SPEAKER_02 0:00

For five decades, Gloria Stefan's music has moved the world. This is Let It Loose, a Gloria Estefan podcast. The first fan-led show dedicated to her life, legacy, and impact. Lifelong Estefans, Carlos, Rob, and Wes explore the songs, moments, and stories that make Gloria an icon. If her music changed your life, then welcome home.

SPEAKER_04 0:26

Hi everybody, and welcome back to another episode of Let It Loose. My name is Rob. I'm Wes. And I'm Carlos. And this week we're diving into the world of Gloria's concerts. We're speaking to a lifelong super fan who has tons of memorable, fun, and interesting concert stories to share with us. We may also be able to share some of our own.

SPEAKER_05 0:46

Absolutely. I'm really looking forward to this episode. I've actually been looking forward to this episode for quite some time because I don't know about you guys, but I have a few wild concert stories to share.

SPEAKER_03 1:03

I'm the unfortunate one that's only been to two. So I can't wait to hear some of your stories.

SPEAKER_04 1:08

I actually have a feeling that Carlos and I share one concert story.

SPEAKER_05 1:33

Yeah, like when I was in high school, even. That's funny. Elementary school. So yeah. All right. So before we get into that, let's have a little history lesson with Wesito.

SPEAKER_03 1:47

Alright, guys. So as we all know, 1996 was a busy year for Gloria, especially the month of April. So this week takes us back to April 28th, 1996. Gloria performed at the 1996 VH1 Honors Concert, which was held at Universal Amphitheater in Universal City, California. The concert was also known as a concert for human rights, honored by the organization Witness, that was founded by Peter Gabriel. Gloria performed Coming Out of the Dark and Reach. And I'm not sure if that was maybe her first live performance of Reach, but um that's something we're gonna have to look up. But I think it may have been. As well as Peter Gabriel's hit in your eyes, alongside Peter Gabriel, and a few names that will definitely take you back to the 90s. Tony Rich, Joan Osborne, and Natalie Merchant. I know she mentioned um a few years ago there was a Vogue t. I'm not really sure if it was on their YouTube channel. Do you guys remember where she talked about how her her looks over the years and she mentioned the dress that she wore on the VH1 honors? Was that the long dress? She had straight hair, long dress, and it had like different colors. Yes. And the story was that somebody else wore the same exact dress or something like that. I do remember. Yeah, and I think later, uh just a few years ago, I think um her daughter-in-law uh Lara wore that same dress. Yeah, actually, we talked about that in a previous episode. Now that you say that, I remember.

SPEAKER_05 3:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 3:28

Awesome, awesome.

SPEAKER_05 3:32

We're about to dive into some of our favorite Glory concert stories. The energy, the memories, and those moments that stay with you long after the music stops. And to help us relive some of those unforgettable moments, we're joined by a very special guest and friend of the show. She's repping the 305 and longtime fan who's been there, lived it, and I'm sure danced through it all. Please help us welcome Giovanna. Giovanna, we're so excited to have you with us today. Welcome to Let It Loose.

SPEAKER_01 4:01

Hello, hello, hello. I'm so excited to be here too.

SPEAKER_05 4:04

Yes, thank you for being here. So, yeah, so are you reping the 305 or are you 786?

SPEAKER_01 4:11

Listen, my phone number might might be 786, but I'm 305. I'm here, born and raised, left.

SPEAKER_05 4:19

See, I rep I re out in Colorado. I still rep the 305, but I never had a 305 number. I it was 954.

SPEAKER_01 4:27

Yeah, uh by well, by the time I got a cell phone, it 786 was the only thing left, so I had to deal with it. Didn't like it, but it is what it is.

SPEAKER_05 4:36

We just saw each other um a few days ago.

SPEAKER_01 4:39

Well, by the time the concert for Anna, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 4:41

Anna's concert. I I made it out there. I wasn't sure if I was gonna do it, and I said, I gotta. And I had such a good time. Did you have fun?

SPEAKER_01 4:51

Yeah, oh my god, it was so good, and she's so talented. I'm so glad that you like convinced me to go. You kept like egging me on, and I was like, it's a weeknight, I don't know. Let me see. And then I heard her on your podcast, and I was like, I love her, I have to go and support her. I need to see her live again. And I hadn't seen her live since she was on the you know, the on your feet musical, and she's so incredibly talented. And I was so glad of that that I went. I had a great time.

SPEAKER_03 5:17

Carlos sent us some pictures and videos. It looked looks like you guys had a blast.

SPEAKER_01 5:21

Yeah, yeah, it was great.

SPEAKER_05 5:23

It was so fun, and she just like she had mentioned on the podcast, she really did a little bit of everything. It wasn't just old Broadway songs, it was, you know, some Cuban standards and then some pop hits. So it was fun to see that kind of you know mix.

SPEAKER_01 5:40

Mixed, yeah, yeah. She's just so multi-talented, she can do anything.

SPEAKER_05 5:45

Absolutely, absolutely. And and Gloria looked like she had fun. Amelia was there for just a little bit. I know that um he had to run off because he's that guy is so busy. I don't know how he hasn't slowed down. He's uh, I think he is producing something for there's an artist now, I think his name is Roncolunga, or his you know, his artist name. So I know that he's been spending a lot of time with him um in the studio, so it'll be interesting to see what uh musical baby they're they're coming up with.

SPEAKER_01 6:17

Emilio produces great music. I always love everything that he does.

SPEAKER_05 6:21

Absolutely, absolutely. So, as you know, we're gonna be talking about our concert stories. I know that you have a few that you've been dying to share, and I've been dying to find out. I have I have one in particular. I have a few, but there's one in particular that um that's just it's it's a memory that I will never forget. It was and it wasn't a pleasant experience. So it's not to do with Gloria. It was a Gloria concert, but she was very um very pleasant, as we know, but um uh one of the concert go goers was not.

SPEAKER_04 6:57

So that's why I think we have the same one. I think that's I think it's the same story.

SPEAKER_05 7:01

Yeah, the same story. Okay. All right, so before we get into it, we want to learn a little bit about you, Joanna. Okay. What was what would you say was the song or album that caught your attention?

