A grandfather, a father, a son. Three generations, one life, one record. Suddenly, at 8:30 at night, the lights go out, the curtain rises and only screams can be heard. Nito Mestrethe legendary voice of the Argentine band Sui Generis, has just appeared on stage with his nine musicians. The cold that was felt outside has disappeared inside the PUCP’s Nos theater in San Isidro. It burns. The seventies-eighties nostalgia is felt. Everyone is preparing for the magic.
It’s Thursday, July 4th. Nito Mestre is kicking off his first day of shows. The pretext: the 51st anniversary of the album Vida. “Let’s pretend we’re listening to the vinyl, with the 10 songs in order”he says. But that will take some time. Nito starts with a new song: Distintos (2023). Then follow more songs from his solo era and with Desconocidos de Siempre and Porsuigieco. Everything flows. The acoustics are perfect, no autotune is needed. What is that? If a Sui Generis is in front. All that is needed is Charly García, the other genius.
“Great, Nito!” shouts a fan as he finishes Cayendo, his other new song (2023). Mestre raises his hand and answers. The audience applauds. Suddenly, another surprise. A short medley is coming, three songs in one: Institutions, High in the Tower and Eiti Leda or Nena. The audience explodes. They didn’t expect it. “Thank you, Nito, you’re a genius!”
Then follow Hoy tiraré viejas hojas and Fabricante de mentiras. Termones (I’m a fan). But they end. And it’s already 9:25 at night. It’s time for the album Vida, which in 1972 started that timeless adventure called Sui Generis. “There was a time when I was beautiful. And I was truly free. I kept all my dreams in crystal castles,” Nito sings. The audience bursts into laughter for the second time. Voices accompany Nito’s voice in chorus. It is one of the hymns.
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“Peru loves you, Nieto!” That phrase from another fan gives rise to an anecdote. “The first time I came to Lima was because Fito Páez couldn’t come to play with GIT at the University of Lima. It was 1985. I thought no one would recognize me, but they sang my songs. I still remember when a few years ago an airplane pilot who was watching me a lot told me that he had the polo shirt that I autographed for him that first time,” says Nito with an elephant’s memory.
The story ends and the other most chanted songs come, such as I Need, Station, Natalio Ruiz… Maybe Because and When We Began to Be Born.
“The album is called Vida, but it begins with Canción para mi muerte (Song for my death). It was the producer’s decision, although we chose to end it with Cuando Empieza a Nacer (When we began to be born),” he says before saying goodbye. Nito is 71 years old, but his stage performance and his voice are still adolescent.
That Thursday night, the fans go home satisfied, with a little sparkle in their eyes. But today, Friday, July 5, it will be another group’s turn. The pretext now will be the 50th anniversary of the album Confesiones de invierno (1973)). Nito Mestre’s second show will begin and the choruses, the songs and the memories will surely be a new anecdote. Sui Generis will not die.
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