By Jose Gandue @Gandour Photo by Gina Navarro @leginik
And then suddenly one day, a couple of months ago, they announced, in a media bombshell, a new festival in Bogotá called Almax. A musical hodgepodge that for 4 days would present a list of artists encompassing a very broad musical spectrum that for many did not combine at all and For others, it turned out to be an interesting social experiment with unexpected results. The idea was to bring together Carlos Vives, Chris Cornell, House of Pain, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and an attractive selection of local and Latin American artists. There was something for everyone, with two stages each day, and despite the very high ticket prices, More than one person was already celebrating victory.
The truth, I have no doubt whatsoever about the good intentions of the organizers. But, at the risk of sounding like a washed-up hippie, I must say that It's been a long time since I attended an event with such a strange energy. From Thursday onwards, where the programming is delayed by more than two hours, for reasons that are incomprehensible, especially knowing who was responsible for the festival, They created a tense atmosphere. We saw Divagash, a well-known band with frequent media coverage, play to twenty people; Burning Caravan, increasingly popular among Bogotá audiences, played to a little over eighty fans; and, with only a few more attendees, Sidestepper and Systema Solar followed. On the other stage, the scene was different, as Crew Peligrosos, Rocca, and Orishas managed to draw a couple of thousand people to their stages. It's clear that from that day on, There was conclusive evidence that something was wrong with the production.
More people were seen at the Corferias facilities on Friday. Even so, what I was talking about regarding energy was still up in the air. Some journalists were beginning to have problems with the logistics of the event and it was unclear whether or not one could enter the spaces supposedly assigned to the festival coverage. The schedule delays were pronounced and there was no clarity at what time the show of this or that band would begin. Similarly, the second stage had an uneven attendance, and perhaps only partially occupied was it during the performances of 1280 Almas and La Derecha (which, incidentally, due to their singer's apathy, was one of Almax's most boring shows). Throughout the day, some music commentators, aware of what was happening inside the event, They told us that Fabulosos Cadillacs had taken 5 hours for a soundcheck, to the detriment of all the accompanying groups on that stage, including Velvety.
Saturday was an absurd day. Many journalists reported that tickets for that day were practically sold out., But for several hours Corferias was empty. So, who had purchased all the tickets for that day? The answer was given at seven o'clock in the evening: A huge crowd began arriving at Corferias to see Carlos Vives and nothing else. That audience was only interested in seeing the man from Santa Marta. He was not interested in taking advantage of the fact that for the price paid he could see other artists of very high quality. I have no personal problem with Vives. I have always recognized him as an indispensable figure in the history of Colombian music. But I do see that many of his fans, as well as the listeners glued to the mediocre programming of commercial radio stations, They only trust what they are told by these heartless radio stations, which have no desire to educate their listeners., led by upstarts who, if they weren't in front of the microphone, could be selling soap with the same decorum.
One of the organizers, Rolling Stone Colombia, It is one of the most interesting publications in Colombia. The journalists who work at that company are honest, intelligent, have good writing skills, and are kind to their colleagues. They were the ones who proposed the festival poster, and they did so with the best possible intentions. The lineup included many of the most interesting artists in the country at the time. and they treated them accordingly. The problem is that they didn't understand from the very beginning of this project that the audience irrevocably bound to the mainstream broadcast by high-rating radio stations is hardly willing to indulge in the pleasure of enjoying independent arts, even though, As happened with Almax, they could access them for the same price. On the other side, Kinky and Nortec Collective were playing, who are not exactly sonic rarities, and rather they have privileged massive spaces as has been seen in various festivals such as Vive Latino or Rock al Parque itself. But these unfortunate and helpless souls did not appear there out of pure and physical laziness. The same laziness that the tyrants of the mainstream media exploit. All of this happens, obviously, through no fault of Rolling Stone, but realizing it, It forces the festival to rethink its plans, if they even make a second attempt.
I didn't attend on Sunday. I'm sorry. I was too tired. The person who replaced me said the best thing they saw that day was the Chris Cornell show. Unfortunately, Bomba Estéreo was unable to perform, and the day didn't offer much more. I've read some opinions on social media and few mention other facts.
Regardless of any possible criticisms, and acknowledging that there were several noteworthy presentations during these days, One of the best moments of Almax was starring the Argentinian band Catupecu Machu. I must say I'm glad to see you all again in Bogotá. It is a brave group, With experience on their side, they don't let anything discourage them. During their show, they had a problem with the bass, which, while they were resolving it, gave them the opportunity to improvise fantastically. They never let the audience's spirits fall, demonstrating that they know how to do their job well.
Watching Kinky and Nortec Collective perform in front of a few dozen attendees And seeing them take on their role of doing their own thing as if they had millions at their disposal was exciting. Kinky is one of the best bands on the planet, Don't doubt that for a moment. Their show is meticulously crafted in every aspect and never falters. Their sound and visual work is commendable. Meanwhile, Nortec got even the most reserved person up and dancing, drawing out the best in a small but enthusiastic crowd willing to compensate for the absence of a larger audience. Despite all the difficulties, they managed to create, in my opinion, the best moment of Almax.
In conclusion, I take, A brilliant quote from Roberto Fontanarrosa, to describe what was seen: This festival was weirder than a Japanese person with curlers. An uneven concoction containing too many noisy substances created very strange circumstances that were detrimental to many people, including musicians, journalists, and attendees. Speculators are now betting on whether or not there will be a second edition of Almax. We'll see what the future holds.