Celebrity Buzz

Shakira, Shakira Songstress gives solid, varied show in El Paso

Shakira has got the moves, and some people are willing to do just about anything to see them.

The sold-out first date of her U.S. tour Wednesday night led some fans to try to dance their way into getting tickets.

Sal Hernandez, 18, didn't have a ticket, so he danced in a competition right before the concert and won with his cowboy-style dance.

"This is the first time I've danced to a Shakira song," he said. "It was hilarious when I saw myself on the replay."

Shakira, of course, didn't disappoint with her high-energy set that began with "Estoy Aquí."

Shakira, shoeless, was dressed in a dark T-shirt and matching black pants.

After the song ended, one eager fan was able to jump on stage and hand Shakira roses before security hauled him off.

Shakira was undeterred by the incident, thanked him for the flowers and moved on to the next song, "Te Dejo Madrid."

Shakira is known more for her hip-shaking, belly-dancing moves, but during this song she even broke out "the robot" before belting out a few notes on the harmonica. Next, she strapped on a pink and silver guitar for the rock song "Don't Bother." She played some nice rhythm guitar before stepping to the lip of the stage and squeezing out a solo as well.

She and her band quieted things down for the beautiful, nearly completely acoustic "Antología," which Shakira said she wrote when she was 17.

Many artists are content to stay with one style, but Shakira isn't one of them, as she displayed with the eclectic mix of sounds in her various songs.

"Hey You" was a very vampy song, which could easily have been sung in a lounge decades ago to the roar of an approving audience.

Shakira finally let the audience have a glimpse of her famous belly when she tied her T-shirt off before singing the hit "La Tortura."

After a very brief break in the show for a costume change, Shakira re-emerged, wearing a long, flowing red dress that could have been seen centuries ago -- or on Stevie Nicks.

At the end of "No," she twirled around before the lights went off and she launched into her first English-language hit, "Whenever, Wherever."

Later, she also sang the aching "Underneath Your Clothes."

Wyclef Jean proved to be a worthy opening act for Shakira by properly getting the crowd hyped up for the main attraction.

He began with House of Pain's "Jump." One person wasn't jumping as commanded by Wyclef, who ran off the stage and stood on the rail to get the man to stand up and jump.

Wyclef's set was filled with several cover songs, including the classic "No Woman, No Cry."

He ended his 30-minute set with Bob Marley's "Redemption Song," but returned at the end of the show to join Shakira on their hit song "Hips Don't Lie."

Considering that this is the first stop of the tour and kinks usually have yet to be worked out, the evening went smoothly, and El Paso showed its worthiness as a city in which to start a tour.

posted by Steve @ 5:47 AM