And it just happened. And it was before our eyes, that in these times of rampant Artificial Intelligence, sometimes they cannot decipher whether what they see is true or not. But it was real: Soda Stereo returned. The trio sounded again in full Echoesthe show this Saturday, March 21 at the Movistar Arena, after a red carpet that brought together a large part of the local entertainment industry: from actors to musicians, no one wanted to miss the event.
How did Soda Stereo come back, if Gustavo Cerati – its leader, singer and main composer – died on September 4, 2014, eleven or so years ago? And we already said goodbye to him and the band in 1997, we said goodbye again in 2007, when they got together for the tour you’ll see me come back. We said goodbye to him – and we mourned him – in that September 2004. And we were able to enjoy the group’s music again with Soda Stereo: Thanks Totallythe show that Zeta Bosio and Charly Alberti – along with the voice of Cerati and countless guest singers – took throughout the country and throughout much of America.
Well, yes. You close your eyes and open them again and there on the stage They are formed as always, from left to right, Gustavo, Charly and Zeta: Soda Stereo. Charly Alberti and Zeta Bosio are the same, the ones who continue to tire out the base of the songs on the drums and bass. Gustavo no.
Through technology, Cerati became the Winged Man of the song In the city of fury. It is virtual, it is an image that sings and plays live (although we know that the guitars and voices that sound are old tracks that were saved from him, some published on records, some unreleased), incredibly real.
The word is not a hologram, it is something much more true than that. And because of the volume and frequencies emitted especially by the bass and the drums – here we must quote Ricardo Mollo, the leader of Divididos, when he says that digital music goes to the head and analog music to the body– we start to believe in what we see. Soda Stereo is back.
For many, especially the youngest ones, who joyfully squeeze into the field standing still, it is the only opportunity they have to “see Soda”, that band that their parents told them so much about, the ones they have been listening to since childhood at home. They don’t question too much what they see: it is a virtual reality show with live musicians, the music is the original Soda Stereo, with two members playing on stage and with that guitarist who, if you let yourself be carried away by the music, is on par with his two companions. Plays different guitars (the blue Jackson, the black PRS, the acoustic guitar in A missile in my closet) and You can even see it on the big screen when you press different pedals..
It’s the closest those kids are going to get to the legend: that of Bar Einstein, that of the Obras, that of the marathon tours throughout America, that of the enormous shows in River Plate. But it is also real time, a here and now that invites you to enjoy, sing and dance to Soda Stereo in the present. And it’s not just kids either, people who had the opportunity to see Soda Stereo live are also at the Movistar, haranguing, pogo-ing or jumping from the comfortable seats in the stalls to sing “I’ll take you to the extreme, I’ll take you, é, é, é” by seduction games.
you’ll see me come back
Echoes It started with precisely the song Echoes and from the beginning there was excitement, screams and ovations. They ask us not to film or take photos with cell phones, because the brightness of the screens affects the show. The temptation is great, and although no one has any intention of ruining the day, the phones begin to come out of the pockets.
Second song, the one named Seduction games. Third, man overboardthe semi-transparent curtain that covered the musicians rises, the giant screens turn on and the figure of Cerati appears to sing man overboard. The screams make us believe that it is the real Gustavo. They focus on his fingers doing the guitar riff, his lips singing and his face, the face that we can imagine of a healthy Gustavo Cerati 2026, skinny, not too old.
It is clear that Ecos is not a tribute or a homage, it is conceived as a show, with a list of songs and even with the virtual leader addressing the audience: “The wait is over,” says his recorded voice, but it seems as if he said it, at this time and in this place. The same when he addresses his companions: “Hello, Zeta, Charly…”.
It should be clarified that The voice and guitar that sound in the show are original by Gustavo Cerati and not Artificial Intelligence. Soda Stereo was always known for recording their shows and those from the 2007 comeback tour are all intact. So, it was a matter of knowing how to choose the existing shots, combine them and have Zeta and Charly rehearse (a lot) on them. It is clear that they did it consciously, to sound the way they do, like the compact band they always were.
But you can also think in another way. The vast majority of rock musicians (if not all) learn their instruments by playing over the records of their favorite bands. Zeta and Charly, without making this a value judgment, are playing on recordings by their band, Soda Stereo.
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“American blind”
The staging is very good, too. When the lights that illuminate Zeta and Charly move or change color, they also change for Cerati’s virtual figure. It is a show designed for closed spaces (no outdoor shows will be seen), in which of course there is no shortage of songs that we all knowbut, of course, when it comes to Soda, surprises will always appear.
As such, it must be recognized that Soda was a band that always moved at the forefront. Just as they were the first to dare to go on very long tours, to change looks and sounds for each album, to incorporate samples for their live shows, it also makes sense that they are the first in Argentina to put together this virtual show.
Mistake or wink?
There is even an error in the principle of seventh day. The virtual Cerati starts with the guitar, the band does not come in with him, the lights go out, an assistant bursts in with a flashlight and then yes, the three lined up start the song. Was it a mistake or was it done on purpose, to humanize the show? We won’t know, but it gave the concert the live feel.
The one they don’t give him when Zeta and Charly (and the figure of Gustavo, of course) leave the stage and we hear some songs like When the tremor passes, Zoom either Glideras if we were listening to a record or presenting a video. Nobody on stage, just images (very pretty, yes), but they cool the climate.
Which will then warm up towards the end, with Spring 0, Fugitives and the sung ending (never more literal) with light music.
After 19 songs and almost two hours of concert, we go home with various sensations. Having seen the band again is one. That the group’s songs, the famous legacy that none of the Soda Stereo family wants to lose, is still as valid as ever and adding new generations. And that the future arrived a while ago, too, but that today we leave even more convinced of that. The future was between us for a long time, in the form of a trio.
