POP MUSIC REVIEWS : Miguel Bose Mixes Old With the New

When Miguel Bose decided to bury forever the sexy, teen-oriented image he’s been carrying for the last 21 years, he knew it would be tough to please the old die-hard fans of his above-average but still lightweight pop and the new fans attracted by his latest and most serious album, “Bajo el signo de Cain.”

His show Saturday at the Universal Amphitheatre, a hot-cold affair that accurately reflected the lights and shadows of an unpredictable career, proved that it may be an impossible task.

The concert, despite entertaining staging, a solid five-piece band of young Spanish musicians and Bose’s own underrated vocal skills and stage presence, was an uneven hodge-podge of the old and the new--two radically opposite sides of his music.

While Bose was at his best during the new material, the loud but intermittently appreciative crowd only stood up when he performed his best-known songs, including “Bandido” (“Bandit”) and “Los chicos no lloran” (“Boys Don’t Cry”).

Happy and aware that he’ll probably never repeat his success, 37-year-old Bose seemed more preoccupied with making a statement than performing a dynamic show. And that was enough for his credibility to stay intact.