Marc Anthony had done it before. At his first solo concert, he sold out Madison Square Garden. Could he do it again? HE SURE DID. Once again, the fans showed their love and support for Marc and his Music. In return, Marc with his extraordinary voice, left the audience breathless.

For days leading up to the concert, many people were wondering who would be the opening act at the concert. At just about 8pm, Frankie Negron, a new and very popular Salsero, was introduced and appeared on stage. The audience responded extremely well and showed Mr. Negron that his music is recognized in New York. Frankie Negron entered the stage wearing a three piece black suit and matching shoes. After a brief musical introduction, he immediately went into what would be a succession of four of his recorded and popular songs plus one song from his upcoming new CD. The stage was filled with a full compliment of musicians and three coristas (backup singers) In addition, two huge monitors hung from the ceiling for your viewing pleasure.

The first song was"No Me Vuelvo Enamorar"- a popular tune with the audience. With his youthful appearance he entertained the crowd and walked about the stage to everyone’s delight. Once the song was finished, he took a moment to greet the audience and thanked them for their support and expressed his pleasure in being the opening act for Marc Anthony.

He introduced his second song from his new CD about to be released to the public. The song started as a bolero then eventually went into a cha-cha-cha. The transition from bolero to cha-cha-cha was smooth and a delightful surprise. Frankie Negron displayed a dynamic voice and can certainly hold a note.

The next song he chose was familiar to the NY airwaves. "Agua Pasada" lifted the audience’s spirit and it’s a favorite on the NY radio stations. The fact that the audience sang along showed Mr. Negron their love for his music. This was evident by the sing-alongs.

The last two songs were pure Salsa and Frankie Negron ended his appearance with the very popular "Inolvidable". The audience enjoyed this song the most and the heavy Salsa rhythms brought the audience to their feet. There was dancing in the aisles! His voice was strong throughout the concert. With the band supporting him, Frankie Negron made his mark at the Garden. Without a doubt, Frankie Negron was impressive and has a bright future ahead of him.

At about 9pm and for the next two hours, the Salsa Sensation – Marc Anthony filled the place with love-themed songs, heavy Salsa rhythms, and the "Voice" that is only his. The moment had arrived: The stage was full of smoke, the lights were dimmed and right through the center of the stage Marc Anthony appeared as though walking on air! (actually he was on a moving platform that brought him from the rear of the stage to the front giving the appearance that he was gliding on air) The Garden ROARED and everyone was on his or her feet extending a thunderous applause. What an incredible sight!! Twenty-five thousand fans screaming and clapping. He wore a two piece black outfit with matching shoes, glasses, and was sporting a mustache and growing beard (for his next movie). He began his two-hour non-stop marathon with the hugely popular "Y Hubo Alguien". The audience went wild and was still standing. He had a full compliment of musicians that included a six-piece brass section of three trumpets and three trombones. The trombone section included Jimmy Bosch. You could see Bobby Allende on timbales and Ricky Gonzalez on piano. These musicians have made a positive mark for themselves in music. They have played for the many of the top-recording artists around today. After Marc finished this first song, he immediately went into his second song that was recorded with "La India". The song "Volar" was a duet sung by both of them when they first burst into the Salsa scene a few years ago. It was during this song that the audience began with what would be their interaction and communication with Marc Anthony. Thrown onto the stage were the flags from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Naturally, the house EXPLODED when Marc held up both flags. It was a very patriotic moment for ALL Hispanics in the Garden.

After the song, he greeted the audience and mentioned that he was sporting a beard and mustache for his fourth movie which would begin shooting on Monday, September 28, 1998.

His next song, "Contra La Corriente" exploded with a dynamic timbal solo by Bobby Allende. Mr. Allende was electrifying and showered the audience with rapid-fire rhythms. Throughout the performance Marc Anthony seemed very comfortable on stage and was very jovial at times. He would imitate a heavy Spanish accent and tease the crowd.

Marc Anthony sang other well received songs such as "Hasta Que Te Conoci", "Y Sigue Siendo Tu", and his version of an old Salsa song which included piano solos by Ricky Gonzalez and Juanito Gonzalez. But it was not until he sang the next song that the audience erupted into another of the several "standing only" moments he generates. The song was "No Me Conoces". The surprise was the on stage appearance of Jennifer LopezHe HHHH. WOW! What an incredible moment. You had to be there to feel that tingling sensation and the chill go up your spine. They teased each other and interacted with each other throughout the upbeat part of the song (the violin solo was played by Mariano Montalvez). Meanwhile, the audience was in a frenzy. Jennifer Lopez looked radiant and was dressed in black. She managed to play-out the theme of the song with Marc to the audience's delight. For a moment, I thought they would break into a few dance steps together but instead they continued playing out the theme of the song. It was just fantastic to see. When it was all over and Jennifer Lopez addressed the crowd, you could feel that the audience wanted more. It was a definite highlight of the evening. For those of you who couldn’t be there, YOU MISSED IT!!!

Just when you thought he couldn’t generate another standing ovation, he began singing one of the favorites, "Palabras del Alma". He received a standing ovation by the audience. Mr. Jimmy Bosch played the trombone and pleased the crowd.

Marc Anthony continued his marathon of songs with the following: "I Will Survive", originally sung by Gloria Gaynor, "Se Me Sigue Olvidando", "Si Te Vas", "Hasta Ayer", and a traditional Puerto Rican theme song. It was during the patriotic song that a huge Puerto Rican flag dropped down from the ceiling of the Garden overlooking the stage. At the same time, a video of highlights of the island and some of its beaches was played adding to the overall patriotism. Since the evening was also dedicated to the victims of Hurricane Georges, you can imagine the deep sentiments felt throughout the Garden.

One of the last highlights to mention, was when Marc Anthony sang "Hasta Ayer"; or should I say the audience sang. It was during this song that Marc Anthony basically introduced the song and the audience took over. Ninety-five percent of the song was sung by the audience. It was clear that this touched Marc Anthony. It was also clear that this song was an all-time favorite. It was incredible.

The "Voice" was about to finish. The concert would soon end with the last song, "Te Conozco Bien". At the end, confetti was fired into the crowd and the concert was over. The house lights came on and you could see clearly the satisfied faces of all. Having seen Marc Anthony grow throughout the years and growing up in El Barrio, it was with great pride that I sat in the Garden and cheered for a young man who has accomplished so much in such a short period of time. The American Dream is within his reach.

CONGRATULATIONS MARC ANTHONY