Santana Starts 1001 Rainbows Tour in New Jersey

Super-tight jams and some big hits highlighted the Prudential Center show

Last night in Newark, New Jersey, guitar icon Carlos Santana and his beloved band kicked off their 1001 Rainbows Tour at the Prudential Center. The trek is set to extend all summer long until he returns to the House of Blues in Las Vegas for another installment of his on-going residency. Until then, select cities across North American are getting treated to the Santana experience.

The GRAMMY® Award-winning guitarist strolled onto the stage amidst his band, shrouded in a hazy mist with his signature PRS gold top slung over his snakeskin jacket. They launched into “Soul Sacrifice,” the outgoing track from the group’s 1969 debut LP. Clocking in at nearly seven minutes, Santana and company tore through the track with calculated precision. The epic jam put the talents of each and every band member on full display, reinforcing the group’s legend.

“Jin-Go-Lo Ba” highlighted the band’s talented rhythm section with some killer percussion, and the hit “Oye Cómo Va” felt as good as it always does. They kept the hits coming, following it up with “Evil Ways” and their cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Black Magic Woman” which Santana made even more famous.

Next, they treated fans to a nice medley of covers, comprised of “She’s Not There” (The Zombies), “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” (The Undisputed Truth, made famous by The Temptations), and In-A Gadda-Da-Vida” (Iron Butterfly). Towards the end of the set, Santana pulled out two hits from the record-shattering album Supernatural – “Maria Maria” and “Put Your Lights On.” Both tracks featured dazzling, gutsy guitar work from Carlos.

With the crowd wanting a bit more, Santana returned to the stage for an encore that started with a cover of The Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues.” It felt a bit out of the band’s wheelhouse at first, but they made it their own. A masterful drum solo from Cindy Blackman Santana left the audience in awe, before the group launched into the multi-platinum smash “Smooth” to close out the evening.

Santana’s 1001 Rainbows Tour rolls on through August 6, wrapping up at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.