Pam-pana-ni-na-na…. The chorus to Mark Anthony’s “ Contra la Corriente”... En La Escena

Pam-pana-ni-na-na…. The chorus to Mark Anthony’s “ Contra la Corriente”...who can stop singing it after his concert tonight at the IZOD theatre? The night was electric, magical, some would say…spiritual as one concert-goer noted after Mark’s rendition of “Aguanile.”  “I saw the spirits through him” is this concert-goers commentary on the palpable energy Mark emitted through this spiritual chant but that wouldn’t be the only soul capturing moment of the night.  Mark delights us with his glide across the stage as we sing along to some of a long list of his greatest hits.  “No Nadie Como Ella”, and the audience rises,”Ahora Quien”, and we can’t help but dance.  Mark then slows it down to a ballad and he closes his eyes and we watch. We watch as if under a spell of his leading as is the type of experience that happens at a Mark Anthony concert and then he asks, do you want to dance? And we do. “I need to know.” As he leads us with his melodic throaty voice it occurs to me that we’re at party, a celebration really and that’s just how it feels.  Entertaining, to say the least, and easy to see why he packs houses again and again.  Mark is like the relative who invites you in, offers you a drink, and pulls you out to dance.  The life of the party who plays the timbales and calls out your song and you answer.  Except this time it was thousands of people who, to Mark’s “Ayee”, we answered, Que can-tan mi gente! And what of his mood you ask? Did his famous breakup set a tone for the evening? Well you wouldn’t tell from his energy but at one point when he closes his eyes and re-opens them and offers us the intense look that Mark gives so well as he belts out a ballad, one can only wonder if it was personally inspired.  Mark not only captures the audience, he takes us with him on his journey, as we sing along with him, he stops, looks out into the crowd and gestures to his band to quiet the music.  He holds the microphone towards us and as we sing, he closes his eyes, raises his arms, and dances.  Mark invigorates, delights, and even plays with us as he thanks us for the night and walks off stage while we wait expectantly for just one more appearance.  And then he appears again as the audience goes wild.  He finishes with a song and enraptures us as he holds a note for what seems like days and I realize, if you weren’t a Mark Anthony believer before, you will be now.

Sandra Quinones