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Chronicle: Symphonic rock at the National Theatre.

Faustino Salcedo | May 15, 2012

Camerata Bach and rockers during the concert of symphonic rock. | Photographer: Faustino Salcedo

All sites were filled in the Main Hall of the Ruben Dario, in celebration of the 25-year career of Alexander Mejia.

Huge rows of rockers wearing their black shirts, that were easily mistaken for the cover of night which became another spectator of the first symphonic rock concert in Nicaragua, one of the rare event to which you did not have to go formaly dressed to the National Theatre, the first one which the requirement was the "rocker race" black shirt. It was the 25-year musical career of Alexander Mejia, one of the legends of "Metal" in the country, who sang for three hours with the symphony orchestra Camerata Bach.

Reach a 25-year career in Nicaragua is sometimes difficult, as some national musicians have claimed. If you talk about being a rocker in this country, it may be more complex, although the gender is followed by plenty of young and old people, it has not fully implemented to the general musical taste. This type of music has had its great moments, as well as decayed, yet one of the leading exponents of heavy rock in the country has been Alejandro Mejia, the honoree of the night in which all seats from the National Theatre were filled.

The manes were moving to the rhythm of "Metal Chacuatol" way in which Alejandro was once referred to his music, to define the style. The curtain was opened by three musicians who have accompanied the rocker during different stages of his career; each interpreted the music of the honoree. Luis Enrique Mejia Godoy sang “El Tigre” and “El Canario”. At the end of the song Alejandro and his son appeared, and together they sang the last part of it, musicalizing the poem by Roque Dalton.

While the band “Carga Cerrada” sounded with its strident music, the instruments of the Bach Camerata gave the theatrical touch. At times we were not able to listen to the symphony orchestra, but in others it was appeared the violin in company of the roar of rock. The crowd chanted songs, also shouted the names of songs for the band to play them.

The rockers were not only in the main hall of the theater, the ones who were unable to enter because all the locations were sold out, chanted out in front of a screen that was broadcasting the concert. Approximately 50 people shook their manes and expressed euphoria in the atrium of the theater

At the end of the concert, the singer's daughter, Andrea Mejia, gave him a bouquet of flowers, then all family and friends rose to the stage to finish honoring him. The audience was delighted and finished chanting "Nica in Costa Rica", the best known song by the hairy songwriter.

Translated by Aída Pichardo