May 15, 2008

By By Leila Cobo, Miami

Mariachi icon Vicente Fern?ndez, whose new album ?Para Siempre? (Sony BMG) is at No. 2 on Billboard?s Top Latin Albums chart a full 38 weeks since its release, has broken attendance records at two landmark concert venues.

Fern?ndez, who just began the first leg of a 25-plus show trek that includes nine Gibson Amphitheatre shows in Los Angeles, broke attendance records at San Francisco?s Cow Palace and the Arena at Stockton, Calif. on May 10 and 11.

Over 15,000 people attended Fern?ndez?s show at the Cow Palace May 10, breaking the previous record, held by the Rolling Stones, by 88 people. The Cow Palace has hosted over 722 concerts since 1973. Fern?ndez?s show made over $1 million in gross sales.

On May 11, at the Stockton Arena, Fern?ndez again broke an attendance record?his own?drawing 11,516 people, far more than acts like Gwen Stefani or The Cheetah Girls.

Last year, Fern?ndez?s performance at the Arena drew some 9,800 people. This time, says arena general manager Jackie James, the venue was reconfigured so as to place the stage in the center of the bowl and open up more seats.

Ticket prices ranged from $47 to $175, with a record 4,200 tickets sold within an hour of going on sale.

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