By Clara Sofía Arrieta @mediatica Photo by Simona Malaika @simonamalaika
The rock marathon is over, and while the body is exhausted, there's also that strange feeling of emptiness that follows the end of a long event. Going from one place to another, without rest, with the vain desire not to miss anything, to encompass everything. And while we know that's impossible, we can still talk about a general feeling of what happened. First, I'll talk a little about my perception of the holiday Monday closure, and then I'll move on to some more general observations.
Yesterday there was also a fairly broad and diverse lineup: Punk and ska were present on the Plaza Stage; rock in its purest form was present on the Lake Stage; and the Eco Stage was taken over by the girls. Perhaps because it was a holiday Monday, perhaps because the sun was shining beautifully, perhaps because I was a little more prepared for the routine, perhaps because I ran into so many friends, this day felt more peaceful. Again, my sense of enjoyment was drawn more strongly to the Eco and Lake Stages. I didn't resist. Anyway, let's take it one step at a time.
On the Plaza Stage, energy and dancing were very much in evidence. I had a great time dancing to the rhythm of Chico Trujillo, the Chilean band that, with its cumbias and nods to popular Latin American songs, began to bring out the most rumba-loving side of the punks gathered there. And so the paisas from La Mojiganga took the baton, and of course, The elegant Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra. What a fine orchestra! I was really curious to hear them, and they exceeded my expectations. Their dynamism and energy on stage ignited even the most reluctant person. Pure Japanese good vibes. They completely won over the Plaza audience when they played Are from Café Tacuba. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant, all in their satin gray suits. And of course, things really got going when Skampida, celebrating their twentieth anniversary, played a lively rumba version of... Black Hole Sun from Soundgarden.
Now, the closing, not only of this stage but of the festival itself, was carried out by The American band Pennywise, which managed to captivate even outsiders like me. Several of my friends, die-hard fans of the band, were completely thrilled to be able to see one they've worshipped for so long. The great thing is that it was exciting for the general audience because it made us all feel included. A memorable moment was the tribute they paid to The Ramones (Hey Ho Let's Go), Bad Religion (Do What You Want) and Beastie Boys (Fight for Your RightAmidst calls for freedom, autonomy, and strong criticism of authority, Jim Lindberg made it very clear that he and the band members were very proud to be the main attraction at Rock al Parque.
Meanwhile, the Lake Stage was decked out in black rock. Alfonso Espriella kept us up to date on his musical evolution. We could see his loyal fans singing along to the songs of this artist who always writes lyrics full of meaning. The visuals on the screens during his concert were also great. The Alain Johannes Trio was very interesting. I was impressed that I always had the feeling there were more than three members.Riel Dorfman, my go-to advisor (the sound engineer I introduced in a previous article), explained to me that this happens when the musicians are excellent. Here we had a trio formation, not a classic one, where the bass was a synthesizer operated with the keyboardist's left hand, while his right hand performed the normal keyboard duties. Another trio that kept the rock stage alive was the Lee Ranaldo Trio (formerly of Sonic Youth), whose more acoustic and experimental sound kept us hooked. It was interesting to see them in their own show. Kadavar from Germany closed the show and blew everyone away on that stage. Personally, I felt like I was traveling back in time to see a rock band from the seventies. Uriel was saying things like: classic trio formation, very interesting, very rock 'n' roll, furious Gibson guitar, Bonham-style drums. The comment I heard from every friend I ran into was: "What a bunch of sons of bitches!"“
I've saved my favorite for last: the Eco Stage belonged to women. Rock women, pop women, punk women, tough women, cisgender women, trans women, dark women, soft women, sexy women, party women, aggressive women, and women of so many other characteristics that it's impossible to list them all. First and foremost, I must say that what I loved most about this stage was its variety in terms of genres (musical and sexual). because it often falls into easy stereotypes, and I think that here the question of what is feminine was left open, and in a broad way. There was dancing and moshing for all tastes. I was also happy to see so many men enjoying this stage, because I often feel that when female artists get together (whether in music, literature, theater, film, etc.) it ends up being women for women, by women. And yes, that's fine, but the point is that we create work just as significant as men's, and it doesn't have the same visibility. In other words, not everyone knows about it because there's no access. So this stage was one where the artists took center stage (obviously): Durazno, Liniker E Os Caramelows, La Chiva Gantiva, Bala, V for Volume, and Descartes a Kant put together this diverse lineup. I have to talk about what was my favorite band of the day: Liniker E Os Caramelows. Feel free to look them up and form your own opinion. I knew them before, and they're a band I love, so I was dying to see them live. Yes, their lead singer is a transgender woman. Oh, oh, oh! Okay. Now that the moment of absurd, morbid, and silly attention has passed, we can get to the main point: what a great band! They sounded incredible; the two female voices intertwined beautifully in that Portuguese that keeps us moving. Having worked with trans women from the Santa Fe neighborhood on two pieces for Vividero Colectivo (an artistic collective I'm part of) has taught me that one of the problems that bothers them most is that their work and talents aren't recognized independently of their gender identity. And of course, it's important that Liniker is trans and that her image serves to advocate for the rights and visibility of the LGBTQ+ community, but I firmly believe that the day we disregard the fact that she is trans or not, and that becomes a trait like having piercings or not, that day we will have matured as a society. And yesterday, for a moment, when we were all captivated by the grace, charm, and overflowing talent of Liniker and her sweets, I felt that this reality is possible.
P.S. General observations will be in the next installment. For now, congratulations to those who organized this edition of Rock al Parque 2018.
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