Enthusiasm Is Real at KLVE’s ‘Navidad’ Show

Singer Jaci Velasquez was the only one of five performers to offer an actual Christmas carol during Tuesday’s “Navidad Con KLVE” concert at the Wiltern Theatre. But after the Houston-born singer introduced the Spanish version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” the band started playing a different tune. “OK, you guys, stop!” she commanded with girl-next-door naturalness. “You guys know this song. Come on!”

It’s not that the musicians weren’t in the Christmas spirit. It’s that they weren’t really playing. It took a few moments for the backstage crew to pause the piped-in music and cue up the right track.

Most in the appreciative audience didn’t seem to care about the smoke-and-mirrors sound effects, if they even noticed. And once the angel-voiced Velasquez started singing again--really singing--it didn’t matter.

The young Mexican American closed with a moving rendition of the heartbreaker “Como Se Cura Una Herida.” When she went down on her knees at one point, the singer’s anguish was palpable and genuine, and the crowd’s warm reception was like a massive group hug.

The vaudeville nature of these multi-act shows rarely allows performers to shine through with such strength. But Tuesday’s concert also offered surprisingly satisfying performances from veteran Carlos Vives and newcomer Alexandre Pires, a polished Brazilian singer-guitarist whose sweet and smoky voice suited both his samba and his tender ballads.

Mexican pop star Paulina Rubio, on the other hand, lip-synced her way through peppy but simplistic pop. Later, the hapless Christian Castro got caught with his mike down while his recorded voice kept a high note in the air. Amazing.

Vives closed the night with a joyful, energetic 90 minutes of vallenato, played convincingly by his own real, live band. He performed with his usual verve and an obvious passion for his country’s rhythmic folk music. And that can’t be faked.