Santana relights the Palau Sant Jordi 25 years after 'Supernatural'

After a twenty-year absence, the unmistakable sound of Carlos Santana's guitar returned to Barcelona last night. Their Oneness Tour —a tour that reflects the band's profound spiritual and musical philosophy—stopped at the Palau Sant Jordi as part of the Guitar BCN festival. Without any grand introductions or preambles, just after nine o'clock at night, hypnotic percussion gave way to the electrifying musical pulse of Santana, who opened the concert with Soul Sacrifice , the song that won him fame at Woodstock in 1969. Wearing a white hat, his head down, chewing gum and at times with his back to the audience, the musician played with absolute concentration, while the screens evoked scenes from the festival.

The band, led by the Mexican guitarist, offered a show steeped in mysticism, imbuing the venue with their fusion of Caribbean sounds, Afro-Latin rhythms, and rock spirit: the formula that cemented their legend. Northern lights, colored smoke, and tribal chants enveloped the diverse audience, who enthusiastically clamored for the eternal artist on stage.

The 'Oneness Tour' celebrates 25 years of Supernatural with anthems like 'Maria Maria' and 'Thorned Heart'

The first songs in the repertoire—an 18-song set—focused on his founding trilogy: Santana (1969), Abraxas (1970), and Santana III (1971). Classics like Jin-Go-Lo-Ba , Evil Ways , and the Black Magic Woman medley with Gypsy Queen were played, supported by the percussive structure of Paoli Mejías, Karl Perazzo, and Cindy Blackman, the guitarist's wife and renowned drummer who has also accompanied Lenny Kravitz on tour.

The Oneness Tour celebrates the 25th anniversary of Supernatural , the album that marked Santana's triumphant return in 1999 and brought him massive acclaim that revitalized his career with an unexpected spark. That same spark lit up the Palau Sant Jordi when the first chords of "Maria Maria" rang out, and the audience, who had remained seated until then, instantly stood up. They also performed "Corazon Espinado" , " Yaleo" , and "Put Your Lights On" from that album.

There were moments of high energy, like " Oye como va ," but there were also more relaxed moments with songs like the cover of The Zombies' "She's Not There ." The 78-year-old guitarist, although he occasionally took a break sitting on stage, never stopped expressing his artistry through his fingers, which glided masterfully and fluidly across the guitar. The lineup that accompanied him included Cindy Blackman on drums, while Ray Greene and Andy Vargas stood out on vocals, Tommy Anthony on guitar, Benny Rietveld on bass, and David K. Mathews on keyboards. Special mention must be made of Blackman's drum solo near the end, which left the audience mesmerized by his virtuosity for five minutes.

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After nearly two hours, the night concluded with "Smooth ," a song that resonates strongly with the different generations who have accompanied Santana throughout five decades. With emotion, 11,800 people bid farewell to the band yesterday with a standing ovation that confirmed, once again, that their music is eternal. "I am convinced that together we can change the destiny of the planet," the guitarist expressed.

The Guitar BCN festival is now preparing for its new fall season, having sold more than 90,000 tickets.