SPEAKER_01 7:14

Like what became like what like what made me a fan?

SPEAKER_05 7:17

I made you a fan, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:18

Yeah, um, so I don't have any memory of not being a fan because my dad was a fan, and he had those early Miami Sound Machine records, and he was like a quasi-musician in Miami during those days. So he knew some of the people, you know, in the early band. And so I grew up on her music. I don't have memory of her not being musically in my life. Um, I remember as a little kid, uh, I was gifted like a it was called a My First Sony, and it was like a kitty tape player with a little microphone and AMFM radio, and it came with like a bunch of like Disney soundtracks, and I was like, I don't want to hear this Disney crap. I stole the tapes from my dad's cassette collection. So far, it was only like two albums out at that time. It was Eyes of Innocence and Primitive Love, and I was super stuck on Conga, on Dr. Beat, on Orange Express. Those were like my favorite little like jams. And I used to ask my dad, I want to hear the Conga lady. Like I didn't know it was Miami sound machine for me, it was Conga Lady from the get-go. I stole those tapes and I played them over and over, like side A, switch, side B, next tape, side A, side B. And I was just obsessed with this little tape player and my cassettes. And every time a new album came out, my dad would buy it, I would yoink it, and it became mine by the time I think uh when Destiny came out, I had, you know, older, I got some allowance money and I bought the album for myself, and my dad didn't know he started getting used to buying duplicates because he knew that I would take his stuff. So we ended up with three Destiny albums because he knew that I had already bought it.

SPEAKER_05 9:04

That's awesome. So Destiny was the very first album that you purchased.

SPEAKER_01 9:08

I bought with my own money. I went to Specs. I don't know if you guys remember Specs. Specs, yes, yes, and I and I bought Destiny. That was not the first album I bought with my own money.

SPEAKER_05 9:17

Specs. That's awesome. Specs where we would go, because we're both from South Florida. So was where we would go to purchase the concert tickets?

SPEAKER_01 9:26

Yes, right? Yeah, waiting in line for evolution tour. I remember that.

SPEAKER_05 9:31

And also there was another place where I went to, and you might recognize this. This was in Hyalea, Ricky Records.

SPEAKER_01 9:37

Yes, we had one on Flagler for the longest time. I don't know. I think it's still there actually.

SPEAKER_05 9:41

Oh wow, that's yeah, that's old school.

SPEAKER_01 9:44

Old school, yes.

SPEAKER_05 9:47

So let me ask you this. So, speaking of, you know, we're both from South Florida, she's our hometown hero, right? We know that she's a global um international superstar, but for us in Florida, she's that hometown hero. Um what was it like for you? Because I know what it meant means for me, but what was it like for you um being a fan of hers and knowing that she's this hometown hero?

SPEAKER_01 10:17

Oh my gosh, it it just as a as a woman and as a Cuban, as a Miamian, she brought so much light to like our story as you know, firstborn from an immigrant background in South Florida, and all that struggle and like trying to find your identity and kind of assimilate, but also keep your culture and you know, trying to, you know, embrace your culture, but at the same time growing up very Americanized, you know, and when she hit the scene and all that music came out that was our rhythms of like what we heard at parties, you know, and but then it was in English, and like I I'm bilingual, like I grew up, you know, speaking both languages, but I was like just so caught onto like wow, this is like my culture, but it's also in English, and it was just an immediate like attraction to fulfilling something in me as like a Cuban American.

SPEAKER_05 11:21

Isn't it amazing? Having grown up in South Florida, this hometown hero, doesn't she feel like a tia?

SPEAKER_01 11:27

Like just a yeah, she's everyone's tia, like it's like three degrees to Gloria.

SPEAKER_05 11:32

You don't see that often, but you know that it exists and it's there. That's I feel like she is everyone's tia in South Florida.

SPEAKER_01 11:39

Exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_04 11:41

But it's interesting because her music, I've often said, similarly to what you're saying, sounds like home. Like as as your definition of home changes as you grow up, you know, with physical places that are really no longer there as much or people who move away or everything like that, you know, people evolve. Her music still sounds like home for me. You know? So it's it's great for you to say that um and to say that you have that that sort of cultural connection with her. So we're gonna talk about concerts today. We talked in a previous episode about our first concert experiences and how meaningful that was. Do you remember your first Gloria concert?

SPEAKER_01 12:20

Oh yes, and what that was? My first Gloria concert was not a Gloria itself concert, it was the Hurricane Relief concert. So Hurricane Andrew had just hit South Florida. It was obviously very devastating to the South Florida area. I lived down south back then. Um the house was, you know, very destroyed. We were without electricity for over three months, and you know, everyone was struggling. And Gloria, being who Gloria is, she wanted to do something to give back to the community and help those that, you know, were in need. So they did this huge um, it was like a comic relief concert. So it was like a bunch of different artists, and then in between, comics would go and give like comic relief to try and like get people to like laugh and get through the the dark moment and raise a ton of money for then giving back to the community and helping people that needed to rebuild their lives from scratch. Um, my dad bought the tickets, they were very expensive, and I remember my mom being a little upset that I was along for the ride because she's just a kid. Like, she, you know, why are you gonna spend this obscene amount of money on this kid coming to the concert? And my dad was like, She's a huge fan. Like, I will never hear the end of it. My go bring her. So it was me, my mom, and and my dad, and we were 10th row, and it was a very long concert because it was a bunch of artists, a bunch of comics doing, and she was like the finale, right? So, right before she came on, the audience is like Gloria, because we were like, we wanted her. She this was like peak Gloria, you know, in her career, and Gloria, Gloria, and she finally comes out, and that first note hit, and the audience lost their minds. Like, wow, because I was little, I was standing on the chair, and the roar of the audience, like it was like a wave of energy that almost knocked me off the chair, like this massive insane of like love and energy towards her on the stage was insane. I still have goosebumps every time I talk about it, and I swear they had to like delay the second note because the audience went so crazy for her. It was such a moment.

SPEAKER_05 14:39

Oh my gosh. What wasn't that at the um at Joe Robbie? Yes.

