POP MUSIC REVIEWS : Dash of Argentina Spices Fito Paez Concert Debut

In his U.S. concert debut, Fito Paez put on a musically stirring and visually exciting performance Thursday night at the Wadsworth Theater that showed why he is the undisputed leader in Argentina’s highly competitive rock movement.

Backed by a strong four-piece band and a female vocalist, Paez--who launched his solo career in the mid-’80s--offered a blend of R&B;, pop, rock and funk that included a captivating, melancholy tango mood and a dose of Argentine folkloric forms.

That might appear to be too many conflicting elements, but this mix of influences is one of the main--and most appealing--characteristics of Argentine rock, which historically has been the chief creative force in the rock en espanol movement.

Paez is a master of putting these various sounds into enticing packages, filling them with heartfelt lyrics that touch on everything from romance to politics.

Though he included a couple of songs from his dark, angry “Ciudad de pobres corazones” (“City of Poor Hearts”) album from the late ‘80s, Paez, who plays keyboards and guitar as well as sings, concentrated on material from his current more festive “El amor despues del amor” (“Love After Love”) album.

There were enormous expectations surrounding Paez’s Wadsworth performance, but he met them--and then some.