Sergio Mendes Tour Dates 2011/12

Here are the upcoming tour dates for Sergio Mendes. As more are announced, we will add them here.

NOV 02 2011 - Paramount Theatre - Austin, TX
NOV 04 2011 - Yavapai College - Prescott, AZ
NOV 05 2011 - Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts - Scottsdale, AZ
APR 10 2012 - Philharmonic Center for the Arts - Naples, FL
APR 11 2012 - Kravis Center - West Palm Beach, FL (w/ Jon Secada)
APR 12 2012 - King Center for Performing Arts - Melbourne, FL
APR 13 2012 - Arsht Center - Miami, FL (w/ Eliane Elias)
APR 15 2012 - Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall - Sarasota, FL

Now we're talkin'! Melbourne, FL. is only an hour and a half from here.

Harry

I'll be delivering it, although it may be Thursday before I post it. I'm looking forward to this!

Excellente!

No, we're going to Sarasota tomorrow. We've booked a room over there so there's no pressure to drive home for two hours at midnight.

My only problem now is that I awakened in the middle of last night with a stomach ailment that hasn't yet resolved itself. I'm hoping it's a 24 hour thing and goes away. Otherwise, as tired as I am, I might fall asleep on opening act Jon Secada.

Harry

In Sarasota, eating lunch/dinner. (You know how us old retirees like to eat early!)

Show starts at 7.

Harry

...sent from my Droid...

Checked into our hotel - one block from the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. We'll walk over at showtime.

I'm not sure about whether they allow cameras or not, but we'll attempt something.

Harry

...sent from my old laptop..

We're just back from the show. The venue said "no photography" which kept the constant flashing down, but some of us managed to sneak a few shots. Here's one I managed to upload on this flaky connection. I'll attempt a couple more later.


The full group onstage (minus rapper H2O).

I didn't slave over an exact set list, but here's a list in no particular order of what I recall:

The Waters Of March (Aguas de Marco)
The Girl From Ipanema
Pretty World
The Look Of Love
The Trouble With Hello Is Goodbye
Milagre - tied seamlessly with - O Samba Da Minha Terra
Fool on The Hill
Ela e Carioca
Never Gonna Let You Go
Agua de Beber
Promise Of A Fisherman
Jogo de Roda
Berimbau/Consolacao
Indiado
Magalenha
Tristeza
Goin' Out Of My Head
Rio (the Oscar-nominated song)
Mas Que Nada
Pais Tropical

The show was absolutely delightful. We had seen Michael Shapiro and Hussain Jiffrey backing Herb, so it was treat to hear them let loose under Sergio's wing.

The show started with a nearly one-hour set from Jon Secada, who was OK, but not the reason most of us were there. The crowd was decidely older, upscale, and nicely dressed, but they were groovin' to the Latin rhythms of both Secada and Mendes. After an intermission, Sergio and company took the stage.

I was continually amazed at the ease with which Sergio and the group moved from era to era, covering his entire career. It became clear that the glue that holds this group together is of course Sergio Mendes. It almost doesn't matter who the band has been over the years, as much as we'd come to admire the many fine musiciand who've backed him. Sergio IS the show.

It's funny - at the conclusion of things, he introduced the band members one by one, then came out front to take bows before the encore, when he realized that he had forgotten to introduce his lead singers. He of course then did so, and they went back to perform some more. Sergio said that this was the first time that's ever happened, so he must be getting old!

I didn't catch the names of the singers - Rosie something, maybe Kate something. Kate something handled the solo material and the duet on "Never Gonna Let You Go" with another member of the band (the sax/flute/other keyboard guy). The percussionist from Brazil wowed the crowd with his percussive talents as well as dancing, hopping, and doing gymnastics out front.

As more details come to the fore in my memory, I'll add them here, otherwise suffice it to say that Sergio improves with age like fine wine. I last saw him in Philadelphia in 1970 with Lani and Karen. This group was much tighter indeed.

Harry
...your on-the-spot A&M Corner reporter, online...

[edited to add "Berimbau" which I think was the TIMELESS version with "Consolacao" but without the Stevie Wonder harmonica - and to correct another song to "Promise Of A Fisherman" from "Iemanja" - don't know where THAT came from.]

"Jogo De Roda" - how long a version did they play?

It was maybe six, seven minutes. It was part of a longer medley like they've done in other concerts on record, with the idea to showcase the percussionist (and give the band a minute or two downtime).

Harry
...on a "Chelsea Morning" in beautiful Sarasota, FL, online...

Great job, Harry! We almost decided to go, as we've been in Miami since Saturday. Little did I know when I originally posted Sergio's dates, that we'd be down here during his tour.

Steve

Gee - and he was in Miami two days prior!

Enjoy the warm Florida weather.

Another pic:



Harry

This is perhaps a better shot of the ladies. Sergio had his back turned pointing to Michael Shapiro to start the next song after introducing his two forgotten singers:



Harry

I was just re-reading Captain Bacardi's review of the show in Austin last year:

http://www.amcorner.com/forum/threads/review-sergio-in-austin-11-2.11754/

I guess I'm a little more forgiving of the rap elements of the show. It wasn't overbearing at all, in fact he was miked rather low, so it wasn't too intrusive, and our crowd. also somewhat on the far side of 50, seemed to be rather into all of it. Quite surprising to me.

It sounds like the show was just about the same as the one in Austin, except we didn't get the 'celebrities' of Gracinha and Joe Pizzulo.

Harry

Thanks Bill.

I thought I maybe detected a hint of an accent in the darker-haired lady, maybe she's Brazilian?

Harry