Fernandez Cuts Through Noise to Make a Bond

It was a night of romance, lush songs and a lot of feedback.

Alejandro Fernandez’s concert on Friday at the Universal Amphitheatre, the first of his two nights there, was plagued by sound problems that made the pop idol visibly furious but didn’t affect in the least his emotional rapport with the rapturous audience.

The son of legendary ranchera singer Vicente Fernandez has delved bravely into the contemporary pop and traditional Mexican markets. But whereas most performers of the kind usually start their shows with a pop-rock band and then bring out the mariachi for a thunderous climax, Fernandez chose to alternate between both genres from the very beginning, bringing a refreshing change of pace to the show.

Although he was able to offer convincing live versions of ballads such as “Yo Naci Para Amarte” and the hit “Si Tu Supieras,” the singer stumbled when it came to standard torch songs from the Mexican songbook. His delivery of Armando Manzanero’s “Contigo Aprendi” focused too much on hitting the right notes, giving the feeling that he was commenting on the lyrics rather than being one with them.

But Fernandez is still a young performer, and a devilishly handsome one at that. He has perfected the art of pleasing his predominantly female audience, holding with pride the bras that were tossed at him, and even using a fan’s hankie to wipe the sweat from his brow before returning it. Not a very romantic gesture, perhaps, but still done with characteristic charm and a gentlemanly manner.