Mystery Man-uelle
By Tasleem Rajwani

The parking lot of the Croatian Cultural Center was full on the night of May 2nd. Cars lined up along the street, surrounding the center as if being drawn by the music inside.

There was an air of excitement in the hall, as groups of people buzzed about the bar, sipping drinks and toasting to the evening. Others circled the tables, mingling with friends and acquaintances.

In the ladies’ room, a row of women in short dresses flirted with the mirror in front of them. Powdering their noses, pouting their lips to apply a fresh layer of lipstick, or smoothing out their hair with their fingers, it was as if they already knew that they were in store for a memorable night.

Many of the guys also came decked out. Some were sporting trendy jeans and t-shirts while others strutted around in stylish blazers and funky caps.

A few couples had already found their way to the dance floor. Sparkly shoes could be spotted on some of the regular salseras as they paraded around to the beat of the music.

The DJ played familiar Latin tunes to pump up the audience and lure them out of their seats before the opening performances.

First was the bachata performance by husband and wife team Ronald and Sanaa Martinez. The couple fused sensuous bellydance shimmies with sexy bachata hip rolls. Sanaa, in a golden, butter cup bare-back dress, and Ronald in a classy, matching vest, mesmerized the audience with their fluidity and chemistry.
This was followed by a performance by Grupo America. Four couples moved in unison with a precision that wowed the audience. The dancers engaged the spectators with their radiant smiles throughout this playful and energetic new bachata routine.

As the lights dimmed, a sea of bodies began floating towards the stage. Excitement built up as the audience sensed the arrival of the star of the night - Victor Manuel. Cheers were heard around the room as the Puerto Rican singer stepped forward, wearing a striking white tie and vest, set against a smoky black shirt.

The smoothness of Manuelle’s voice was heard from his very first note.

It didn’t take long for cameras and cell phones to start waving in the air, as audience members tried to capture tiny moments of the singer’s charisma and appeal on film.

But nothing could compare to being in the midst of the show in person. The energy of the audience, the sight and sound of the band so close up, and the background lighting enlivened the surroundings. “I can’t believe that the exact instruments and voice that I hear on my CD player are right here in front of me,” commented one fan.

And how each song sounded identical to the recorded album version was impressive.

During the show, many people found open spaces on the floor, to dance to some of their favourite songs, while others stood glued to the stage, singing along with the artist himself.

“Yo no puedo, yo no puedo…” they bellowed as Manuelle performed one of his earlier hits - He Tratado.

In Asi Es La Mujer, Manuelle held out his microphone towards the audience as they echoed his words, “Asi Asi,” and clapped their hands high up in the air.

And no one could sit still when the long requested Apiadate de Mi finally came on.

Considering the familiarity that Manuelle’s fans have with his music, it is ironic how difficult it is to learn much about the singer himself. With all the different roles Manuelle has played in his videos and television, which one, if any, represents the real Manuelle? Besides his hit albums and the story of his discovery by the legendary Gilberto Santa Rosa, there is hardly any information about the singer available to his fans.

And Manuelle’s varied interactions with the audience further perpetuated his enigmatic nature.

In between songs, he shared little anecdotes that suggested he was quite humorous and lighthearted.

Traveling from one side of the stage to the other, he approached the audience, offering a gentle hand to the ladies, and giving a friendly hi-five to the guys.

But then, a deeper, more passionate Manuelle poured out as he sang with eyes closed and arms crossing his chest. Often, he had one hand wrapped around the microphone while the other hand rested over his heart.

And of course, the flirty Manuelle was very apparent. His deep-dimple smiles and charming gazes lit up the stage, even when the lights were low. “I blew him a kiss and he bit his lip at me,” giggled one of his female fans. And his shoulder shimmies and sexy hip movements had the crowd going wild with whistles.

There were many moments of camaraderie between him and the band as well. Sometimes, Manuelle leaned into the band members with his microphone, featuring a particular musician. Other times, he just stepped a little choreography in time to a particular instrument.

In Dile a Ella, Manuelle showed off his fun side as he hopped to the sound of the cymbals and bounced his fist, one on top of the other, in unison to the trumpets and trombone.

But just as quickly as he shared his vivaciousness and warmth with the crowd, Manuelle suddenly left the audience bewildered with an unexpected and abrupt finale. After his last number, Pensamiento Y Palabra, Manuelle simply waved a hand in the air, turned toward the back of the stage, and walked off. It wasn’t until the curtains closed that the audience realized that he wasn’t returning.

Perhaps the mystery of this singer is part of his appeal. For, despite the way in which the concert ended, there is, without a doubt, no shortage of people still humming along and dancing to Victor Manuelle’s music.

Additional photos and videos from the concert are on SalsaVancouver.net

The Victor Manuelle concert was presented by Vancouver Latin Fever - check their website or SalsaVancouver.net for info on upcoming concerts.