After the best part of a year spent in anticipation, the long-awaited evenings finally came along, as one of the best-selling artists of all time arrived and delivered in the two main Kazakh cities, to the joy of several thousand.
3 September saw Enrique Iglesias perform in the capital, Astana, as the Latin American superstar gave his first-ever concert in Kazakhstan in front of a packed arena, with local people joined by fans from all across the region.
Two nights later, Almaty played host to the singer-songwriter, when the Central Stadium turned into a giant dance floor as Iglesias performed some of his greatest hits. Thousands sang along, as they had dreamed of doing for years, some of them since childhood – right from the first song to the very last one.
One local said the show had been one of the highlights of her life so far:
“I’ve been listening to Enrique since I was a teenager, and I have so many memories connected to his songs. I never thought I would one day hear them live here in Almaty. When the songs I’ve known for so many years started playing tonight, it was an incredible feeling; it was almost as if I had gone back in time. I was standing there, singing along, and simply couldn’t believe that I was finally hearing Enrique live!”
Music makes the show, but these two evenings would not have been complete without the atmosphere created by both singer and audience.
Throughout the concert, the closeness of the artist to his fans created a kind of intimacy that isn’t experienced with many turn-up-and-sing performers. Enrique Iglesias came to the edge of the stage, spoke to the crowd, and reached out to fans, and every time he moved closer, the stadium responded with another wave of applause.
Fans also said that the effects were out of this world. At one point, the entire Central Stadium became part of the show as thousands of wristbands lit up simultaneously in time with the music, much as it had been in Astana when, for several minutes, the familiar stands of Astana Arena were transformed into a giant light installation.
This was all part of a new show, as a team of concert specialists had revamped his show ahead of his latest tour, making the Kazakhstani crowds among those to witness the new performance, not a soul leaving either venue disappointed by what they had just witnessed.
The singer would probably agree that his two performances in Kazakhstan’s largest cities once again demonstrated the country’s emerging place on the international itinerary for world-class artists, and if he chooses to come back, it is likely to be to experience the hospitality of the people, as well as to perform here.
