Latin music acts continue to do exceptionally well touring the United States, and Jesse Y Joy are no exception. The Mexican pop duo resumed their 2023 Summer Tour last night in San Antonio, Texas with a show full of fun music, loud singalongs, and overall good vibes.
“I told you all you would not be able to get rid of us,” said Joy to the nearly sold out Aztec Theatre on Tuesday (Aug. 1) night. She was referring to what she told the crowd in that same building just a little over a year ago. “Thank you for spending the night with us again.”
The whimsical, yet sorrowful tunes filled the room as the thousands of mostly young adults echoed the lyrics with deafening passion. Opening up with ‘Imagina’ from their latest album Clichés, the sibling duo wasted no time showing off that contrast in their music that makes them so unique. The guitar-heavy, 2015 hit ‘Dueles’ came next followed by ‘Ya No Quiero’ and ‘Chocolate.’ Jesse Y Joy create a sort of safe space to feel sad but optimistic. This was evident by the fans’ willingness to let their emotions show out: singing at the top of their lungs, teary-eyed, but with a slight smile on their faces.
Jesse Y Joy are no strangers to arenas in Mexico and other Latin American countries. But last night, they were able to give the intimate theater a big-room feel. Songs like 2006’s ‘Llegaste Tu’ and their prolific ‘Espacio Sideral’ showcased their status as pop-rock powerhouses. Fitting less production into a smaller-sized venue was no problem as their backing band and lighting was more than enough to serve as a backdrop.
The only low point during the nearly 90-minute show was when Jesse took center stage solo for two songs. While it was not necessarily bad, the audience seemed disengaged and his voice was overshadowed by the music. It brought the pace of the show down quite a bit but served as a good break from the constant high throughout the night.
Their encore included their Gente De Zona-collab ‘3AM’ – that contrast of sadness masqueraded in an upbeat banger evident once again – as well as their melancholic ‘Corre!’ The latter demonstrated the strong connection fans have with the music when their voices overpowered Jesse’s so much that she simply turned the mic around.
Local group Montufar and Chilean singer Francisca Valenzuela opened up the show.
Jesse Y Joy continue their US tour with dates in Texas, Georgia, and Florida.