SPEAKER_01 14:44

It was Joe Robbie because now it's like now it's dolphin, now it's whatever, it changes names every three years. Yeah, it's Joe Robbie to me, always exactly.

SPEAKER_05 14:54

Do you remember uh which songs she sang?

SPEAKER_01 14:58

Oh my gosh. Um, she sang Always Tomorrow. I remember that. I think she even brought up her guitar for that one. Um Coming Out of the Dark, I remember. Um all her hit songs from that from that time, from like Into the Light uh album and Anything for You. She she sang I I don't super remember every little detail, but I I think it was like five or six songs.

SPEAKER_03 15:26

Yeah, I think she I that's what I'm trying to remember. I wonder if because the the concert was televised um on Showtime.

SPEAKER_01 15:34

Oh, was it?

SPEAKER_03 15:35

Yeah, we didn't know it was. So I wonder if I'm thinking that the televised version may have not had the full her must have had her full set, but because I remember thinking, you know, she didn't perform as many songs as you know when I was younger. I was like, why didn't she perform more songs? You know, I didn't get the fact that it was, you know, a concert with other people. But I think she did live for loving you as well. But I could be wrong.

SPEAKER_01 16:00

I think so too. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 16:01

And that was like a recent hit during the at that time frame.

SPEAKER_04 16:04

So it's so interesting to hear you talk because in my opinion, growing up, that outfit that she wore for that show, that's not the point of the whole show, but the outfit is such an iconic look. You know, the white button down with the red skirt. I can picture it vividly as you're talking, as if I was there. Yeah. You know, and like you painting that picture was just so beautiful. Was that your first time ever seeing her?

SPEAKER_01 16:30

Um, so being Miamian, my family had a boat, and so we would cruise Biscayne Bay and the ocean like almost every week, and it was part of our routine, like Sundays on the bay, you know. And of course, my dad, knowing that I'm a fan, he would take me past Star Island and Gloria's house every time, so I could, you know, see the house or whatever. And one day she was out there. And I this is I'm like, oh my god, just like dumbfounded because I'm like so, you know, oh my god, there she is, like in person. And she was on the dock, so she was like right there, like maybe 10 feet away. And um, everyone on the boat is like, Gloria, and she's like, hey, you know, she's like super nice to everybody. I'm like, you're in your house, like, you know, and she it was her, Emilio, and Naive. And they, I guess, had just docked or were leaving because they were like loading or unloading the boat, like right there. They had like the cooler and stuff, like just a typical Miami family, like enjoying, you know, what Miami has to offer, you know.

SPEAKER_04 17:36

Wow. And then to go from that to seeing her live.

SPEAKER_01 17:38

And then seeing her in in in concert, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 17:41

Yeah. So what what are some of the concert stories that stick out?

SPEAKER_01 17:47

Oh, so I have two. So I'll tell the first one. Um, the first one was um Las Vegas for the Unwrapped album. She did like a series of shows there, and I think she called it like Live and Unwrapped or something like that. Um, it was October 2003, and I remember it exactly because it was a month shy of my 21st birthday. And Las Vegas is not, you know, it's not super, you know, under 21 friendly, but I was also kind of like used to Miami. And for those of you who are not from Miami, like I was going to clubs and since I was like 15 years old, that was that's like normal in Miami. I don't know how other people see it outside. Sometimes I I shock people with my stories from my days. Um, but I was so used to like never being carded, never being like asked my age, and a girl at a club, come on in, you know, like that's what it was. So I went to Vegas thinking it, you know, I would be able to get away with the same things in Miami. I was not, I was surprised to see that they had a very strict door policy. Um I had to be very careful about what I did, and I still did things, but you know, kind of being around. Um so we go to, you know, the the concert.

SPEAKER_05 19:12

First weekend or second weekend?

SPEAKER_01 19:14

Oh, I don't even remember.

SPEAKER_05 19:16

Because I was there the first weekend.

SPEAKER_01 19:18

It it might have been the second weekend. I always like to go to like the last show. I I used to be a dancer and I feel like the very last show of things tends to be like the best because that's when everyone like relaxes the most, all the performers and stuff, because it's like this is it, this is the last one. So I've always picked to be the last show, so I'm pretty sure it would have been the the second weekend.

SPEAKER_07 19:42

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 19:43

So yeah, it had to be, I think, the very last show because afterwards there was like an after party and stuff, and normally there's not an after party unless it's like the end of the thing.

SPEAKER_05 19:53

No, I think it was the first weekend then because I was at the after party.

SPEAKER_01 19:58

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 19:59

Aha.

SPEAKER_01 20:00

Aha. So we go to the concert. I'm like, you know, maybe eighth or tenth row or something like that in that area. At some point, Gloria like summons some of us to go on stage with her, and I guess security was not aware of the situation. And so uh, you know, a bunch of people went up. I started to go up, and security went to go grab me. And out of nowhere, Tony. I don't know if you guys remember Tony, Gloria's bodyguard from O back in the day. Such a sweetheart. Love that man. I miss him so much. He was great. He pops out of nowhere and he's like, Don't touch her, she's fine. I'll tell you who to take down. And he grabs me up and like pulls me onto the stage, and we do our you know, little thing for Congo and we go back to our seats. Um, show ends. We're getting ready to leave. I think one of the band members tells some of us, like, the after party's at this club, Naive's gonna be DJing, everyone should go to support. And I'm like, yeah, I'm down. I'm always down to like dance and have a good time. Um, so we get over there and they have like a strict door policy with like dress codes. And people had to go and change because they were, you know, dressing like shorts and sneakers, and that wasn't allowed in the club. And then I'm dressed pretty nice because I'm used to the club scene, you know, dressing up for Miami. And I go up and I think, you know, it's not gonna be a problem. Uh, and he's like, Your ID? And I'm like, my ID. And I'm like, all right. I hand it over, and I should have not handed it over. Because then once he saw that I was only 20, he's like, I can't let you in. This is 21 plus, uh, you know, and I'm like, come on, uh like I'm not gonna do anything. I just don't have a good time. Like, uh, you know, I won't get you in trouble. I promise I won't do anything crazy. Like, I just want to dance. Um, and he's like, No, like I will get in so much trouble. The door policy is super strict, like you cannot come in. So I'm like devastated because I just Want to like have a good time. Um, so then I was standing there waiting for like Gonga members that had gone up to their room to go change and come back. And uh I can't I can't go in. So like I'm gonna, you know, stand out here for a little bit, wait for everyone, say bye, and like that's the end of my night because I can't go in. At some point I get like annoyed with the bouncer because he continues to like stare at me. So I'm like, I need to get away from like him and like the noise of the casino. And I walk outside like a side door into like an alleyway, and I'm standing there by myself, and some car pulls up and it's some man, and he like confuses me for a hooker. Oh my god, I gotta get back inside before like something crazy happens. And right as I'm like turning to go back inside the hotel, um, a white janky van pulls up and I'm like, oh, I'm I'm about to get kidnapped. I feel like I need to run. And the door swings open and out pops Emilio and like other people from you know, friends and family, and Gloria, and I get to say like hello and get a picture. And I was so close to asking Gloria to like pull me in, you know, get me in there. But I I felt bad. I never like asking her for anything, so I just like got my picture, and then you know, that was the end of my night. But I was so devastated I couldn't go into that club for the after party.

