In the 90s we danced without filters, without fear and without asking permission. We did it to the rhythm of Latin pop and we knew the choreographies by heart that flooded dance halls, parties and concerts. Nobody thought about recording the moment with a cell phone; The important thing was to live the experience. The music was not background: it was the protagonist. That, precisely, is what will be experienced on February 7, when in Parque Viva a nineties explosion fills the stage and evokes memories of pants baggy and colored streaks in the hair.
In Costa Rica, before the 2000s arrived, they danced without rest a song that could define an entire party: 1-2-3. “You who are always happy, you didn’t worry, there were no more problems if you raised your hands.” What does it remind you of and did you get emotional? with success 1-2-3the Argentines of The Symbol They sneaked into our country with a dance that was pure joy, positive lyrics, a contagious rhythm and, furthermore, the voice of a gallant who fell in love with many.
More than 25 years later, Frank Madero, singer of El Símbolo, He remembers that time with affection, respect and responsibility, but with the conviction of knowing that his voice fascinated and infected Argentina, Latin America, the United States and even Europe.
The artist, along with his group, is one of the guests to the first edition of Long live the 90s Festwhich will also have the presence of Blue Blue (Bolivia), Charly Sosa (Uruguay), The Sacados (Argentina), The Rabanes (Panama) now Tapón, La Kuarta, Grupo Requete and Pato Barraza for Costa Rica.
Thus, the public will be guaranteed a day full of emotions, to the rhythm of Latin hymns such as The bomb, Mayonnaise, Yellow polka dot bikini, My commanding wife, Created my way y Captive of the sea. What a lot of successes!
In interview with The NationFrank Madero showed his excitement at returning to Costa Rica to share with his fanswhom he remembered as the biggest party animals he has ever met in his career.
“I haven’t been back for many years, so it will be a pleasure to meet the public again,” he confesses.
His memories of the country are loaded with intense images: television shows, discos, parties, interviews, friends and long nights where music was the common language. “One of the audiences that always caught me the most was Costa Rica. We would do shows and people would sing everything,” he says.
A nineties symbol
Talking about The Symbol inevitably refers to its most recognized success: 1-2-3 (All down)a song that has been tagged many times as one hit wonder. However, Frank sees it from another place. “It was quite a race. Throughout there were other themes that also settled on people and became classics.”he explains.
To support his words, he listed other titles that easily activate collective memory: Don’t worry, Raising hands, Sing y Reverse.
Those successes keep him on stage, living more strongly than before and enjoying his work in a very different way, because now he sings so much to the people who grew up listening to his songs on cassettes and CDs as well as those who inherited the taste in family playlists.
Something curious happens on stage, Frank explains: “People start saying: ‘Oh, I know this topic too.’” This is where the myth of the only success is broken and a broader reality appears: a generation that knows the songs, even if they don’t always remember the names, because they lived them.
More than a quarter of a century after those nineties glories, Frank fully enjoys the audience that comes to his shows: fathers, mothers, children and even grandchildren. “Mothers of 40 come with children of 20, they take photos together. It’s crazy. It’s inherited,” he says excitedly, showing that none of this is coincidental.
From the beginning, Frank thought of El Símbolo’s music as something transversal. “When I composed the lyrics I tried to make them suitable for all audiences. From the littlest ones to the biggest ones. “I just wanted to reach all generations and be a symbol of joy for everyone,” he says. For the artist, it was not about telling what was happening at a specific moment, but about creating lasting emotions.
The magic of the 90s
Latin pop music in the 90s was experienced very differently from how it is consumed today. There was a different relationship, without social networks or digital platforms. Radio, television and word of mouth were essential. “We had to wait until the weekend for the club to play the music. There were a lot of songs that you only heard if you were listening to the radio or television. At the club you stayed up to six hours listening or you had to buy the CD. “There was another value in listening to music,” he asserts. That experience, he says, is also part of nostalgia.
Furthermore, the dance deserves a separate point, because it was a key element. The choreographies were not a complement, they were part of the phenomenon and El Símbolo has a medal in that. Frank says he was inspired to add dance to music during a tour he did in Brazil; There he saw that the singers stayed behind the stage while the dancers in front captured all the attention.
He was also the choreographer of The Symbol. “If I danced them, anyone else would do them. “The idea was for everyone to dance to the song.”he expresses with a wide smile. In the 90s, music was not watched from the cell phone, it was experienced with the body.
Today, The Symbol continues to tour the world. Countries like Spain, Paraguay, Chile and even India are part of a nostalgic journey that Costa Rica will also experience. “I can’t stop being grateful to the public. With all that generation that continues singing the songs, dancing to them, listening to them on Spotify and who They play the songs to do gymnastics or at their parties, meetings and weddings”, he adds happily.
Details of the Long live the 90s Fest
Long live the 90s Fest It won’t just be a concert; will be a emotional reunion with a time in which music was expected, It was shared and danced in groups. It is a gathering of friends in an intergenerational celebration, a space to return to the place where many were happy.
In addition to the groups and artists that will be on stage, the festival will also present a special show by AXEled by Brazilian Neto Rangel.
Tickets are on sale on the eticket.cr site. The prices and locations are:
- Tavarúa and La Hacienda: ¢21,000.
- Tragaldabas: ¢27.000.
- Sambuca: ¢29,000.
- Colococo and El Cuartel: ¢34,000.
The party will be tremendous, because the 90s were not just a decade: they were a way of feeling music. The festival promises joy with songs that do not age, memories that do not fade and remain valid.
