The global economy may be collapsing, but you wouldn't know it from the turnout Friday night for Gloria Estefan's first South Florida concert in four years.
The cheapest ticket was $95, but it was standing-room-only at the Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino near Hollywood. And for true Gloria fans, the price tag was worth every penny.
Over a two-hour-plus show, the 51-year-old Miami icon performed favorites from her diverse repertoire, including pop hits from her days with Miami Sound Machine, lively salsa workouts, pulsing dance numbers, ballads and even a few standards.
Estefan appeared fashionably late, looking like a Cuban queen in a flaming red ball gown, and exclaimed, ''It's good to be home, South Florida!'' She and her 15-piece band -- including horns, percussion and sexy, booty-shaking dancers clad in black -- then dove into Oye, which segued into Rhythm Is Gonna Get You.
In between songs, Estefan was charming, relaxed, friendly -- and funny. ''Anybody who does not speak English, let me hear you!'' she called out. After a small roar from the crowd, she countered with, ``How do you know what I said? Ha -- I get you every time.''
At times, Estefan acted like a good friend sharing vacation pics. As she commented on old photos of herself flashing on the video screen with stars including Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder and Luciano Pavarotti, she quipped, ''I actually did the Three Tenors. Not literally -- get your mind out of the gutter!'' Of course, a shot with Estefan and Celia Cruz drew the biggest applause.
Other musical highlights included the dance workout 1, 2, 3, the gospel-tinged Reach, a house-music version of Everlasting Love, Spanish-language hits Cuba libre and Mi tierra, and the ballads Anything For You and Always Tomorrow, which Estefan said became ``an anthem of hope after Hurricane Andrew.''
The night also offered several surprises. Estefan -- who is portraying her heroine, Connie Francis, in an upcoming film -- introduced the 1960s singing legend in the audience before performing Where the Boys Are and Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me.
Then, Estefan's 13-year-old daughter Emily came out, looking pretty shy until she performed blistering guitar solos on Alice Cooper's rock hit School's Out before jumping behind the drum set for an instrumental jam. Bet your abuela didn't expect that.
Toward the end of the show, Estefan brought out more huge hits. The trio Oye mi canto (on which husband Emilio briefly came out to dance with Gloria), Turn the Beat Around and Conga (which started a house party in the aisles, with conga lines snaking through the venue) felt like the finale and would have been a fine one. But as weary but happy fans began to file out, Estefan reappeared for a medley of Dr. Beat, Get On Your Feet and I Just Wanna Be Happy. Glittering silver confetti exploded from the rafters, a fitting, festive ending for this homecoming party.
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