SPEAKER_05 23:23

Oh man. See, now I'm questioning maybe they had a different, another after party. They like to play, maybe, yeah. So yeah, because this the the after party that I went to the first weekend was outdoors.

SPEAKER_01 23:37

Oh no, this was like inside like a like you know, one of those small venues inside the casino.

SPEAKER_05 23:44

Yeah, and they had um during that time she was on the cover of a magazine. I can't remember which magazine uh it was, but big magazine. Um, and they had from that photo shoot, they had those photos displayed throughout the whole garden. I remember Becky being there and cute.

SPEAKER_01 24:06

Okay, yeah, that must have been yeah, it must have been a different weekend for sure.

SPEAKER_04 24:11

Las Vegas is so funny, like the how strict they are. I was like, they carted me last summer, and I was like, it must be really dark in this casino because I am fully gray. Like there is no reason for you to be Little Rob, calm down. You're fully gray, but you still look 12. But that I'm I must have been under like a like a very dim light in that casino because I was like, there's no if, ands, or buts about my age at this point.

SPEAKER_01 24:34

I look very young for my age, so I still get carded.

SPEAKER_03 24:37

Yeah, I was gonna say you you do look very young. Um, but if you had to pick one concert or moment that stands above the rest, what is it?

SPEAKER_01 24:47

Uh well, the Carol King one, which is the other story I have. I mean, I'm obviously a huge Glorious Stefan fan. Like, she's my number one, always will be. Um, but I also love Carol King. She is a legendary songwriter, has written for so many artists, is just you know, an icon, and I just love music in general. So, like icons like that I greatly, you know, admire for their you know contribution to the music world. And so when I found out that there was gonna be Carol King and Gloria together, I was like, take all my money. Like at that point, I wasn't flying out to concerts, it was only Las Vegas, and that was it. I didn't go to any of the other casino shows. But when they announced that concert, it was at like at a fan gathering, and it just so happened that my sister was giving birth that day. So I was making an appearance at this fan gathering in the morning, and then I was gonna leave to go spend time with my family because my sister had her scheduled a C-section. So, but I was like not gonna miss out on this concert, and I want to get good seats. So I literally handed someone my credit card and I was like, I don't care what it costs, I need you to get me two seats for the last show, whatever it is, the best money can buy. Okay. Just take it, just take all my money. And they're like, Are you sure? And I'm like, I don't care. Tell me about it later. I'll see you tonight for drinks. I gotta go. And um, so whatever. Concert time rolls around. We get there, we had tickets for Sunday night, which was the last show, but we get there on Saturday, um, just to do like Connecticut things, like, you know, see Connecticut. I had never been to Connecticut before, hang out in the casino, have a nice dinner, that kind of thing. And we found out someone was selling like cheap tickets at the door because they like had extra or something. So we're like, all right, yeah, we'll go see Glory again. Sure. Um, so we go to that show, it was cheap seats, but we had a good time. But it was at that show that we realized we forgot to get the glow sticks. Like, I don't know if you guys remember, we used to always get glow sticks, and Glory would like see where we were in the audience, and we would like syncopate, you know, to the rhythm of the song with the glow stick. Um, and we were like, oh man, we forgot our glow sticks. And I'm like, whatever, you know, we're in civilization. We will go find a party city or whatever on you know the next day to find some glow sticks. So we, you know, we go around, we we find a store that's open, and it was a very sleepy town in Connecticut, so it took us uh it was actually a little bit of a mission to find a store that was open. And we go to this party supply place and we find the glow sticks, and as we're waiting in lines of pain, I spot a rainbow section of like rain, you know, all kinds of pride stuff, rainbow stuff, whatever. And then there's like a multicolored ley, you know, like Hawaiian lay with the flowers. And I don't know what came over me because I mean, I think Carlos, you know me better than anybody else here. I am a very shy person. I do not like to do things to attract attention, especially back then. Like I'm throwing to myself a little bit now, but I never did anything crazy to get Gloria's attention. I was always like hanging back, waiting my turn, you know. Um, but something came over me, and I was in my head, I was like, when I get backstage, I'm gonna lay Gloria with this Hawaiian lay so that I can say that I laid Gloria backstage. Like I have the sense of humor of a 15-year-old boy. Like, I don't really and so I I get the thing, and you know, I wrap it around my wrist for for the concert, and I had never been invited backstage. I don't know why I got it.

SPEAKER_05 28:39

I was just gonna ask you, I was just gonna ask you, did you already know you were going backstage?

