We interviewed Brian Tolenti, leader of El Cuarto Soda, the tribute band to Soda Stereo that conquers the world. Details of his world tour and his look at the demanding public of La Plata.
The phenomenon of The Soda Room it doesn’t stop. What was born as a deep need to pay tribute to an idol became one of the most respected and compelling musical proposals on the current scene. After a devastating year 2025 in which they added 124 shows with their tour “Total Classics”this 2026 finds them touring international venues ranging from England and Ibiza to stadiums for 60,000 people in Colombia.
Before his long-awaited show, this coming Friday in our city, we spoke exclusively with Brian Tolenti (vocals, guitar and band leader) about the signs that marked the beginning of the project, its technical obsession with the original sound, the madness of fans abroad and the challenge of conquering the analytical public of La Plata.
The blessing in the Legislature and the beginning of the magic of Soda
—Brian, you said that the real click with Cerati’s mystique was born from the pure need to go with your amplifier in the rain to play at the Buenos Aires Legislature on the day of his death. At that moment, Lilian Clark, Gustavo’s mother, looked at you from the balcony and blew you a kiss. Do you feel that that look was a blessing or tacit authorization for what came next?
—The Legislature thing was a very special day for me and for all the people who were there saying goodbye to none other than Gustavo Cerati. At that time I was working playing national and international rock on the street, on buses, trains and subways. I made Soda songs because I knew people liked them, but I wasn’t planning on putting together a tribute; It was like a jukebox.
That day I decided to go with my amplifier to sing all the songs I knew inside out with the people. I never imagined that Cerati’s family would be on the balcony. It was a very strong moment. Especially when Gustavo’s mother leaned on the balcony, watched what was happening and, when she finished Seduction GamesHe looked at me and gave me a kiss. It was shocking, I didn’t expect it.
The next day people wrote to me saying: «Skinny, you have to pay tribute to Soda». Five months later, playing on the subway, a dancer from Showmatch (Gabriel Usandivaras) filmed me, passed it on to production and I ended up on television singing Soda songs in the free rhythm. There another screen opened and people’s insistence grew. The third sign came months later on Facebook: the guys from the band, which was almost assembled, saw a photo of my amplifier on the subway where my data was and called me. It was the definitive impulse. It is beautiful to think, as people say, that Lilian gave me the job of honoring her son.
The extreme «purist mode» in the face of Soda’s complexity
—Many musicians take license when making a tribute. You chose the «purist mode», looking for the exact audio. Thinking about such a diverse work, what was the album or arrangement that required you the most obsession in rehearsal?
—When we started the project we asked ourselves what we wanted to see if we were spectators of a tribute. We chose the purist path: sounding as similar as possible and taking care of the aesthetics, costumes, instruments and visuals. We sat down to see every detail in fanatic mode, obsession mode.
The difficulty in Soda Stereo is constant because the band changed its sound and proposal from album to album. I’ve spent hours in front of the computer looking for the exact audio for a simple intro, like the one in Seduction Games.
If I have to evaluate the complexity, Dynamo It is a very difficult album due to the number of layers and textures of sound it has, although its execution is not that complex. On the other hand, Soda’s first album is a tremendous technical challenge of execution: they were a rabid ska trio, without tracks or keyboards, and they played at many notes per minute with incredible speed. In Cerati’s work there are no simple songs.
GIRA "CLÁSICOS TOTALES" EN NÚMEROS: + 124 shows realizados alrededor del mundo durante 2025. + Recorrido 2026: Inglaterra, Ibiza y estadios masivos en Latinoamérica. + Convocatorias de hasta 60.000 personas en Colombia. International devotion: From poster to religion
—They come from touring massive stages. Is it real that abroad there is an almost mystical devotion to Soda’s work, unlike the more clinical view that exists in Argentina?
—When you go outside, it’s crazy that you can’t imagine until you live it. The Argentine public has a beautiful energy that we were accustomed to, but when we set foot in Colombia we discovered something tremendous. In cities like Tunja and Pasto people went crazy on a level like Los Beatles: We would get into the van and they would hit the windows or chase us in cars when leaving the theater. We were wondering: «How can it be if we are a tribute band?». The same thing happens in Chile or Mexico.
I think it has to do with nostalgia and the value of what comes from outside. We in Argentina have incredible things and we naturalize them. But when you don’t have the band accessible and you depend on them traveling to see them, you become the best version of the audience possible. It is crazy beautiful to see how Gustavo’s legacy is kept alive throughout the continent.
The mystery of letters and the enigma of Numeral
—You once mentioned that Soda’s lyrics were closely linked to the rhythm and context of post-democracy, while the soloist Cerati turned to astrology and esotericism. As a performer, what reading do you make of a song as cryptic as Numeral?
—Gustavo’s break when he became a soloist responds to the need to continue growing artistically without the commitments of a band. In the 80s, with Soda, the lyrics were deeply influenced by the social context and politics of an Argentina that was emerging from a very dark time; There was a lot to write about because horrible things happened. As Indio Solari said, it has to hurt you or bad things happen for the lyrics to come out easier; Of happiness it is difficult to write something that does not remain empty.
When Gustavo is left alone, he allows himself to be free, he explores his maturity, his travels and his personal interests: astrology, the Mayan culture, the pyramids. The disk Natural Force It is his look at what life is, something very complex but super simple at the same time, with fabulous themes like Magic.
With respect to Numeralthe hidden track at the end of that album, I’m still looking for a way back to it. I’m very struck by how he starts to list things. The numerology that the public does is very strong: the countdown says «11 I, 12 you, 13 I stopped counting»and if you add the digits of that last number ($3 + $1), the result is 4, which coincides with the day of his death (September 4). I don’t know what he wanted to encode exactly, but it is a wonderful song and a very dense message that he left there hidden for a reason.
The challenge of connecting with the demanding La Plata ear
—La Plata is recognized for having a music-loving, ultra-demanding and analytical audience. How do you handle the moment in the dressing room when you come across that particular and respectful way of connecting with music?
—Every place has its culture. La Plata is an extremely rock-oriented, detailed and observant city; a difficult audience in my opinion. I love that it is like this because it challenges me to be increasingly exquisite with the arrangements, with tuning the voice and with the fidelity of the audio. The goal is to go and notice that you improved compared to the previous year.
In the theaters of La Plata you can feel the presence of up to three generations singing the songs. And in the dressing room, when you cut those 5 minutes in the middle of the show after playing 16 songs, it is the moment where you come down to earth and listen to what is happening outside: sometimes there are screams, sometimes absolute silence from people who are completely moved, crying or hugging.
The musician always lives with fears and nervousness before going on stage, and it seems perfect to me that this is the case because it demonstrates dedication and respect for the audience. We know that La Plata loves Soda Stereo but demands as much as possible that they sound good. We have a lot of rehearsals to cover that requirement and we are ready to enjoy an incredible night.
With the promise of a show that will not only review the greatest hits, but will revive the sonorous obsession and technical rigor that Gustavo Cerati imprinted on each of his eras, The Soda Room prepares to set foot on La Plata soil. On that fine line where respect for the legacy intersects with the devotion of an audience that does not settle for little, the band promises to meet the expectations of the most clinical ear in the region. The appointment is made, the guitars calibrated to the millimeter and the open invitation to reconnect with a work that, regardless of the passage of time, continues to demonstrate its natural strength.
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