Crowd-pleasing sounds

Colombian pop star Juanes’ obscenely palatable brand of pop-rock as displayed Wednesday at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim is an easy target for anyone who likes music to be gutsy and sophisticated, edgy and adventuresome.

But at a time when Latin music is dominated by a dubious gallery of reggaeton sleazebags, norteno dinosaurs and plastic popsters, finding fault with Juanes is more than reprehensible. It is an act of emotional cowardice.

There’s no denying that Juanes is the ultimate crowd-pleaser. At their best, his guitar-fueled anthems that speak of dignity and love are infectious, containing a soulful message of hope and redemption. At their worst, they are just harmless.

As he eloquently demonstrated at the Pond, however, Juanes is the kind of artist who plies his trade best within the setting of a live show.

In concert, the same hummable hooks that can sound so complacent on record became intriguing and exciting as performed by his tight six-piece band.

“La Noche,” a rambunctious cover of the ‘80s Afro-Caribbean hit by salsero Joe Arroyo, became a powerful homage to Colombian music and its ability to absorb foreign genres and sweeten them with the pungent flavor of its own folklore.

Locked in a funky groove generated by an implacable combination of congas and drums, the percolating “Damelo” was split in half by Juanes’ electric guitar solo.

A former metalhead and Iron Maiden aficionado as the leader of heavy rock band Ekhymosis, the singer kicked up the voltage by picking up a fetching black guitar and showing off some Jimmy Page histrionics.

Most important, Juanes’ typically humble demeanor and scruffy kid-next-door persona have not abandoned him. He appears untouched by the endless accolades (Time magazine recently included him on its list of the 100 most influential people in the world) and continued strong sales (his third album, “Mi Sangre,” was released in September but remains high on Billboard’s Latin charts, currently lodged at No. 3).

Instead, Juanes has adapted the no-frills nature of his shows to the demands of a large-venue spectacle, complete with giant video screens, fancy lights and all the expected trimmings. He has done so admirably well.

“Thanks for sharing my dream,” he told the adoring audience, keeping words to a minimum and delivering a hefty selection of songs from his three solo albums, plus one Ekhymosis oldie and a more introspective acoustic set during the lengthy encore.

It is true that many of Juanes’ melodies and lyrical concepts have the tendency to fade away the minute you drive away from the arena.

But the iconic young man who has made Latin music history on the sheer strength of his skill and perseverance? Nah, there’s no way you can forget him.

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Juanes

Where: Gibson Amphitheatre, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City

When: 8:15 p.m. Friday through Sunday

Price: $44.50 to $69.50

Contact: (818) 622-4440