RBD @ Gibson Ampitheatre: The Phenomenon Dissected
“Have you heard of RBD?”
“.. RBD?! You mean Rebelde?!”
“Yeah, have you heard of them?”
“OMG, I LOVE THEM!”
“Wanna go to their concert and possibly interview them with me?”
“eeeeeeeeeee!!!”
This was the conversation I had with my resident Mexican Culture specialist, Rosalva. Apparently, she likes them very much. And it seems that the rest of the world does too as they’re outselling stadium crowds around the globe and have multi-platinum albums. Still not ringing any bells? Well lets just say this, RBD (AKA: Rebelde) is to the music world what soccer (AKA: fútbol) is to the sporting world. They’re huge.
When we arrived at The Gibson Amphitheatre the line to get in already snaked its way past the Billabong store and was well on its way to Things From Another World. Age range was amazing, from 40-50 year olds to toddlers and ‘tweens. Since I’ve missed out on the NKTOB phenom, this must have been what it was like.
For the uninitiated, RBD is comprised of 3 girls and 3 boys spawned from a very popular Mexican telenovela. They are a cross between N*Sync, Spice Girls and Beverly Hills 90210, all rolled into one. Their image is a branding powerhouse as their faces and names are emblazoned on everything from lunch pails to pillow cases which many of the fans brought with them to show their dedication the RBD nation.
Juan, 23 and a rabid RBD fan from Riverside, CA (yes folks, he came all the way from the 909 to see RBD) was in line pacing and brimming with excitement.
“Hi, so are you excited about the show?”
“OMG, yes, I love Rebelde. I’ve even gone to TJ to see them!”
Wow. “So, tell me what is it about RBD that gets your blood pumping.”
“The music first of all is just really fun and makes you forget about the troubles in your life. And, it reminds me of growing up in Mexico for some reason.”
“That’s cool, so who is your favorite member of RBD?”
“Anahi, because she’s a whore, but in respectful way.”
“Wow, that’s quite an achievement.”
The amphitheatre was packed to the gills and the dB levels of screaming girls was enough to cause dolphins off the coast of San Pedro to go bat-shit crazy. This, of course, was amplified to a power of 10 once RBD hit the stage. Kids were practically tearing their own flesh off!
The group were all dressed in a pop meets post-apocalyptic future sort of way, with strategically placed tears, and in some instances, just wearing torn bits of fabric. ¡Muy caliente! The songs were all very fun, and it got the crowd bobbing their heads and singing along. I wish my grasp was a bit better, but Rosalva was there to translate one of Maite’s mini speeches:
“She’s saying something about that there’s no such thing as sex, no such thing as countries, boys, girls, differences, just that we are one. Or something.”
RBD is so Zen.
One of my favorite parts of the show was when each boy/girl pair of RBD came up to the crowd and did a short makeout session on stage. This caused the crowd to writhe and foam at the mouth in a euphoric frenzy; it scared me a little. I love that this band has no problem with using sex to incite riot behavior.
After the show, we were informed that there would be no interviews as RBD’s schedule is too tight. Well, that was a buzzkill, so instead of throwing what could’ve been an amazing interview into the garbage dump, I had Rosalva, and Super Fan #1 Juan, pose as RBD and answer the questions for me in typical RBD fashion.
Me: “So, how was the show?”
Dulce Maria: “Wow, the Los Angeles crowd is so giving, I LOVE Los Angeles, so much energy!”
Me: “Yeah, it was getting pretty crazy in there.”
Alfonso: “It’s great to see our fans here.”
Me: “So, tell me, is there any truth to the rumors that many of you guys are dating?”
Laughs and chuckles all around.
Maite: “No, we’re all just really good friends! I love my band mates.”
Me: “Aww, that’s sweet. Do you have anything to say to our Losanjealous.com readers?”
Anahi: “Yes, stay strong, believe in your dreams, and keep reading Losanjealous.com!”
Me: “Thanks guys, it’s been great chatting with you! Have a great tour!”
Ok, so maybe it wasn’t an AMAZING interview, but it did give us a reason to have an RBD photo shoot:
RBD, your style and words inspire me. Some day, I too will have the power to incite mob hysteria with one look, but until then, I’ll be rockin’ out to RBD.
Special Bonus Photo: RBD Decals ON SALE NOW:: Kiosk, KFC:: Hollywood/Alexendria
