Well, the third time was indeed the charm for Houston audiences waiting to see Carlos Santana and his namesake band on stage at the Woodlands Pavilion.
A planned 2020 show was axed by COVID, and last year’s makeup date was put on ice when Santana suffered a health crisis onstage and cancelled several dates in order to recuperate—Houston being the very last on that list.
Now age 75, Santana is one of a dwindling number (either by retirement or death) of groups and performers who played the Woodstock Festival in 1969. The band’s incendiary performance at the event later broken to a much wider audience in the movie is usually credited with being The Big Break for the previously mostly San Francisco-known act.
Santana onstage
Photo by Marco Torres
In a famous Woodstock story he retells in his autobiography The Universal Tone, thinking his band was going on later, Santana took some mescaline from his friend, Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. But when he was then told that the group was needed on stage much earlier, he had no choice but to head out there. He’s said that his guitar strings seemed like writhing snakes to him.
Asked by Rob Tannenbaum of The New York Times in 2019 if he was tripping the whole time, the always-spiritual Santana offered this: “Oh totally. You can tell by my body language. I’m wrestling with the guitar—not wrestling in conflict, but like a surfer, wrestling to maintain and sustain a balance. That’s the key to everything in life. Whether you’re straight or on mescaline, maintain your composure and your balance.”
Footage of Santana at Woodstock—and throughout his long career—played occasionally on the video screens during the show, along with current and historical video of African, Native American, and Latin American indigenous people dancing.
Carlos Santana
Photo by Marco Torres
The stated start time for Santana’s set was 8:30 p.m. But there he was onstage—resplendent in yellow pants, an oversized Bob Marley shirt, and a red beanie atop his head—at 8:15, accompanied by a truly incredible eight-piece band of players (and I wish I had their names to mention). This was definitely a case of “you snooze you lose” because he front-packed the show with his biggest and best-known hits from 1969 debut Santana and follow-up Abraxas.
Opening with a searing “Soul Sacrifice” and segueing right into “Jingo,” a groove-laden “Evil Ways” (with a snatch of Steely Dan’s “Do It Again”), “Black Magic Woman” and then sensual “Oye Como Va,” the all-on-your-feet crowd could hardly believe it. And a good chunk of the folks-with-seats stood for the majority of the show.
Santana’s two main vocalists
Photo by Marco Torres
The lengthy instrumental “Europa (Earth’s Cry, Heaven’s Smile)” proves again that Carlos Santana has such a distinct style and tone to his guitar playing, you could literally pick it out blindfolded. And you could sense his joy as he shook, waved his hands, and blissed out, lost in his chords and notes. He also impishly snuck in a few seconds of “Deep in the Heart of Texas” for the Woodlands crowd.
As Santana doesn’t sing himself, vocal duties were split between the bassist and two utility singer/players, who would often trade off as they did on “Everybody’s Everything” (which featured a dexterous break from the bassist and drummer Cindy Blackman, also Santana’s wife.
Cindy Blackman behind the drums
Photo by Marco Torres
She would later prove herself a monster on the skins toward the end of the show with perhaps the most exciting and energetic drum solo I’ve ever witnessed.
A female vocalist joined the group for a trio of numbers, but odd-choice covers of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” and Shocking Blue’s “Venus” fell flat. Only one “The Game of Love” from 1999 collaboration/comeback record Supernatural did she make the song her own and soar, subbing for that record’s Michelle Branch.
Three other tunes from that record were featured, and the heavily Latin-flavored and superlative “Corazón Espinado” and “Maria Maria” both stood among the evening’s best tunes, and certainly the most danceable.
Santana onstage
Photo by Marco Torres
Carlos Santana’s longest address to the crowd was to explain the origins of a new song, “Joy.” It was written by country superstar Chris Stapleton specifically for the group when Carlos asked for something (in typical Carlos fashion) like “mystical medicine music to heal a twisted world.”
That’s a lot of importance to put on any tune, but the reggae-driven call to humanity at least succeeded in being catchy. Santana also brought out most of opening act the Arc Angels for this and “Roadhouse Blues,” though the latter was kind of unnecessary.
Show closer “Smooth” was the biggest hit off Supernatural (originally done with Matchbox 20’s Rob Thomas), and it was a great way to send home a happy crowd.
And while Carlos Santana was certainly the star of the show—still ripping notes and solos like a man decades younger—overall this concert was the success of an ensemble. And one firing with everything they had, all night.
The Arc Angels: Doyle Bramhall II, Chris Layton (on drums), Charlie Sexton and Eric Holden
Photo by Bob Ruggiero
Earth, Wind and Fire was scheduled to open the previously cancelled Santana shows, but they’re on their own tour which came to Houston last year.
So, kicking things off this show was the recently reunited Austin super group, the Arc Angels. They coalesced again last year (and the Houston Press spoke to three of the four founding members exclusively—and simultaneously!).
All but one of their nine-song set were featured on their debut (and to date, only) studio album, 1992’s Arc Angels, with the other being a Muddy Waters tune they’ve often covered.
Singer/guitarists Doyle Bramhall II and Charlie Sexton, along with drummer Chris Layton and new bassist Eric Holden had a weighty power to them. “Always Believed in You,” “Shape I’m In,” and MTV “hit” “Living in a Dream” proved the best of the set. Though it would have been great to hear some new material. This is a group of seasoned veterans no doubt. But who are also capable of great things ahead as well.
Carlos Santana
Photo by Marco Torres
Santana Setlist
Soul Sacrifice
Jingo
Evil Ways
Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen
Oye Cómo Va
Europa (Earth’s Cry, Heaven’s Smile)
Everybody’s Everything
Ain’t No Sunshine
Venus
The Game of Love
Joy
Roadhouse Blues
Put Your Lights On
Corazón Espinado
Maria Maria
Foo Foo
Are You Ready
Band Intros > Gonna Have a Funky Good Time (Doin’ It to Death) (partial)
Smooth
Arc Angels Setlist
Paradise Café
Carry Me On
Always Believed in You
Sent by Angels
Spanish Moon
She’s All Right
Shape I’m In
Living in a Dream
Too Many Ways to Fall