Miguel Ríos, the incombustible, is not enough to be one of the references for rock in Spanish; He is also a friend to his friends, so he defends his colleagues. In the '80s, Ríos was at the top: in 1982 he had done the stunning Rock and Ríos tour, which he now repeated on the occasion of his 40th birthday, even if his previous round of concerts was presented as his farewell. In 1987 he hosted an ambitious television program: What an evening this year! In 26 episodes, the singer from Granada brought Spanish rock and pop greats to his stage from 1962 until the year in which the series was broadcast in prime time on La 1. He abused his prominence, yes, but the result is a very valuable document that has been restored in RTVE Play.
What a night this year! Almost all of the country's great musical figures appeared, some were fondly remembered, others were saved from unjustified oblivion; Some bands reformed for the occasion. The format responds to the golden years of live music on television. Each part, dedicated to a year, includes a song by Ríos with his band (that's annoying), the performances of some guest groups or soloists, all first-class, often accompanied by the presenter to perform together some of these anthems.
The first episodes return to the stage: Los Estudiantes, Los Mustang, the Dúo Dinático, Los Bravos, Massiel, Micky y los Tonys, Karina or Los Pekenikes, people who brought color to a black and white Spain. One remembers the difficulties of these pioneers: the authorities of the dictatorship tried to cancel the Price Morning, the epicenter of the event; Through TVE, the regime finally capitulated to the pop phenomenon that was the key to social change. Looking back on the 1970s, the most committed singer-songwriters present themselves: Serrat, Rosa León, Víctor Manuel and María del Mar Bonet; the urban rock of Burning or the progressive and roots rock of Triana (in the form of a tribute band to Jesús de la Rosa). These sounds already represented another country.
As the series progresses, what was for the viewer at the time an exercise in nostalgia (from a recent era) becomes an example of what is current. From what was called La Movida, a label that is discussed today as if it were just a slogan of the new socialist government, but which then moved crowds every night, filling halls and pavilions and selling thousands of records. There are Radio Futura, Siniestro Total, Gabinete Caligari and Alaska, who are presenting their new band: Dinarama. And Sabina when she was younger, like Ramoncín, El Último de la Fila and Kiko Veneno.
It is impressive to find in the same chapter Enrique Urquijo (with Los Secretos) and Antonio Vega (with Nacha Pop), two stars whose untimely deaths shocked the country. Among those already deceased, Paco de Lucía stands out, the guest who deviates furthest from the context of the series and delivers a fabulous interpretation of “Between Two Waters” without even opening his eyes. Some episodes clashed due to the variety of styles, such as the one that invited Barón Rojo and Mecano, both in their best moment. You had to do lace making to keep the agendas in line. It failed to convince two emblematic bands, already separated: Leño and Tequila.
The solid sections provided context. Each year's hit lists are an irresistible journey for all ages, commented with grace by Ely del Valle. By the way, it should be noted that the predominance of Anglo-Saxon music was not so overwhelming: alongside the Spanish stars, Italian songs and, to a lesser extent, French songs had their place. In another section, the political news of these turbulent years was briefly summarized but well analyzed by authoritative voices. Moncho Alpuente and Gran Wyoming provided a humorous counterpoint by laughing at their musician friends who are now referred to as celebrities, that too has changed.
The series featured state-of-the-art technology for the time and a large stage for the gathering of artists, although some visual effects were showing their age: there was no need for floating screens that rotate to make the viewer dizzy. Only the last two chapters were moved to the Real Madrid pavilion to greet the audience in a farewell concert with Martirio, Los Toreros Muertos or Los Ronaldos. Diego A. Manrique, the screenwriter, recalls that RTVE, directed by Pilar Miró, provided all the facilities: the lighting system used was one that Genesis used on its tours; the older artists had not known this. Back then, music was one of the hallmarks of modernity; Later, the myth was imposed that it doesn't work on television (except for talent competitions, which are something else).
At some point during his appearance on the show, Jorge Martínez from Ilegales looks into the camera and says: “Madam, if you don't like my face, change the channel!” It was a provocation: there weren't many channels to switch between , just the two from TVE and some regional ones that just started. This explains that every chapter of ¡Qué noche this year! It was a small event that got people talking the next day. Music had great relevance on this television and in this country. No more: at least we can revive it.
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