It was 1:00 a.m. and Carlos Vives was hosting a meet-and-greet with fans at the FTX Arena (formerly American Airlines Arena) in Miami. Backstage, he was happy and tireless just moments after wrapping up the first show of his highly-awaited Despues de Todo tour on Friday (Dec. 3).
Marking his first U.S. trek since 2018, Vives was itching to hit the road. He dubbed it Despues de Todo because “after everything we have been through, returning to North America, to so many beloved places, to see unforgettable friends and special audiences again, makes this truly a historic moment for me,” the Colombian singer-songwriter said.
That same backstage energy was seen when he stepped onstage.
Vives officially launched his Despues de Todo tour at 10 p.m. following a 30-minute DJ set by Kogiman, with the opening track “Hechicera” part of his Latin Grammy-winning album Cumbiana. Vives then immediately went into the hits, performing “Dejame Entrar” (2001) and “Pa’ Mayte” (1995), two tracks that put his modern vallenato and cumbia fusions on the forefront.
“Good night, Miami,” said Vives, who sported a black denim jacket and bedazzled bronze-colored jeans. “I can’t believe everyone is doing well, that we’re together.”
With a 22-set list under his belt, the artist sang the hits and newer tracks, including “La Bicicleta,” “Fruta Fresca,” “Volvi a Nacer” and “Tierra del Olvido,” all of which entered the top 10 in Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart.
He also had many surprise guests, beginning with Mau y Ricky, with whom Vives officially debuted their collaboration “Besos en Cualquier Horario.”
.@MauYRicky llegaron de sorpresa al concierto de @carlosvives 💋 #BesosEnCualquierHorario #DespuesdeTodoTour #DespuesDeTodoVives pic.twitter.com/uKu3fPLxdc
— La Roiz (@la_roiz) December 4, 2021
Later, Vives presented the new wave of tropipop artists, inviting talented musicians and influencers from across Colombia, who brought to life Vives’ latest EP, Masters de Parranda. Amongst them were Sin Anomino de Lucro, Jbot y Tuti, Gusi and Llane, to name a few.
“This movement demonstrates who we are,” Vives said after performing a medley that included parranda classics “Parrandero,” “Dime,” “Conquista,” “Te Doy Mi Vida” and “El Problemon.”
During his two-hour show, Vives was accompanied by a 12-member band that included his longtime gaitera Mayte Montero, who’s been with Vives since the beginning of his career. One of the heartfelt moments was when Vives invited to the stage his former accordionist Egidio Cuadrado, bringing major ’90s nostalgia to everyone who was at the venue.
¡ Que alegría volvernos a encontrar !Contando las horas, ya empieza nuestra gira Miami 🤩 ustedes lograron este SOLD OUT #DespuesDeTodoVives pic.twitter.com/OJ9ggPxzXB
— Carlos Vives (@carlosvives) December 3, 2021
Despite the audio not being at its full potential Friday night, there’s no doubt that the room was filled with Colombian pride and everyone dancing all night long. During his set, Sony Music Latin even awarded Vives’ “Cumbiana” for being a platinum record in the U.S. and seven-time platinum in Colombia.
“Thank you, Miami, for this sold-out,” he said to his loyal fans. “For not forgetting us. Ever since we began singing vallenato, you’ve been there. Thank you for this night. We are leaving with our hearts full and happy.”
Produced by Loud And Live, the Despues de Todo tour continues in Orlando on Sunday (Dec. 5) and resumes in January 2022. See more dates below.
