The Riekestra makes its annual appearance at The Guild

“I’ve been playing music since I came out of the womb,” Bianka Zelaya told me when I met with the Riekestra before their performance at the Guild at the end of August. Zelaya, 17, is one of seven teen artists in the Riekestra, which was created in 2012. The student cover band is run through the Riekes Center, a Menlo Park-based  nonprofit that supports individuals in advancing in areas of athletics, arts, and environmental awareness.

When I first met the band backstage, I walked into a room filled with loud laughter, take out pizza, and energy drinks. As I got to know the high school students behind the band, I quickly noticed and admired the family-like dynamic they shared.

The students raved about their trip to Barcelona over the summer where they performed 10 gigs in 10 days. The trip was pioneered by Riekes employees Guy Nohra and Aidan Young in 2014, and has been an unforgettable experience for many of the students. “It was a really special moment for me and showed me what I wanted to do with my life,” Addi Andara, one of the band’s singers, said.

After getting to know the band and wishing them luck, I headed to the Guild floor, where audience members had gathered under the venue’s colorful lights. The crowd roared when the Riekestra students — joined by alumni and instructors — took the stage and shared about their recent tour in Spain.

The band opened the show with a rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “Nice ‘n’ Easy” which featured a jaw-dropping electric guitar solo that shattered any awkwardness lurking in the crowd. As she sang, Zelaya led the way with dance moves of her own, inspiring the audience to follow suit.

The group later performed a cover of Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie” which I thought gave the original a run for its money. Their powerful harmonization and infectious enthusiasm had me singing along and was by far my favorite performance of the night.

Part way through the concert, Zelaya and Riekestra alumnus Keegan Dyer (pictured red dress) paused the performance to share their personal experience with the Riekes Center and their musical journey. The two talked about the monumental role that the Riekestra had played in shaping their lives and brought both themselves and the audience to tears.

Their speeches made it abundantly clear that the Riekes Center is so much more than just a community center; for many it is home. Seeing how formulative it had been in the lives of Zelaya and Dyer made it clear that spaces for support and exploration, like Riekes, are so integral to our community.

Despite a lengthy 24 song set list, the band powered through the remainder of their performance, never showing signs of fatigue. The group even showed off their linguistic talent by incorporating songs in Spanish and in French that they had learned while touring abroad.

After playing the Beatles’ “Hey Jude” — the intended finale — the audience persistently chanted “otra”, which means another in Spanish, successfully persuading the band to perform one more song.

Fittingly, the Riekestra closed such a magical and emotional night with a cover of the Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family.” As they sang, family members and friends of the band members climbed onto the stage to join them and the crowd sang their hearts out for one last time.

Even after a standing ovation and the Riekestra’s departure, many mingled to congratulate the band members and talk with friends.

I left the venue disappointed that such an incredible night had finally come to an end, but walked away part of a newfound community: the Riekes Center. What truly made the concert so memorable was less so the music itself — though it was phenomenal — but rather the contagious enthusiasm of the band and the comradery amongst the crowd.

If you are interested in witnessing one of the Riekestra’s  performances, they hold a local show every third Thursday of the month at the Riekes Center or you can follow their Instagram for content and updates.

Gaby Foster is a student at Menlo-Atherton High School where she is on the staff of the M-A Chronicle.