Selena turns in sultry, sensual performance at Dome

02/26/1995 - Tejano singer Selena performs at the Astrodome during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. 02/26/1995 - Tejano singer Selena performs at the Astrodome during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Photo: John Everett, Staff Photo: John Everett, Staff Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close Selena turns in sultry, sensual performance at Dome 1 / 15 Back to Gallery

This review ran in the Houston Post on Feb. 27, 1995. The headline and words are reprinted as they ran then.

With 61,041 people packing the Dome, Go Tejano Day at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo set an all-time Sunday attendance record and may have established a new standard for good fun as well.

Besides the featured entertainers Emilio Navaira and Selena, the finalists of the Go Tejano Mariachi Invitational played between sets. Mariachi Festival of San Antonio won the title with Los Capoleros finishing second.

Selena was her usual sultry, high-energy self. She has added a pair of nicely muscled young men - some people might have recognized Fredy Corea from the Barrio Boyz - to dance and give the women in the audience something to admire. This is a good thing. Corea and Don Shelton held their own while Selena strutted her stuff in a purple-spangled jumpsuit with swingy bellbottoms.

Providing a variety of good things was conga player Art Mesa. Mesa propelled songs like "Baile Esta Cumbia" and "Techno Cumbia" with his lightning finger work.

Selena began her set with a tribute of sorts to music of the disco era. She raced through "I Will Survive," "Funkytown," "Last Dance" and "On the Radio," adding enough salsa-style touches to avoid slavishly imitating the originals. It was also good for those of us whose Spanish comprehension took a nosedive when Dos Mujeres ended back in July.

However, the energy and passion of Selena's performance transcended language. Songs like "Mis Despresios" and "Cobarde" relied on Selena's ability to be vulnerable as well as sensual. You still get a sense there's a girl from Lake Jackson up there having a good time even with the crack band and slinky choreography.

By the way, Emilio Navaira didn't do too terribly either. Navaira's got a great voice. His brother Raul provided some moments of comic relief with his energetic dancing and roll call of local communities.

Before Navaira rode off on a brown horse, he did eight songs, including a surprising version of the Eagles' "Hotel California." He closed his set with a scorching take on "En Que Brazos." "California" got a great response from the crowd, as did Navaira when he turned his back to the camera.

This review ran in the Houston Chronicle on Feb. 27, 1995. The headline and words are reprinted as they ran then.



By Rick Mitchell

Houston Chronicle

Tejano's future arrived at the Astrodome Sunday evening.

Selena and Emilio, this year's Tejano Music Awards' female and male vocalists of the year, respectively, performed at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo's annual Go Tejano Day concert.

In a reflection of Tejano music's booming popularity as well as the rodeo's growing appeal in the Hispanic community, the show was attended by 61,041 fans; an all-time Sunday record.

Selena, who also was voted entertainer of the year at the Tejano Music Awards held two weeks ago in San Antonio, is the hottest star ever to come out of Tejano music. Her 1994 hit "Amor Prohibido" went to No. 1 on the International Latin chart and is nominated for a Grammy.

She's currently working on an English-language crossover album to be released later this year.

A former child star, Selena has grown up along with the Tejano market. She took the stage wearing a skin-tight purple pants-suit with a bare midriff, revealing a well-conditioned figure.

She opened with a medley of '70s disco hits sung in English, a reminder that Tejano is a form of American pop that draws from many sources, national and regional.

While Selena can sing anything from ballads to polkas, most of her 55-minute set was devoted to extended versions of the dance hits from the "Amor Prohibido" album. "Techno-Cumbia" incorporated elements of rap, reggae and salsa, and even borrowed a few melodic riffs from the Champs' instrumental rock 'n' roll hit, "Tequila".

"Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" is another reggae-style cumbia.

Although the production is thoroughly contemporary, the music has an infectious, upbeat quality '60s pop.

If Selena is Tejano's answer to Madonna, Janet Jackson and Gloria Estefan, then Emilio is Tejano's George Strait or Garth Brooks. He favors tight Wranglers, solid-colored western shirts and a black hat.

But while he sang a brand new country tune in English here, most of Emilio's music is a modern extension of the norteno/conjunto accordion tradition.

He engaged in some comical choreography with his heavy-set sidekick, and sang a pop-rock tune in Spanish. Emilio also covered Van Morrison's "Have I Told You Lately" and the Eagles' "Hotel California".

Between the two sets, San Antonio's Mariachi Festival edged out Mariachi Los Caporales in the rodeo's annual statewide mariachi contest. The winners celebrated with a medley of "Yellow Rose of Texas", "San Antonio Rose" and "Orange Blossom Special", done mariachi-style.

UPDATE

The 1995 performance was Selena's third time appearing at the Houston rodeo. And it would be her last time here.

In March 1995, Selena, 23, was killed by Yolanda Saldivar at a Days Inn Hotel in Corpus Christi.

Selena was shot once in the back after an argument with Saldivar over business records. Saldivar was the founder and president of Selena's fan club and managed her boutique in San Antonio.

Saldivar was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. She will be up for parole in 2025 and is serving her sentence in Gatesville.

Selena's death was covered heavily by the national media, vigils were held throughout the country, and her funeral drew 60,000 mourners.

Her album "Dreaming of You" was released in July 1995. The 13-track album included four new English-language songs.

It sold 175,000 copies the first day and would top the U.S. Billboard 200 and stay atop the Latin charts for nine months. It also won Album of the Year at the 1996 Tejano Music Awards.

Emilio Navaira died of heart disease last year. He was 53.

- Erin Mulvaney