Photo by Rita J Egan
I feel like a teenager right now, and no, I haven’t found the fountain of youth or a new skincare routine. I’m just thrilled that former members of my favorite boy band are about to begin a concert tour on October 10th.
If you know anything about me, you know I spent a good portion of the 1980s as a fan of the boy band Menudo. With 2027 marking 50 years since the group’s creation, seven former members have decided to start revving things up this year with a six-city concert tour in the United States and Mexico.
Ready to perform iconic songs from Menudo’s various eras, Raymond Acevedo, Robert Avellanet, Sergio Blass, Rene Farrait, Ruben Gomez, Ralphy Rodriguez, and Roy Rossello have been busy rehearsing to make this anniversary special and give fans what they want — a fun trip down memory lane. And if you know boy bands, you know their fans love reunions and nostalgia. Look at New Kids on the Block. who reunited in 2008. The group is still going strong. (Other former Menudo members, take note. You might be missing a huge opportunity.)
I love that the anniversary tour starts this year to build things up, because while Thanksgiving Day 1977 is recognized as Menudo’s first performance, the magic didn’t happen overnight. Edgardo Diaz, the group’s creator and manager, came up with the idea and searched for members in Puerto Rico. Once the original members — Ricky, Oscar and Carlos Melendez and Fernando and Nefty Sallaberry — were discovered, they rehearsed for several months before their inaugural performance.
More than 30 members recorded and performed under the Menudo name from 1977 to 1997. The last person signed as a Menudo member was Daniel Rene Weider. However, by the time the group released an album with him, they had chosen a new name: MDO. With the inception of MDO, the Menudo rules, which required them to leave the group once they turned 16, grew too tall, or their voices changed, were discarded. Plus, the boys returned with a new sound and look. The Menudo days were left behind in a way, but not by the fans.
My friends and I have wondered for years whether former members would seize the opportunity to come together to celebrate the group’s legacy, like El Reencuentro did in 1997 for the 20th anniversary. Of course, we imagined that if a reunion happened, more members would be participating. I mean, 50 years is a big deal. We’re all so fortunate to be here for this, both the former members and us fans. Even though it’s understandable that they all can’t be there. Unfortunately, three have passed away, and a couple of others are dealing with health issues. Some have also left the entertainment business decades ago. Then again, original member Ricky Melendez is an attorney, and every once in a while he takes a break from practicing law and gets back on stage, most recently with his fellow former Menudo and El Reencuentro buddies Johnny Lozada and Miguel Cancel.
Everyone has their reasons for joining this reunion tour or not, and I’m sure those reasons feel right to them. That doesn’t mean I don’t hope to see more shows and more members pop up next year. A fan can dream and remain hopeful. Right?
Let’s face it: no matter where the members’ journeys in life took them, even if the road was bumpy at times, they were part of something that no one can explain to anyone but a boy band fan. Menudo admirers are still part of many ex-members’ lives, whether fans from the Menudo days make up a large percentage of their social media following or buy their music or concert tickets. Even if Ricky Martin or Draco Rosa surveyed every one of their fans, I’m sure they would find a huge percentage have been following them since the first second they stepped on stage in their satin-like costumes. (Come on, Ricky and Draco, take a stroll down memory lane, even for one show as a guest start. Surprise people. Make us even happier.)
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In the end to me and my friends, it doesn’t matter who’s a part of it, I can’t wait to see the concert in New York City on November 7th. I am beyond grateful and excited that there will be an anniversary tour thanks to the current lineup. At our age, we are all handling everyday responsibilities and stresses, and to be able to go out one night and take a trip down memory lane makes us feel like kids again, and there’s nothing more relaxing and refreshing than that.
A few years ago, there was a series titled “Subete a mi moto” about the group, and the character Renata, a former Menudo fan, sits down with Diaz and explains that while for him it was a business, for the fans it was so much more. She explained how the fans did it all from their hearts, explaining that every boy, every voice, every song mattered. Here we are, nearly 50 years after the group’s birth, and I can attest that every boy, every voice, and every song still matters to us fans. I hope each former member knows that.
I can’t even begin to explain how fortunate many of us feel that we have this opportunity to celebrate the happiness the group brought into our lives. I hope that by November 2027, more band members and fans will join this fabulous journey that my friends and I are about to embark on with Ralphy, Raymond, Rene, Robert, Roy, Ruben, and Sergio. As of now, if you live in or near Inglewood, California; Rosemont, Illinois; New York City; Hollywood, Florida; or San Juan, Puerto Rico, you can catch a concert. As far as Mexico, it’s too late. Mexican fans have outdone themselves, and their November 28th concert is sold out.
Let’s show our boys the love we have for them. Visit ticketmaster.com or menudo.com and search “Menudo.” And if you’ll be at the New York show on November 7th, well, I will see you there.
For now, I’m going to brush up on some lyrics and choreography, because I am ready to sing at the top of my lungs and pull out the old dance moves.
