Photos + Review: Carlos Santana and Earth, Wind and Fire @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre (Chula Vista, CA)

Carlos Santana (Autlán, Mexico) and Earth, Wind and Fire (Chicago, IL)
June 17th, 2022
North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in Chula Vista, CA

With a tour opener originally scheduled for 2020, Santana unites the crowd with an evening of Latin-infused magic that equally entertained and inspired his audience.

Earth Wind and Fire started off the night in full force.

While their line up may have changed a bit throughout the years, their energy remains just as it always was -simply contagious. They are a musical tidal wave of massive proportions that sweep you up the second they step on stage.

The flashy outfits, the high energy dance moves that kept my camera rapidly chasing them side to side. The soulful falsetto vocals of Philip Bailey accompanied by Verdine White’s explosive bass lines and personality. And of course the untamable and ever so dynamic horn section guaranteed the audience an experience of historic proportions. They might have opened the evening but they were no opening act. They were the fireworks that got the night started.

Santana took stage next guiding fans through five decades of unsurpassable musical mastery that left the audience captive under his spell. From the opening classic, “Soul Sacrifice” to “Black Magic Woman” to his 90’s mega hits, “Maria Maria” and “Smooth.” To a beautiful rendition of the Doors,’ “Roadhouse Blues,” Santana delivered a night beyond my wildest expectations.

He brought a different kinda vibe to the stage. A nice balance of guitar genius and spiritual guru that transformed the evening into a full spiritual experience that touched everyone.

The lady next to me was the first attendant to the Church of Carlos Santana, fully getting lost in every riff, stomping to every drum beat of his songs shouting an “Amen” here and a “Praise God” there…

As amazing as it was to watch him play, I found myself equally mesmerized by the way the crowd felt enthralled by him. It is as if the music somehow came alive and reached the audience with a warm embrace that didn’t let go for the entire show. You could feel the love between the artist and the crowd, from the moment him and the band took stage ’till the moments the lights came on -and no one wanted to leave hoping to hear a little more.

You could feel the love between the artist and the crowd and part of that I think must be accredited also to his connection with the rest of the band. The energy on the stage was as magical as what I felt in the crowd, it was truly a night like no other.

Santana Set List
Soul Sacrifice
Jin-go-lo-ba (Babatunde Olatunji cover)
Evil Ways (Willie Bobo cover)
Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen
Oye Como Va (Tito Puente cover)
Samba Pa Ti
Life Is For Living
I Love Music
The Game of Love
Joy
Move
Corazón Espinado
Maria Maria
Foo Foo

Encore:
Put Your Lights on
Toussaint L’Ouverture
Hang ‘em High
Smooth
Roadhouse Blues/Love, Peace, and Happiness

Earth, Wind & Fire Set List
Shining Star
Let Your Feelings Show
Mighty Mighty
Celebrate
Getaway
Serpentine Fire
Sing a Song
Got To Get You Into My Life (The Beatles cover)
Interlude
Keep Your Head To The Sky
Devotion
Reasons
That’s The Way of the World
Brazilian Rhyme (Beijo – Snippet)
After The Love Has Gone (David Foster cover)
Rock That!
Fantasy
Boogie Wonderland
Let’s Groove
September
In The Stone

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