During the 2010s Costa Rica became Central America’s hotspot for international shows. Its well-recorded sociopolitical stability, cultural affinity to US culture, and status as one of the globe’s main sustainability ambassadors, made the country the best suited destination to represent the region in the biggest pop stars’ world tours. It all started with hard rock luminaries Iron Maiden and Metallica, but soon Gen-X favorites like Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters and Green Day followed suit, and by the mid-decade classic rock legends like Elton John, Paul McCartney and Roger Waters, and young effervescent stars like Bruno Mars, Ariana Grande and Ed Sheeran, where all part of Costa Rica’s healthy roster of year-long mega-spectacles.
Naturally, all that stopped in 2020 with the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic and its heavy toll on the concert industry. Slowly but steadily, local venues began to open again, and by March the concert agenda finally started to get crowded once again. Just in these first couple weeks of 2022 big name artists like Bad Bunny, Coldplay, Ex-One Direction Louis Tomlinson and Karol G have all confirmed dates, and the expectation is for many more to be announced in the coming months.
One of the main advantages Costa Rica has in the booking department is how easy the pitch is to lure international stars. Coldplay, the band that’ll kickstart the country’s comeback as Central America’s concert hotspot, decided to open their tour here, and that gave them extra time to relax and explore many of the nation’s breathtaking natural attractions. The reason that this iconic British band decided on such a small nation to start off their world tour isn’t just a random occurrence either, as the country’s renewable electric network and 99% clean renewable energy percentage mirrored Coldplay’s well-documented environmental activism.
It was reported that lead singer Chris Martin arrived a whopping full two-weeks before the concert dates, giving himself plenty of time to immerse himself in Costa Rica’s many allures, and that has been the case before with other world-class stars who take the opportunity to sneak for a quick beach getaway or mountain adventure. Some, like Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Enrique Iglesias (who have both played multiple times in the country) even go a step further, and end up buying property for their tropical hideaway after a long tour.
If you’re a passionate music lover who also has a penchant for tropical lifestyle, you might want to follow the steps of the artists and begin planning your concert escapade around a nice, relaxing vacation.