SPEAKER_01 28:44

And I had never been invited backstage, but in my head it was happening. I don't know how, but like I was like, yeah, I'm gonna be invited backstage. During the concert, I started doubting myself. I was like, who do I think I am being so presumptuous that I'm gonna be invited backstage when I've never been invited backstage before in my life? Like, so then I'm like, okay, I'm gonna do it during the show, but I'm gonna wait till the very end in case you know it doesn't go well, or like security gets mad at me, and because I already had that experience from before. Um, so I wait till the very end of the show. The last song that Gloria and Carol King sing together is I feel the earth move, which is very epicable. So I take it off my wrist and I'm motion, you know, for Gloria to come over. She comes over and I show it to her, and so she knows what it is, and she ducks down for me to like put the Hawaiian lay over her head, and when she pops up, the audience went crazy, and then I'm like, oh shit. What have I done? What have I done? Um, you know how like in school, like when people like popped a bag in the cafeteria and the whole cafeteria is like like that's what that moment was, and I was like, so embarrassing. I'm like, oh my god, maybe I shouldn't have done that. Like now everyone's looking at me, audience is going crazy, she's dancing with the thing around her neck, and she almost runs into Carol King going back to center stage because she like missed her mark because of you know the delay of me putting the thing on her and it starts messing with like her monitoring thing, so like the the band motions to her and she like you know takes it off. But it was so funny. A bunch of like other fans sent me like videos and pictures of of the moment afterwards, and it was really cute to watch. And right as she like exits the stage because it's not you know the end of the concert, she turns around, points at me, and like gives me like a wink and a smile, and I was like, it's fine.

SPEAKER_05 30:42

Oh that's all worth it. That's great. Yeah, love it, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:46

And then we did get invited backstage, and then you made backstage. I we did make it backstage, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 30:52

That's great. That's awesome. I love to see those videos. That would be that was uh that sounds awesome.

SPEAKER_01 30:57

Yeah, yeah, it was a great time. That show still top three best ever concerts I've ever been to of my life of any artist, like her and Carol King, that their chemistry was so great, and like Carol King brought something out of Gloria, like the vocals were on point, y'all. Like it was so good, it was oh so good, and it was so intimate. It was just like the band, Carol King on the piano, Gloria singing, and it was amazing.

SPEAKER_05 31:29

Speaking uh speaking of clips, there's uh um there's a fan from the fan club that recorded quite a few songs and had then uploaded them to YouTube. There is this embarrassing, embarrassing video of me shimmying. I don't know what the hell I'm doing. She's they're singing, you make me feel like a natural woman, and I am so into it thinking like the natural woman, and I'm on the big screen, they zoom in, and I'm just there singing, you make me oh my god, like that's not a shimmy song. Uh no, it's not a shimmy song, but I'm just like, I don't know what I'm doing with my body.

SPEAKER_01 32:14

I'm telling you, something was about the energy of that concert, like brought something out of all of us. We were all like so you felt the earth move.

SPEAKER_05 32:26

Now we go backstage, right? And there is a photo of Frank Amadeo, rest in peace. Frank and Gloria, and they the three of us are cracking up because apparently they saw the moment on the big screen where I am shimmying to the woman. So that moment was captured, and I'm like, oh my god. So Frank is making fun of me, and Gloria's like, Well, you do know that it was written by a man, and maybe we might have to edit this out because I'm not sure. I thought it was Carol King that wrote the song, but for some reason Gloria mentioned that a man wrote the song, so she was trying to, you know, so that way I didn't feel bad. She was like, Well, at least you know it was a man that wrote. So, can we like do some research on that?

SPEAKER_01 33:21

I am almost that Carol King is the writer.

SPEAKER_04 33:25

I thought she was the writer. It very well could be um over King and Jerry Goffin together, but maybe they did write a lot together. I need to see that clip.

SPEAKER_01 33:34

Yeah, we have a lot of funny pictures. You're in one of my pictures, Carlos, from backstage with Frank as well. Like I was showing Gloria my tattoos for some reason. Like we brought up tattoos, and there's a picture of like Gloria pointing to my tattoo on my hip, and Frank is in the background with his eyebrows all the way to his hairline because he's like, What is going on? Because like everyone was like giggling and laughing at some show I was putting on, I guess.

SPEAKER_05 33:59

I feel like I remember that.

SPEAKER_01 34:00

And you're in the background, like, what's going on in it?

SPEAKER_05 34:04

I remember that. That's too funny. That was forever ago.

SPEAKER_01 34:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 34:08

I'm trying to think what year that was, like 2010, 2010, 2009, or 2019. Right.

SPEAKER_04 34:14

2009 was because they opened the theater with that first round of shows, right? In Foxwoods, Connecticut, right? Yes. Yeah. They opened that theater up with her first solo round of shows there, and then the following year was the Carol King shows, right?

SPEAKER_05 34:30

Yep. It's it was Memorial Day weekend 2008 for the solo, and then Memorial Day weekend 2009 with Carol King. Now, the cool thing about the Carol King round of shows was that crowd being a casino crowd, that crowd was amazing, like you said, Giovanna. However, the year before, was it the year before? I know that I did a casino show. Was it Mohegan's Sun or Foxwoods?

SPEAKER_04 35:05

No, it was Foxwoods. It was Foxwoods? Yeah. Okay, so that round of shows, I we were uh both there. The casino crowd was out in full force for that show. Oh my god, that was horrible.

SPEAKER_05 35:17

Horrible, horrible. I mean, the show was great. I was in the front row with my friend Sammy, and I'm dancing. I mean, how does Conga get on your feet? One, two, three, come on, and you don't get up and dance.

SPEAKER_01 35:37

And this I know what you're talking about now.

SPEAKER_05 35:40

This old man right up to me and starts screaming bloody murder. And as he's screaming, spit is just landing on my face. What? Like it was so bad. And I'm like, I can't believe that I'm in a concert, and instead of enjoying the concert right now, I'm dealing with this man um yelling at me. And the the beautiful thing of that moment was Gloria, I guess, noticed, yeah, said something at that moment, you know, something to the effect of like what she said during the evolution tour, which was if you want to get up and dance, do whatever you want. And at that moment, I was such a bitch because I turned around and I'm like, if I'm in front row and I'm looking at the whole crowd, and I'm like, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 36:35

But it was happening, I was in the third row for that show, third or second row, and I was getting yelled at by a different old guy who was like saying down in front or whatever. And I was like, She's literally telling me to get on my feet. Why don't you follow her directions a little bit? So at that point, I guess Gloria noticed it happening in little pockets around the floor. So for I don't know for whatever happened, we all ended up just at the foot of the stage standing up. Oh my god, I forgot about that.

