The Concert We Waited 20 Years For
This is my older sister. Ever since I can remember, we have been opposites on anything possible. I have a theory that I started wearing black, because she wanted to wear white to everything.
When we were around 10, she started to like Musica Grupera, a genre of Mexican that is known for it's romantic themes, heavy use of keyboards and groups of men wearing matching tight outfits. Her favorite band became Bronco, who is hugely popular in Mexico. I pretended to not like them, but I secretly did like their music.
The Band broke up around 1996, and a year later we moved to the USA.
As it happens, Bronco tried to get back together, added a few members and now, 20 years later released a live album of *some* of their greatest hits. When I found the concert online, I spent a few hours watching it and reminiscing on our youth in Mexico. And as soon as I saw my older sister, we sat down and watched it together.
It was then that she told me, that it has been her dream to see Bronco live in concert. I am lucky to have seen my favorite bands in concerts multiple times, so I made it my mission to find one of their shows and take her to one.
A few weeks ago, I found that Bronco would be in Maryland for a show on September 1st. and I cleared my schedule. But I didn't tell her, I wanted it to be a surprise.
A week before the show, I bought tickets. Something in the back of my mind told me to get VIP tickets. After buying tickets, I called my sister and told her to clear her Saturday afternoon into evening, to find a baby sitter, bring $75 dollar and her ID* and to eat a good lunch and dinner**.
*My sister is notorious for forgetting her ID when we take her places... she is worst than me.
** She is even more notorious for not eating...
After my run, and my lunch, I showered, brushed my hair and dressed to go to the show. I wore a dress.... it's really dumb, but in all the videos that I used to watch the women used to wear this tight skimpy dresses, and I always knew that's what I would wear to see them.
I showed up at my house and made my sister sit down to tell her. I was more nervous about telling my sister, than about the location of the show, or how long we would be waiting.
I sat her down, and had told her that we were going to a show, and started to play a song from Bronco on the TV. She started crying!! It made me so happy to bring her so much joy! My other sisters and brothers were there to see it, we all know how long she has wanted to see Bronco, and they all wanted to see her reaction.
Once we got to the venue, I was very glad that I thought of getting VIP tickets, as the whole section at the front of the stage was only for the VIPs. We waited for about 4 hours for Bronco to come out... I knew the show would start late, but was not ready for how late it started. The band finally appeared around 12:45 am. We had been at the venue since 9:00 pm. My sister was starting to think that they were not going to show. We danced for the first 2 hours, then we got really tired.
The show was amazing!!! If we hadn't been so tired, hungry and dehydrated, we would have enjoyed it a little more... only about 2% more. But Lupe, the lead singer is an amazing singer, Ramiro ( The keyboard and accordion) was flawless. ( When I was a young woman, I was in LOVE with Ramiro) We knew all of their songs, and sang until our throats were on fire.
Funny story- My sister was due to put bread in the over for her bakery at 3:00 am. I spent about 1 hour freaking out that she would not be back in time to put the bread in the oven, but by 1:00 am it was clear that bread would make it to then oven.... ( We were a 2 hour drive away) when it made it to the oven.
I cried during the show, for two reasons. 1. Because it was amazing to make my sister's dream come true, and 2. Because it was so amazing to be seeing such a legendary Mexican band performing. When we go see Bronco again, we are splurging on getting a table... I'm too old to wait standing for 4 hours.
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| Grupo Bronco- fron left to Right : Lupe, Javier, Ramiro and Choche ( Rest in peace Choce) |
The Band broke up around 1996, and a year later we moved to the USA.
As it happens, Bronco tried to get back together, added a few members and now, 20 years later released a live album of *some* of their greatest hits. When I found the concert online, I spent a few hours watching it and reminiscing on our youth in Mexico. And as soon as I saw my older sister, we sat down and watched it together.
It was then that she told me, that it has been her dream to see Bronco live in concert. I am lucky to have seen my favorite bands in concerts multiple times, so I made it my mission to find one of their shows and take her to one.
A few weeks ago, I found that Bronco would be in Maryland for a show on September 1st. and I cleared my schedule. But I didn't tell her, I wanted it to be a surprise.
A week before the show, I bought tickets. Something in the back of my mind told me to get VIP tickets. After buying tickets, I called my sister and told her to clear her Saturday afternoon into evening, to find a baby sitter, bring $75 dollar and her ID* and to eat a good lunch and dinner**.
*My sister is notorious for forgetting her ID when we take her places... she is worst than me.
** She is even more notorious for not eating...
After my run, and my lunch, I showered, brushed my hair and dressed to go to the show. I wore a dress.... it's really dumb, but in all the videos that I used to watch the women used to wear this tight skimpy dresses, and I always knew that's what I would wear to see them.
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| I did not wear heels to the show, it was only for the picture |
I showed up at my house and made my sister sit down to tell her. I was more nervous about telling my sister, than about the location of the show, or how long we would be waiting.
I sat her down, and had told her that we were going to a show, and started to play a song from Bronco on the TV. She started crying!! It made me so happy to bring her so much joy! My other sisters and brothers were there to see it, we all know how long she has wanted to see Bronco, and they all wanted to see her reaction.
Once we got to the venue, I was very glad that I thought of getting VIP tickets, as the whole section at the front of the stage was only for the VIPs. We waited for about 4 hours for Bronco to come out... I knew the show would start late, but was not ready for how late it started. The band finally appeared around 12:45 am. We had been at the venue since 9:00 pm. My sister was starting to think that they were not going to show. We danced for the first 2 hours, then we got really tired.
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| The Opening Act, the lead singer of Los Fujitivos |
The show was amazing!!! If we hadn't been so tired, hungry and dehydrated, we would have enjoyed it a little more... only about 2% more. But Lupe, the lead singer is an amazing singer, Ramiro ( The keyboard and accordion) was flawless. ( When I was a young woman, I was in LOVE with Ramiro) We knew all of their songs, and sang until our throats were on fire.
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| Lupe and Jose |
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| Lupe and Rene |
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| Ramiro and Lupe- Original Members |
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| Lupe |
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| Lupe rocking out - I need to point out that Lupe is 64 years old and Rocking this shows hard core!! |
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| Ramiro |
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| Lupe |
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| Lupe and his Son |
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| My happy sister!! |
Funny story- My sister was due to put bread in the over for her bakery at 3:00 am. I spent about 1 hour freaking out that she would not be back in time to put the bread in the oven, but by 1:00 am it was clear that bread would make it to then oven.... ( We were a 2 hour drive away) when it made it to the oven.
I cried during the show, for two reasons. 1. Because it was amazing to make my sister's dream come true, and 2. Because it was so amazing to be seeing such a legendary Mexican band performing. When we go see Bronco again, we are splurging on getting a table... I'm too old to wait standing for 4 hours.
You are a great sister! I had tears in my eyes reading this! :) When we waited to see Joe Biden, we had to stand for hours as well and my back got so sore! I'm too old to stand as well.
ReplyDeleteAww!! Thanks! I cried when I wrote it! It still makes me teary eye to think of it, the show was truly amazing.
Deletehow long did you wait for Joe Biden? and you were with Baby Clark, I remember that!
That's amazing that you were able to make this happen for your sister! And it defintely sounds like it's worth it to get a table next time. I would definitely be too old to stand that long and still be able to dance during the concert.
ReplyDeleteI thought of it as training..If I can stand in place for 4 hours, I can run for 2.. at least at the runs there is water.
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