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A fond look back
at
Selena Live - A Night to Remember
by
Alegrina (with
love from Russia)
 The concert took place on 7th of April, 1991 (some
sources state the date as the 1st of April) at the Market Square in
San-Antonio, Texas.
There is little information available about this event. According to
some sources, it was charitable concert with free admission to everyone.
Also, it is known that the square was crammed full with more than 1,000
people.
All the members of Los Dinos wore the famous "cow outfits" designed by
Selena.
In 2007 in an interview with Univision TV channel Abraham Quintanilla said
“As you’ve probably heard by now we will be releasing two Selena
concerts on DVD. One of the concerts was in San Antonio”.
After 2 years full of rumors (i.e. one of the rumors was that the DVD
could not be released due to a copyright issue) without
any advertising campaign the DVD called Selena Live: A Night to
Remember was released.
The show presents the early years of Selena y Los Dinos. By that time,
the band released two successful albums Selena and Ven Conmigo on
the EMI Latin label. Both albums gained the gold status in the USA.
Ven Conmigo also went gold in Mexico.
Watching the concert we can enjoy the songs from those two albums and
some earlier songs. Also, the band performed covers of other artists. It
is notable that the band performed several English songs during
that night. One could say it is a musical fusion of different styles and
different languages.
Selena was dancing during the whole concert, although it was hard to
make it on the small stage, especially considering
that there was also Pete and A.B. standing around Selena.
The concert has opened with cover of Black Box hit Everybody,
Everybody. For a long time, the song was called Set Me Free. The song
title confusion arose in part due to Selena not singing the chorus. This
dancing hit is a very spectacular beginning to the show.
Later on, Selena greets the fans and says that the band is going to
perform three songs from Ven Conmigo. They started with Ya Ves then
they went into Yo Te Amo (a duet with Pete).
While performing, Selena
and Pete are standing close to each other and sing looking into each
other’s eyes. Completing the song they point their microphones to the
audience encouraging them to sing along. Selena then sang Yo Me Voy.
Only the four first songs are presented on the DVD in the same order as
the original concert. All other songs are presented in a different
order.
There were some parts subjected to the cut: two songs, two breaks for the
band, instrumental music, Pete’s solo performance, Pete and
A.B.
dancing, most of Selena’s communication with the audience and the band
presentation by Selena.
 After Yo Me Voy, the band stopped for a brief break. During the break,
there was a very touching moment. One of the fans presented a balloon
with a little rose inside to Selena. So cute!
Selena was very touched. She asked the audience to say “Ahh!” along with
her.
Selena then asked the audience if they liked Cumbia and was taken back a
little by the crowd's loud reaction! They then went into one
of their most popular songs at that moment Baila Esta Cumbia. They did
the song twice during the concert since it was so well-accepted by the
fans.
Then Selena and Pete sang their wonderful duet Amame, Quiereme. They
were singing very slow and emotional in the beginning. Very beautiful!
Unfortunately due to record’s imperfections, this part was not included
in the DVD. So, we can see the ordinary performance of the song. What a
pity!
Selena: “Or like this. What’s the matter with you, Peter? ”
Pete: “I don’t know… You tell me!”
Selena: “That was good… Alright, San-Antonio! Here is your chance to get
around tonight. You, people we need to help you. We have been forgotten
about you! Let me hear you! … Are you ready? You don’t sound ready! I
said, are you ready? Ok, here we go. Ready, Peter?”
Pete: “Ready now”.
Selena: "One, two, one, two three four! That was so-so. Right, Peter?"
Pete: “That’s ok.”
Selena: “Let’s make it more interesting. You take this side over here
and I’ll take this side.”
Next, she was singing Contigo Queiro Esta, which was also not
included on the DVD. While singing, Selena was shaking hands with fans in
the first row and during the second refrain she let the audience sing.
 Most likely the random noise was the reason the song was cut from the
DVD version. It is a pity, since in the end Selena sang with the whole
power of the voice. Also, we could have heard Chris’s ending the song
with rock accords.
Next, Selena y Los Dinos covered the Fito Olivarez’s hit Juana La Cubana.
The concert has continued with Dulce Amor which was accompanied by
dance of Selena and Pete.
Pete took over and he performed solo track with A.B. the background
vocal. Pete thanked the audience for the warm welcome of the song
written by Vicente Ramirez.
The next song sang Selena was Mentiras.