SPEAKER_05 37:02

Yeah, yeah, you're right. So, I mean, it ended up being fun, but it was just it sucks when you go to a show, you anticipate having a blast, you anticipate that you're gonna dance your ass off, and then you have, you know, these party poopers that ruin it, you know. But luckily, she she was there to save the day.

SPEAKER_07 37:22

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 37:23

Yeah, we're gonna move on to another topic, which in regards to not only concerts, but just being a fan in general, um, we've all made friendships. I mean, I've been friends with Giovanni, we've known each other for now for quite some years.

SPEAKER_01 37:44

Yeah. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_05 37:45

Outside of our friendships. Yeah, yeah. Um, outside of of our friendships, um, have you made close friendships like that through throughout the fan club?

SPEAKER_01 37:57

Yeah, yeah. I have um I'm really close friends with Heather, who's another fan who's from Florida, but she lives on the West Coast. Oh, I love Heather. She's so sweet and she's such a good time. She's she's always down for like you know, having a great time, and she's so like down to earth and um love her. We just mesh really well together. Um uh Cynthia, I'm also really good friends with. I've known her for years, another like Miami girl. Like she was one of my first friends, like when I joined Conga and the first Conga bash happened. Like, I was friends with all like the Miami girls because that's like who I felt comfortable around. So it was Cynthia, Nancy. I don't know if you remember Nancy, Franjolie.

SPEAKER_05 38:40

Oh my god, Franj Jolie. I haven't been back now.

SPEAKER_01 38:46

That was like my little like group that I had at the first gunga bash of like the little girlies that I knew, and we were like the you know, the Miami girls.

SPEAKER_05 38:55

That is awesome. Is there anything else concert related that uh that you wanted to share?

SPEAKER_01 39:01

You know, I keep going back and forth the way that I was gonna show like what happened in backstage, and now I'm like chickening out a little bit. I don't want to get like in trouble, but like I guess you can edit it out if you want to. I can tell what happened backstage.

SPEAKER_05 39:13

Yes. What happened backstage? Now I'm not gonna go.

SPEAKER_01 39:18

So Gloria comes around and she's making the rounds backstage after the Carol King concert, and uh someone was mentioning tattoos, or they had gotten like a Gloria-related tattoo. Some people have done that, and she was like, I don't like tattoos, don't get any more tattoos. And I was like, Well, I have three, and she was like, Show them to me. And I was like, Okay, all right, girl, you don't know what you're about to get into. And I have three tattoos, but I work in an industry where like I have to strategically place these tattoos because, especially back then, tattoos were still very taboo. Yes, I work with you know children and their families, so parents have to trust me with their children, so having you know an arm sleeve is not gonna fly. So I had to keep my tattoos kind of hidden away so you don't see them unless I'm wearing, you know, little clothing or whatever. So I have one on my ankle, which only shows when I'm wearing like a dress or a skirt, and then I show her the one that's on the base of my back, it's like right above the crack of my ass. Okay, it's a treble clef because I was known to be have this love of music, and people were getting tramp stamps. And so that was my tramp stamp. I'm a front row hoe. So I got a treble clef right above the crack of my ass. And she I, you know, pull down my pants for her to see, and she's like, you know, giggling and like, oh my god, it's right above your ass, whatever. And then I go to show her my last one.

SPEAKER_07 40:53

Uh-oh.

SPEAKER_01 40:54

And my last one is a hummingbird by my flower, if you know what I mean.

SPEAKER_05 41:01

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_01 41:02

So I have to like unbuckle my scenes a little bit.

SPEAKER_05 41:05

Is that why I had a a face and Frank had a face in the picture when you're yeah.

SPEAKER_01 41:13

So I I'm telling you, I don't know what came over me. I blame Carol Kane because she was the new variable to the situation, but I was like, I wasn't Javana, I was Jill. So I like do this little shimmy, and I unbuckle my like butt top button of my jeans to be able to pull it down on the side far enough so she could see the tattoo by my hip. And it's a hummingbird, you know, and she's like, What is that? A bird? And I'm like, it's a hummingbird. She's like, Oh, and she points at it. I swear to God, I almost had a seizure. Like, she asked. And everyone's like laughing and giggling. And often like, you start looking, and Frank's like, what's going on over there? And that picture is captured with her finger on my hummingbird tattoo, and you and Franklin in the background, like, whatever those concerts, concert tickets were worth, every penny. I'd do it again. I'd be done.

SPEAKER_04 42:15

Priceless. Absolutely. All right. So the next thing we're gonna do, or the last thing we're gonna do, is we're gonna do a little bit of a rapid fire, but as you know, our rapid fires are never rapid, so let's see how this goes. Um, we're gonna talk specifically about concerts, and we're also gonna interject with our answers if we happen to have one.

SPEAKER_03 42:33

Do you have a memory of a particular song hitting particularly meaningful for you?

SPEAKER_01 42:41

Um, so so many. Gloria was you became like my my role model. Um, I went through a very difficult childhood and adolescence. So, like a lot of like the introspective songs were the ones that called for me, and what I like to call Cortavena, which is like the heartbroken love songs, you know, that you've like figuratively cut your veins to, um, because that helped me to get like all my emotions out. Um, so Always Tomorrow is a big, big one for me. Um, close my eyes. Um that just spoke to me immediately upon hearing that song. I would listen to that song over and over again to get me through rough moments. And then for the longest time, uh before bed, I would listen to the the Hold Me Throw Me Kiss Me album. And I had a CD player where you could like program which songs you wanted to play. So I would have the whole album play except the two upbeat songs, Everlasting Love and Turn the Beat Around. So it was very soft, you know, to get me chill, to go to bed. And the song uh Don't Let the uh Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying uh would play. And it was nighttime because I was going to bed, and Gloria sings that line, you know, the Night's the time for your tears, and that was like permission for me to cry, and that's what would get everything out of me before bed every night. That was like part of my routine. I normally don't like cover albums, but that album was done so so well because she put her like spin on those songs that like you know, those Latin rhythms and all that kind of stuff.

