Fans of Maná, the most successful Latin American band of all time with over 45 million records sold, are gearing up for a free outdoor concert in Guadalajara on Wednesday night.
The band not only intends to showcase to the world the elements that distinguish the state of Jalisco, including its musical richness, but will also be donating the proceeds from the concert to local reforestation projects.
The state government has issued a public invitation ahead of the concert scheduled to take place at the La Minerva Glorieta, among the most emblematic monuments in Guadalajara, the state capital.
Long associated with social causes, especially those related to the environment, Maná said any resources generated by the event (including a fee paid by the city government) will be devoted to tree-planting projects in Guadalajara and several municipalities across the state, including in Puerto Vallarta.
The band maintains a nursery in Ahuisculco, a small town about 50 kilometers southwest of Guadalajara, which produces approximately 10,000 trees annually.
“We believe that the most important cause right now is to reverse climate change, through planting trees and reducing carbon dioxide,” lead singer Fernando “Fher” Olvera said. “This isn’t just talk; it’s a reality, because we must leave a better future for our children and grandchildren.”
The show comes less than a week after Maná performed during the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Mexico City, a moment the group considers the high point of their four-decade career.
“We got messages from Japan, Germany, France, Italy … from countries where we never played,” said drummer Alex González. “That’s when we realized the level of exposure we got.”
Wednesday’s concert — their first free-to-the-public gig in their four decades as a band — is expected to last about two hours and feature large-scale production, screens, lighting and sound systems set up along Vallarta Avenue. There will also be a few surprises, Olvera said.
“It’s going to be awesome. It’s completely free so grandma and auntie can come,” he said. “It will be a real Guadalajara festival. For us, it’s a way of thanking the city that gave us the opportunity to grow and develop our career.”
González said the concert will be a historic night for Guadalajara.
“This is where our dreams of one day becoming a famous band began,” he said. “And look how far we’ve come. We owe it all to the fans in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and all of Mexico.”
With reports from Quadratín, Informador and Debate
