José’s Melico Salazar Theater last Saturday and Sunday night with performances highlighting his piano virtuosity and rock-star status in Latin America.
Páez played most of his hits despite the absence of a backing band, although he let an enthusiastic audience help him out during several songs. During “Un vesitdo y un amor,” he essentially conducted his fans throughout the song. Páez also played the audience in the intimate space of the theater, responding to shouts of “I love you, Fito” by throwing up his hands and saying sheepishly, “Aw, you’re embarrassing me.” During an encore Sunday night, he sang “Yo vengo a ofrecer mi corazón” a cappella while standing at the front of the stage.
The Argentinian closed the concert with a wild rendition of “Dar es dar” and a melodramatic performance of “Mariposa Technicolor.” His curly hair flew back and forth as Paez pounded out the final notes of an exhaustive performance.