Then the band performed a remix of Is It The Beat/Enamorada de Ti.
Turning the song into English-Spanish composition completed by the
Chris’s guitar solo and synthesizer music. The song has creates a special
atmosphere.
The concert continued with Where Did The Feeling Go written by Norman Saleet and
Sensitivity by Ralph Tresvant.
Where Did The Feeling Go was recorded in the studio, but was not
released before Selena’s death. After performing this song, Selena said
that it had to be included on her English album (which never happened). Nevertheless, the song was performed numerous times by the band in 1991.
It's great that now the fans have had the opportunity to have it in high quality. The song fits Selena’s voice perfectly and it is
very beautiful. (Her performance of the song differs from version of it
she performed at the 1991 Tejano Music Awards (TMAs).
Sensitivity was edited for DVD version. It was cut where Pete raps in
Spanish in reggae style. Probably the cut was made due to the rapping
part was quite long. The song sounds more complete and perceptible
without it.
The next song was Besitos followed by the duet with Selena’s friend,
rising star (at the time) of Tejano music, Shelly Lares. They performed
Baila Esta Cumbia together.
Shelly Lares and Selena became fast friends at 10 years old.
"We did have a lot of crazy times. I spent all of my spring breaks over
there in Corpus, or she would come to San Antonio," Lares remembers.
"She's one of those gems (who are) just cut a certain way. That's how I
see her," Shelly adds.
It was Shelly who introduced Chris to Selena at one party. He was the
member of Shelly’s band that time. It is rumored, that later, Shelly
asked Selena, “If it is true, that you are in love with him?”
Shelly later said, "Tejano crested with the rise of the late
Selena,
whose music infused the genre with surprising elements of pop and R&B."
Although Shelly has a nice voice, the song did not fit the timbre of the
singer, so she did not sound great. It was compensated though with the
natural charisma and relaxed representation on stage. In the end of
the song, Shelly and Selena started make fun of Pete
and A.B. and made
them dance shaking their hips. Their dance was criticized by the singers
and Selena had to stand next to A.B. to show how it should be done. Then
Selena took A.B.’s guitar and started to imitate him. This funny part
was also cut from DVD version.
After this song, Selena made a short presentation of the band:
“Right now, I’d like to take a time to present the group to
you... Put your hands together for Joe Ojeda on keyboards. And on
keyboards too, put your hands together for Ricky Vela. And on vocals,
put your hands together for Pete Astudillo. And on guitar, put your
hands together for Chris Perez. And on bass guitar put your hands
together for my brother, Abraham Quintanilla. And on drums last… put
your hands together for the only female drummer in this market, my
sister Suzette Quintanilla! We are going to introduce road crew for you.
Put your hands together for Ruben… And right over here is Toby. Put your
hands together for Michael as well.”
 Selena was energetically interacting with a crowd and she gave a
Selena
T-shirt to one of the fan.
Selena: "Everybody has got a T-shirt? This is how they look like. They
are for sell…Should I? Wait a minute, it is just one T-shirt… I’m gonna
throw it with my eyes closed.”
The guy, who was lucky to catch the T-shirt, Jimmy, was very glad.
Selena was joking saying that now he owed her 15 dollars. This was a
sweet and funny moment.
Then Selena made a little contest for the crowd. Which side will scream
louder? Selena was holding the microphone at her side and Pete on his
side. The crowd was happy to shout and whistle expressing their
emotions. Of course, they had to decide that the winner is … all the
fans at the concert!
The last song that night was Dame Un Beso. It is hard to say, why the
band has chosen that song released in 1987 to close the concert.
Probably, because it was the first hit for the band that was written by
A.B. and not by the others authors from outside of the band. The
song was very popular and gained the song of the year at Tejano Music
Awards. Selena sang
this song at TMAs awards the next two years.
It proved to be a great song to close this wonderful concert captured
forever on the DVD A Night to Remember.
Track list for DVD Selena Live: A Night to Remember
1 Everybody Everybody
2 Ya Ves
3 Yo Te Amo (a duet with Pete)
4 Yo Me Voy
5. Besitos
6. Baila Esta Cumbia
7. Amame, Quiereme
9. Dulce Amor
10. Mentiras
11. Sensitivity
12. Dame Un Beso
13. Where Did The Feeling Go?
Thank you Q-productions for the role you played in getting this DVD
released!
Click here for a review of the Selena
Live: A Night to Remember DVD |
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