SPEAKER_04 44:25

It was great. I completely agree with that. Do any of you have an answer?

SPEAKER_03 44:29

Um I'm trying to think. I have so many songs I can't.

SPEAKER_04 44:33

I I know I have one because we know we're thinking specifically about concerts, and uh I don't remember my life without the song Mi Tierra in it, but and it's never a song that particularly makes me cry. But at that Mohegan, at that Foxwoods concert, the show opens with Mi Tierra. So I guess like I emotionally wasn't ready for the song to begin. She comes out, she's singing Mi Tierra, and I'm weeping. And I'm standing there, like I'm standing there being yelled at by that guy, and I'm also like, why am I crying? Why why is this song hitting me so differently right now? I guess I just got swept up in the sort of goobice feeling of it that it just hit me differently than it ever hit me before. And that memory of that song hitting me that hard uh always sticks out for me.

SPEAKER_05 45:20

But you had heard her sing that live millions of times before.

SPEAKER_04 45:25

Uh-huh. But for some reason, at that show. That show, the show opens, the curtain rises, she comes out, mitra starts, and like a flood. Interesting. Yeah. I can't I can't explain it because it's never been replicated or happened again.

SPEAKER_01 45:40

It is a very, you know, as as a as a Cuban, it it is an emotive song because like we can't go back to our land of where our family is from. Like, I've never been able to see my grandmother's home where my mom was born because we're separated. And there is that that that nostalgia for something we've never seen.

SPEAKER_05 46:05

Which is wild, right? Like completely.

SPEAKER_01 46:07

Yeah. Um, I recently went to the Bay of Pigs Museum in Miami. There's actually two and at one of them they have a a Cuban passport, and I lost it because I was like, when will I be able to get that? Like, when will I be able to claim that?

SPEAKER_04 46:27

Yeah, absolutely. Oh, what an interesting perspective. Okay, our next question is your favorite tour opening, not opening song, favorite tour opener.

SPEAKER_01 46:38

Oh my gosh, the the evolution tour when she comes out in the ball, that was so cool. Like it was just a a great you know, little illusion that she she did there. And it was like, wow, this is like the production. Like, I love that. That that opener was amazing. And of course, obviously, when she came out for Hurricane Relief, you know, on the spotlight and she was there, it was like, Yeah, I have to agree with you with uh with Evolution Tour.

SPEAKER_05 47:11

That was just that whole production was everything was perfect about that tour.

SPEAKER_03 47:16

But then then again, it's really hard to the Into the Light Tour, the opener. Oh man, that was so cool.

SPEAKER_01 47:22

How she had the mask on, and you know how she had the mask on the openings, it's so nice.

SPEAKER_03 47:29

It was, but but when it comes to the whole concert like experience, the the evolution tour is just perfection, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_05 47:37

How about uh a favorite deep cut that you've seen her perform live?

SPEAKER_01 47:43

That's a good question. She sang so many great songs at the concert she just did recently in Chile when she was singing like the old Miami song, like that first song that she sang back when she made her debut at that festival.

SPEAKER_07 48:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 48:01

Oh, I was like, oh my god, I was texting you like I'm cra I can't.

SPEAKER_03 48:08

Yeah. Yeah. That one, that one for me, and you know, the first question, what the the song that you know that hits you, and I kept trying to think of so many songs, and there are so many, but you know, from when I was a little kid, the homecoming concert was something I watched all the time, all the time. And I had no clue what she was singing about, but that ballad medley uh just still hits for me when she sings, you know, her the deeper voice and um the George Casas on the guitar, like the ma'am man and more on the on the homecoming concert. Man, I just love that ballad medley so much.

SPEAKER_05 48:46

Yeah, yeah. I don't I don't know if if this is considered uh a deep cut, but similar to what you what you guys just shared, in when she did the 90 millas um tour, I was in Puerto Rico and she sang um Nocera Fasi. And I know that it was a hit, you know, uh in Latin American countries, but hearing that being sung for the first time for me, you know, that I was like, oh wow, I don't know if I'm gonna ever hear this one again. And I don't think she's performed that one after that uh that tour. Um, that one was a special one.

SPEAKER_01 49:30

Yeah, I love hearing the super early stuff.

SPEAKER_05 49:32

Yeah, yeah. Yep. How about uh the favorite tour uh wardrobe?

SPEAKER_01 49:38

I mean, there's something about that into the light outfit where like when the light hits, it's like all the different colors and it's like the bodysuit. But she had at one point like the skirt wrapped around, but then she takes that off and it's just the bodysuit, like that whole like vibe. She just looks like so glittery and so like I don't know. I I I love that. So 90s part as you know I'm a little critical of wardrobe. But that's like classic Gloria to me, you know, the that outfit and the chaps, of course. Like that is, yeah. When everyone thinks of Gloria, like that's what they think of like the big curly hair, the the jeans, the white little top, and the and the chaps.

SPEAKER_04 50:25

I'm such an idiot. I just had such a brain fart because like Carlos is reading the question, and I wrote the question, but I'm like, ooh, what a good question.

SPEAKER_03 50:35

It's a tough one.

SPEAKER_04 50:36

That is tough.

SPEAKER_03 50:37

There's so many great looks that she's had. But I I would say when it comes to you know the evolution tour, the whole tour, the the entire show or the outfits were just killer, I think.

SPEAKER_07 50:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 50:50

You know, for the end of the light tour, the opening outfit was definitely good. But some of the other ones were hit or miss. But I feel like the evolution tour was just top-down, was the best.

SPEAKER_04 51:00

I love the closing outfit to the end of the light tour. Just like I love when it's like a casual thing at the end of the show. Like, I think that's a really cool thing that she used to do. She even did it again for the one-et-only shows in Vegas and Connecticut, where she came out in just the American flag t-shirt because it was after 9-11. Um, I love when they're like, Oh, the show's kind of done. I'm just gonna put on a t-shirt. But before I go, here's a few more songs.

SPEAKER_01 51:27

Um I love Gloria when she's casual. Like, I like more like when she dresses just like in regular and not in like this like over crazy kind of outfit that you know, you know, is like a costume. I don't like her in costumes. I like her just in more like regular clothes. Like, I think that's when she actually looks her best. It's so authentic, it's so her.

