The strong scent of incense wafted over the audio gear. We had been standing in the barricades of the photo pit, anxiously awaiting Carlos Santana, for all of three minutes when I realized the footage being played above stage was from Woodstock fifty years ago. This footage was being played to lull us into a gorgeous start of a wonderful and nostalgic evening with the one and only Carlos Santana, who is taking the time on his tour to acknowledge his 20 year old album — the one I know the best — Supernatural.
He played songs like “Put Your Lights On”, “Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen”, “Breaking Down The Door”, “Maria Maria”, and he didn’t leave out fan favorites “Oyo como va” and “Smooth”. And that’s exactly how I would describe his energy on the stage. The performers made it feel as though they were jamming together in someone’s basement or — better yet for a crowd this big and this dedicated to the ambiance (HELLOOOOO 420!) — perhaps a backyard on a warm summer’s night.
The evening was absolutely magical, and of course we credit so many generations of love for Santana on this one. Peep some photos below.
