Who can forget Enrique Bunbury’s 2004 show at the Metro, when “el divo aragonés ” abruptly left the stage 20 minutes into his show due to sound problems, and chants of “culero” from the audience? Now, after 4 years of absence, The Hellville Deluxe U.S. tour stopped by Chicago, with loyal fans filling the Aragon Ballroom to show their devotion.
This time around, Bunbury expressed his gratitute to the the Windy City with more than 2 hours of his post ’96 repertoire (no Heroes del Silencio tunes) and even acknowledged his faux pas of ’04, calling that show “one of the worst concerts of my life.”
Bunbury serenaded his Chicago fans with references to our city’s long history of jazz and blues and delighted everyone with his own interpretations to these genres. Fans also got to enjoy Jorge Rebenaque’s acordeón, and took special pleasure when Bunbury accompanied him in “El extranjero”, a song in which Bunbury always makes a reference to his passion for Mexico. He also took the chance to call himself “un negro con piel blanca” in the song “Una Canción Triste” from the album El Viaje a Ninguna Parte, where he included Nina Simone in the intro (which only a few of us noticed! Ja!).
His hard-core fans seemed focused on the music rather than his 5 costume changes or 3 chandeliers hanging over the red carpet-covered stage. They were pleased singing and screaming the classics – “Alicia, “Lady Blue,” “De Mayor,” “Viento a Favor,” “Que tengas Suertecita” y “El Rescate.” They even chanted along el divo’s most recent material from Hellville De Luxe.
It was nice to end the night with a shared brindis of whiskey with Bunbury, and this time around, no hard feeling from our favorite divo or his devoted fansthis.