TIJUANA – "There's nothing like seeing Shakira shake her hips in person," said Mara Mejía, who paid $213 to see the Colombian super star in concert Saturday night at Caliente stadium.

"I do like her hips, but her performance left a lot to be desired," said her boyfriend, Enrique Prado. "I didn't like that she lip synched."

Those contrasting opinions represented the views of many of the nearly 12,000 on hand for Shakira's first performance in Tijuana, part of "The Sun Comes Out World Tour."

Many fans, like Alissa Quintero, said the $50 they had paid, the lowest-priced ticket, was a good investment because they had enjoyed the show so much.

"I thought she would never come to Tijuana," Quintero said, noting that she does not have a visa and could not go to San Diego when Shakira appeared there.

"I liked the concert though I was far from the stage. It was worth it to me," said Quintero, who arrived eight hours early to secure a good seat in the 20,000-seat stadium.

Shakira emerged on stage to shake those famous hips exactly at 9:30 p.m., a half-hour late, opening with "Años luz." She warmed up the by-then cool night with her powerful, rhythmic tunes.

The fans greeted her cheering, seemingly catching some of her "Rabiosa" (rabid) fever.

She was backed by eight musicians and a great production, although she relied on lip synching in the fastest-moving numbers, something that provoked both cheers and criticism.

Her opening message to the audience was practically the same as when she played in October at Valley View Casino Center.

"Hello Tijuana, thank you very much for coming. I hope you enjoy the night. That's why I'm here. Viva México! Tijuana, I'm all yours!"

She didn't invest a whole lot in her wardrobe; in fact, she was barefoot for about 90 per cent of the show. The singer-songwriter delighted her fans with "Si te vas," "Inevitable," "Corazón gitano," "Ciega, sorda muda" and "Ojos así", among others.

Her concert lasted 90 minutes and she performed 14 songs, including hits such as "Sale el Sol," "Las de la intuición," "Loca," "Loba," and, of course, "Hips don´t lie."

During the song "Suerte," she invited six lucky fans to the stage to join in the fun.

When the concert was peaking with her performance of the 2010 World Cup hit "Waka, waka," the show ended. For a few moments it appeared that she would return on stage, but all fans got was a chance to listen to her new single "Rabiosa" but without Shakira.

Andrea.garcia@sandiegored.com