When Néstor Mícol and Marcelo Di Costa arrive at the Clarín
newsroom
, they immediately capture all eyes.
For decades both have been tributes to
Charly García
and
Andrés Calamaro
and part of the game that they propose is to bring two legends closer that can be somewhat inaccessible to the public.
And they take this challenge so seriously that immediate glances perceive it: that they are a few meters from García and Calamaro and that they can even hold a conversation with them.
Mícol is from
San Fernando
.
Aesthetically, his Charly is in tune with that of the years 2009 and 2010, when he released the video clip for You should know why, in which even Mícol appeared as García's double.
Di Costa, from
Boedo
, represents a more contemporary Calamaro, although it continues to maintain the curls that have always characterized Salmon.
In fact, he remembers with a laugh that once in the Ideas del Sur studios, Andrés himself went to emphasize it: "I came to tell you that I just cut my hair a little."
In any case, Calamaro was more than happy with his main impersonator.
The meeting between the tributes of Andrés Calamaro and Charly Garcia.
Photo: D'Elia - FTP CLARIN
Mícol was also lucky that the real Charly knew him, and he even referred to him on a television program.
"What is your double doing?" the driver asked.
"He does shows, he raises mines. He makes me," replied the former Sui Generis and Serú Girán.
Both Mícol and Di Costa (who began acting in theater) became tributes by chance.
In the case of Mícol, when he left the colimba at the age of 19, he let his mustache grow and a friend dyed it for him as a joke.
People were already beginning to look at him similar to García and in a cantobar in Villa Gesell, after he sang Cerca de la revolución, the public and the owner were delighted.
More than 30 years have passed since that night.
In the case of the Calamaro tribute, he decided to let his curlers grow while he was filming commercials.
He did not need more than some sunglasses, a hat and his own fanaticism for El Salmón so that in 2010 he discovered his new talent.
"One day I went to a costume party with a scarf and sunglasses. They all started yelling 'Calamaro, Calamaro' and I won the prize for best costume," he recalls with a laugh.
Néstor Mícol, Charly García's tribute.
Photo: D'Elia - FTP CLARIN _AND0247.jpg Z ADelia Delia
Both agree that tributes do not go out of style.
As Mícol explains, at the end of the 80s karaoke was a novelty and today it is still valid.
The tribute is something that came later, and although it is not the same, he understands that there are links between one thing and the other, and there are even more and more tributes of the same character.
"Once in Santa Teresita I came across three
Ricardo Arjona
tributes on the same block. I couldn't believe it. I left that block right away. Then I went into a store and asked if they had any free dates. They told me there was a tribute to Arjona every day. I opened my eyes wide and said indignantly 'Do I pay tribute to Arjona every day?', and I went to hell".
Despite the joke, the point is that the tributes still have something that captivates the public.
"I think it also depends on the character. When you do a tribute to someone legendary, it will last longer. The popular lasts and that helps us too," Di Costa understands.
Marcelo Di Costa, the tribute of Andrés Calamaro.
Photo: D'Elia - FTP CLARIN _AND1086.jpg Z ADelia Delia
The waiting meeting between Charly García and Andrés Calamaro
At the end of the 90s, the media war between Charly García and Andrés Calamaro was one of the main topics on the agenda.
It has always been said that Mónica García, Calamaro's partner and muse and Charly's musician during the Say No More stage, was the reason for a stage of jealousy and egos among the artists.
Of course, Calamaro was always grateful to García for helping him in his beginnings.
And something similar happened between the tributes, since it was Mícol who sponsored Di Costa when he entered the world of tributes.
Néstor Mícol is a tribute to Charly García for more than 30 years.
Photo: D'Elia - FTP CLARIN _AND0206.jpg Z ADelia Delia
There was never a fight between the tributes.
In fact, they emphasize that they have a beautiful friendship, they have made duets that not even García and Calamaro themselves have performed and they have even had their nights out.
Together, they have done seasons on the coast, they have seen almost the entire country and have become part of various sections of
Bendita Tv
, including Bendita Premium, hosted by
Franco Casella
, where different programs are parodied.
In the Channel 9 program they also formed the WhatsApp group 'Sindicato de Dobles', of which all the tributes are a part.
In fact, at the time the activity was almost seriously unionized, although it came to nothing.
Although there were several massive tribute gatherings, Di Costa only speaks of Mícol as a "friend" and even remembers Dixon Buzni, a
Vicentico
tribute they went everywhere with who died during the pandemic.
"One day I went to a costume party with a scarf and sunglasses. They all started shouting 'Calamaro, Calamaro' and I won the prize for best costume" Photo: D'Elia - FTP CLARIN _AND1119.jpg Z ADelia Delia
The hardest part of being a tribute
The two tributes clarify that they do not have personality problems.
During the day, when they are not on stage, they are simply Néstor Mícol or Marcelo Di Costa.
For Di Costa it is easier, since she can tie her hair up or not put on her sunglasses to go out.
For Mícol, on the other hand, the fact of having his mustache painted forces him to have a bit of Charly throughout the day.
"There is no part of me that is not mine in life. Some have personality problems, but I don't. I wear my mustache everywhere, but since people have cell phones it becomes fun and they take photos with everyone," highlights Micol.
Nestor and Marcelo have been friends for more than 10 years.
Like Charly to Calamaro, Néstor sponsored Marcelo when he started as a tribute.
Photo: D'Elia - FTP CLARIN _AND0899.jpg Z ADelia Delia
"I know that someone fired and that there was even some suicide. They told me about a double of Sandro who got depressed, I don't know if because of this or because of everything, he dressed as if for a show in his apartment with the rose in his jacket pocket, he put on a song by Sandro and hanged himself", says Di Costa.
And he closes: "Although almost all the public is cool, there is always someone who tells you that you have no personality because you play someone else. Do you know the personality you have to have to put yourself in the shoes of García or Calamaro?"
On their Instagram accounts, both Néstor (@tributeacharly) and Marcelo (@dicostamarcelo) share the latest news from their shows.
