Juanes at The Chicago Theater: On the Grid

"I visited Chicago 20 years ago, and I missed it every day, I thought to myself, wow, this city is beautiful and wonderful," Juanes told his audience during his most recent tour stop in Chicago, Illinois.

Colombian singer Juanes visited the city of Chicago on his most recent tour for

his Vida Cotidiana Tour. Growing up, Juanes was always playing in my household, whether it be on the radio on our way to run errands or cleaning at home. He was a familiar artist many Latin households would regularly enjoy. With his iconic songs such as "La Camisa Negra" from Mi Sangre (2004) and "Oye Mujer" 2018 Juanes has been in the Latin-American music charts for decades.

His iconic album "Un Dia Normal" was his big launch into stardom, released in 2002. His second album brought him unexpected global success. With its pop-rock influence and catchy songs, it won 6 Latin Grammys, including album of the year.

His most recent album, Vida Cotidiana, his 10th studio album, was released in 2023. Written during the pandemic, this album has songs about everyday normal life and is one of his most personal albums yet.

I had never visited the inside of the Chicago Theater, yet it was an exciting concert venue for an artist like Juanes. It was perfect, and people could enjoy the show and have a good view no matter where they were seated. He filled the theater, and it seemed like it was sold out. The iconic Chicago Theater sign from the exterior read "Juanes, March 7th" in bold letters. Fans were outside taking pictures and smiling, and you could feel the excitement in the air.

He begins the show by walking onto the stage and playing "Gris" from Vida Cotidiana; he greets the audience and moves into another slow song.

His stage setup was relatively simple, but his presence made it exciting. Juanes interacted with the crowd and motioned the audience to dance and have fun. He sang his classics such as "Es Por Ti" and "A Dios Le Pido." He covered "Querida" by the late Mexican singer and songwriter Juan Gabriel.

He made sure to include the audience; after the allotted photography time, I headed over to my seat, and within a couple of minutes, he left the stage and sang "Para Tu Amor" in the audience. It was a really heartfelt moment of connection and trust between Juanes and his fans. He kept the energy going by playing hit after hit with a fantastic setlist, with the audience singing loudly and dancing around.

This was one of the most fun and enjoyable concerts I've attended. It had fantastic lighting effects and played around with iconic songs so that the audience could hear something new, covering different songs. This show is a breath of fresh air, seeing an artist perform in their true essence and seeing how they can move a whole audience really shows the artistry and passion Juanes has for performing.

I would definitely recommend seeing Juanes live if you get the chance. Even if you're not entirely familiar with all his songs, this concert will definitely be a fun and memorable experience for all ages.

Setlist

1. Gris

2. Mala gente

3. Amores prohibidos

4. Nada valgo sin tu amor

5. Volverte a ver

6. Lo que me gusta a mí / Fuego / Hermosa ingrata

7. Fotografía

8. Es por ti

9. Es tarde

10. Más

11. Para tu amor (Acoustic)

12. La plata / Bonita / Sin medir distancias

13. Ojalá

14. Gotas de agua dulce

15. La paga

16. La camisa negra

17. La noche (Joe Arroyo cover)

18. Yerbatero

19. A Dios le pido Encore

20. Querida (Juan Gabriel cover)

21. Me enamora

22. La luz