PHOENIX (By Yvonne Wingett, Arizona
Republic) April 30, 2005 - For south Phoenix's Maria Elena Coronado, no more
jetting off to California to jam to Alejandro Fernandez or Nevada to rock
with Manα.
This summer's hottest international Latin acts are coming to her.
From Colombiano heartthrob Juanes to the man of mariachi, Vicente
Fernandez, Phoenix has landed some of the Latino world's most popular people
in music.
It's about time, Coronado says.
"It's exciting," says the 34-year-old rock en espaρol fanatic. "Now
it means we don't have to go to LA or to Vegas."
Coronado will have lots to choose from in the next several weeks.
Juanes plays the Dodge Theatre today.Pop tart Paulina Rubio packs the
downtown Phoenix venue May 14, Vicente Fernandez will woo thousands May 29,
chart-topping Intocable hits the Dodge in August, and Los Lonely Boys,
Ozomatli, Los Lobos and Arturo Sandoval will also be in town.
What's more, Gloria Trevi was set for Glendale Arena on May 8 but canceled
because she's pregnant.
Top Latin acts have a long history of bypassing the nation's fifth-largest
city for Miami, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. But Arizona's surging
Hispanic population and the rise of Latin artists over the past decade has
many of the Valley's music promoters and venues gong Latin.
Some call it a cultural renaissance: Putting the concerts in mainstream
venues such as the Dodge Theatre signals a growing clamor for
Spanish-language entertainment by Hispanics who are reclaiming their roots.
"It's wonderful being a young person and not having to go to the swap meets
to hear (your favorite artists)," Coronado says. "Now we can actually go to
these venues, the same ones that U2 can go to and fill up - with a Latino
fan base, is great."
The success of some of these Spanish acts isn't always a sure thing.
Although the Valley has the people and demand for live Spanish-language
entertainment, that doesn't always translate to sensational ticket sales,
promoters and industry experts say.
Bookers big and small are going out of their way to land top Latin acts for
Phoenix. But shows don't sell out consistently in this market, while
multiple performances sell out almost immediately in cities with big Latino
populations like Miami.
"I think there's a lot of promoters still looking at Phoenix, but it's a
hit-and-miss deal," says Juan Elias, co-founder of Chandler-based concert
promotions company Elias Entertainment. "Phoenix is a very hard market to
figure out."
It could be, he says, that Spanish-language acts need more of a break
between tours to work up the fan appetite.
"You don't see Elton John, Paul McCartney touring every year," says Elias,
who has spent the past 15 years bringing acts to the Valley. "If you bring
an act that doesn't tour all the time and people are anxious to see the act,
it will do well. Maybe that's going to be the trend in the Latin market as
well."
Fans like Carlos Chavarria, 37, hope not. The central Phoenix resident can't
get enough of Paulina Rubio, Thalia, Shakira, Juanes, Juan Gabriel and their
Latin beats.
"The Latino market has grown considerably in the last 10 years, since Ricky
Martin came out with the 'vida loca' thing," says Chavarria, a native of
Mexico City. "I have never seen in Phoenix so many quality artists coming
through here. This is incredible."
