Fernandez Evokes Ranchera’s Sensuality

If you were lost at sea and a violent storm were brewing, you would be lucky to have Mexican singer Vicente Fernandez aboard with you. His stentorian voice could probably whip the waves into submission in an instant. And if nothing else, he could surely instill your crew with uncommon valor.

During a marathon performance on Friday at the Universal Amphitheatre, where he opened a three-night engagement, Fernandez delivered about 50 rancheras with the kind of macho bravado usually associated with Latino male cliches--the kind of outlook on life that espouses such views as, to quote Don Vicente himself, “women are not meant to be understood, just adored.”

Musically, Fernandez, 59, is still in top shape. The first standing ovation of the night came with his downright erotic version of “Nos Estorbo La Ropa,” the story of two lovers whose sensuous occupations manage to “turn winter into springtime.”

The night’s most intense moment came when the singer brought on stage his son Vicente Jr., who was kidnapped and held for ransom for three months last year. Fernandez thanked his fans for their prayers, and father and son then proceeded to sing a couple of tunes together. What their performance lacked in technique, it certainly made up for with raw emotion. In fact, the scene looked like a ranchera lyric brought to life.