With its location in Mexico City and a dedication to Cesar Chavez, this live Santana set is clearly rooted in Carlos’s Chicano heritage. Of course his heritage has been part of Santana’s core sound since he blew crowds away with Latin beats, Spanish vocals, and his unmistakably yearning guitar sound in the late 1960s. But here, Carlos takes viewers back to a spiritual point of reference that gains meaning through the music and offers meaning back to the music. The 1993 vintage of the film naturally centers it on the latest of many, many incarnations of Santana. And even though the familiar faces from eras past are gone, the band still stirs up these tunes. Carlos calls on timeworn standards that should be familiar to any fan of the last generation’s rock & roll, and the band dutifully churns out “No One to Depend On,” “Black Magic Woman,” “Oye Como Va,” “Samba Pa Ti,” “Guajira,” and even the 1970s-era hit “Open Invitation.” There are highlights aplenty, not the least of which is show-opener “Angels All Around Us” and “Soul Sacrifice.” And the video stays largely focused on the music–save for the travelogue cutaways to sites in Mexico. As for Carlos, he plays as if the year were 1968–which is to say that he launched a career with his sound and vision almost fully formed. There has been development for the great one, but here he sticks with his soulful gospel of stirring, uncategorizable (is it world music? Latin rock?) guitar-driven rock & roll. –Andrew Bartlett
User Reviews
5 Stars Santana’s best Performance
Images were great, good image editing. The sound quality is pretty close to perfection. I definetly recomend this dvd for traveling or just to hang out with your friends and enjoy one of Santana’s best performances ever!!. A must have peace of art.
5 Stars Great performance!
The best Santana DVD you can buy!
For you collectors get SANTANA Shizuoka Night Japan 2006 if you can find it. It’s as good as Sacred Fire. Please release this one to the public.
5 Stars One The Best You Will Find – Ever!
To sum it all up in that one word, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!”
5 Stars SUPER CONCERT
THIS CONCERT TOOK ME BACK TO THE 70′S & 80′S, AND IT ALSO TOOK ME BACK TO THE OLD WAREHOUSE CONCERT DAYS BACK IN NEW ORLEANS. THE BEST CONCERT I HAVE SEEN WITHOUT LEAVING MY HOUSE. 
5 Stars Carlos and Band at their best!
As a Santana fan from the 70’s, I had forgotten just how powerful their music is. But “Sacred Fire” reminded me why I wore out their old 33s. For Santana fans, this is an anthem. I’ve been told that you can’t wear out a DVD, but I’m going to try!
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