SPEAKER_03 51:51

Agreed, yeah. So, what deep cut do you wish she would perform live?

SPEAKER_01 51:59

I would love to hear Close My Eyes Again live. She hasn't done it, I think, since it was released. Um, and that it's it's such an emotive song. And when she performed it during that tour, she like got on the floor, remember? And like it was like an overhead look. It was so like I like like the really like kind of artsy stuff. So when she does that kind of vibe, I love that. I would love to see something like that again.

SPEAKER_05 52:29

Yeah, I mean Deep Cup for me, it would it's gonna be do-yo. Like, I'm gonna start a petition to make sure that at some point she has to sing that song. There's no I it's not a single, it probably will never be a single, but she could still perform it live.

SPEAKER_00 52:47

Yeah, I mean, that's a great song. That's a great song. That whole album is so good, like so many single potential there.

SPEAKER_05 52:54

So if Gloria announced a one-night only show where she only performed one full album, top to bottom, what album would you want to see live?

SPEAKER_01 53:03

It's not like the popular and what people know her for, but it's what I love her for, which is like the very introspective I would love to hear Unwrapped Again. I love that whole album. It's my favorite album of all time. It's not, you know, mainstream or anything like that. So it would be totally a dream for her to do something like that, but I love that album so much, and it's just so like organic, musically wise, and so introspective. I I love that, and again, very artsy. The artwork on that album is done.

SPEAKER_03 53:41

Yeah, perfect.

SPEAKER_00 53:44

Reminds me of the easy okay, yeah, classic.

SPEAKER_03 53:49

Yeah, I would say that my answer would probably be the same, but then I keep thinking I love cuts both ways so much. That's my ultimate favorite. Yeah, a lot of those songs we've hear performed live over and over again, but there's still some of those that we've never heard, like your love is bad for me. And that would be great to hear love.

SPEAKER_04 54:06

Yeah, Wes, you could have redeemed yourself and picked Destiny after killing it, but you double down. Boy, oh boy.

SPEAKER_05 54:14

I was gonna agree with you right now, Wes, but I would say the glory album.

SPEAKER_01 54:21

Oh, that's a good one too, and that's like fun.

SPEAKER_05 54:24

Yeah, that would be a great show. Yep. I think I'm with you there. Rob, you're like, no, thank you.

SPEAKER_04 54:32

No, I just didn't I didn't think that that's what you would pick. What did what what do you think I would? I thought you would have picked Destiny, but then I forget how much you like to shake your ass. So for a concert, yes, I want to shake my ass.

SPEAKER_05 54:43

Okay, yes. Miami and me. Um, how about a tour that you miss out on that you wish you had seen?

SPEAKER_01 54:52

I mean, I guess it was the you know, the really earlier ones because I was, you know, a little kid, so I didn't get to to go. My first concert tour was 96, so everything before that, so like into the light. Oh my gosh, I would have loved to have been there for into the light. I've only seen them, you know, via videos uh afterwards, but I would have loved to have been there for them.

SPEAKER_05 55:15

That's the that's the one for me. And my family went to that one. I've shared this before. My family went to that one, that's the one. And I know that you know, there's been let it loose and you know, all the other ones, but into the light.

SPEAKER_04 55:28

Yeah, yeah, for sure. Man's evolution. Like everybody went to that, and I didn't go to that, and I they were like, Oh, you're too young. I'm not, I wasn't, I was old enough to sit in a chair and stand up. I would have been fine. And our last question is concert set list that you would love to see live again start to finish.

SPEAKER_00 55:50

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_04 55:51

Right?

SPEAKER_00 55:51

It's really hard.

SPEAKER_01 55:53

Um I think she did a great job with the set list of her very last concert tour. Um, I think it was live and re-wrapped or something like that, like her last official tour because she did all the old hits, but then she also sang some stuff from Unwrapped. She sang I Wish You, I remember. And I was like, oh my god, I love that song. Um and so it was like a great mix of like the stuff that she had just released, plus all the great, you know, hits from all throughout the years. She did a little bit of everything on that tour because it was like, you know, the final tour. Um and I remember bringing one of my friends from high school to that uh to that concert. I went two nights and I brought her to one of them. And so she knows Gloria, like I think how like most people know Gloria for like Gonga, rhythm is gonna get you, and like all that kind of stuff. And when I wish you came on, she turns to me and she was like, Oh my gosh, what is that? I need to know what what album that's on because I need to get that. I didn't know Gloria was so deep. And afterwards, I was like, You think I'm obsessed with a woman just because she can she can shake her body and do the gonga? Like, come on.

SPEAKER_05 57:10

I would want to hear I I would want to relive the evolution tour site list. Yep. Yep.

SPEAKER_03 57:18

And include Montuno and Ayear, which yes from yeah, well, and Montuno was performed in the US, but then Ayear was added, like I think on the second or third leg of the tour. But yeah, from the whole show top to bottom, that's for me as well.

SPEAKER_04 57:33

All right, those were some good answers. That was so much fun and so great to get to know all of us a little bit better with all of our faves. Uh, thank you once again to Giovanna for sharing her time and her unique, memorable and hilarious stories. We know that these are just a few of the many stories that we could highlight on this show. So we would love to hear from you all. And maybe we could do another iteration of this episode in the future. We would love it if you would reach out to us um via our socials or email at it loosepod at gmail.com and share some of your most memorable concert moments and memories. Don't forget to rate, review, give us five stars, please. Uh like and subscribe or whatever else it is that you know, hit all the buttons that are on your phone and tell them that you love us. Until next time, thanks again, everybody, and we'll see you soon. Bye everybody. Hello.

SPEAKER_01 58:29

Hi, thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_02 58:31

Thanks, Giovanna. Thank you for listening to Let It Loose, a Gloria Estic Fan podcast. Let It Loose was produced by Carlos, Rob, and Wes with Graphic Design by Lara. Thank you to Gloria for bringing us all together. Subscribe, rate, and share the love. And join us next week for a brand new episode.