A swarm of people wearing variations of the iconic school uniform from the telenovela Rebelde (blazer, tie, and short skirt) flocked to the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Oct. 19th to see the reunion of the iconic Latin pop act RBD. The band had four sold-out shows at the venue, a big accomplishment for a Latin act in the US.
Going from a fictionalized band in a telenovela to a record-breaking musical act is a one-of-a-kind phenomenon. RBD was formed from Televisa's telenovela Rebelde, which ran from 2004 to 2006. The group is composed of Anahí, Dulce María, Maite Perroni, Christopher von Uckermann, Alfonso Herrera and Christian Chávez. RBD smashed all expectations in the early 2000s becoming one of the most influential Latin pop acts to come from Mexico. The disbandment of the band in 2009 crushed the hearts of fans from around the world as many of us grew up listening to and seeing them on our television screens. Now more than a decade later, the group (with the exception of Alfonso Herrera) has reunited for a one-off tour titled Soy Rebelde Tour. The announcement sent excitement through their fandom and most of their dates sold out in minutes.
The night began with the band descending from the top of the stage to the dance track "Tras de Mí." The fans' enthusiasm was deafening, the whole venue vibrated with applause and chants. "Bienvenidos una vez más al Elite Way School" screamed Christian Chávez -- welcoming everyone to a night of pure pop nostalgia. It was a real treat to see the band perform all their popular hits from across the years for the first time in 15 years. The set began with the high-energy "Un Poco de Tu Amor," followed by their new single released in August "Cerquita de ti" and the fan-favorite "Aún Hay Algo." The band had the biggest smiles on their faces as the crowd sang along to each and every song. This was followed by a fun medley from the women of the group (Anahí, Dulce María and Maite Perroni) who harmonized to the mix of "Así Soy Yo," "Cuando El Amor Se Acaba," and "Fuego." The chemistry and love between the three was sweet to see. The men also took a turn to entertain the crowd to the songs "Futuro Ex-Novio" and "Qué Fue del Amor"
The band did exciting solo performances through the night. Uckermann performed the romantic piano ballad "Inalcanzable," dressed in a pink charro outfit Chávez performed "Tu Amor," fittingly Dulce Maria sang her solo ballad "No Pares" from Live in Hollywood, Perroni entertained the crowd with a fun dance to "Empezar Desde Cero" and Anahí ended with one of the most beloved songs from their catalog "Sálvame." Each used their time to say thanks for the support through the years and to preach about peace and love. RBD had one of the biggest fan bases in the early 2000s, their fans would go crazy with every project they did. It's nice to see them embracing that era in their life on stage in front of people who idolized them.
Their two hours and a half set went by in a flash. And as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Dramatic music rang through the stadium as the iconic red uniform blazers from the telenovela appeared on stage. The band teased the crowd with a choreographed dance as they put the infamous jacket on. The iconic titular track "Rebelde" was saved for last. Not a dry eye in sight as the performance ended with a sweet montage of the band's career through the years. A fitting end to the reunion tour.
