By José Gandue @Gandour Photo by Simona Malaika @simonamalaika
My personal musical tastes are very different from what most of the world's metal catalog offers. That shouldn't be a revelation to readers of Zonagirante.com. However, I am certain that every year I attend, with all due respect, the first day of Rock al Parque., day primarily related to the heavier genres.
I'm going there for several reasons. First: I wouldn't dare say that the vast majority of Bogota rockers are metalheads, but they definitely represent a significant portion of the population. And I feel that they have been wrongly looked down upon, due to classist, discriminatory, and even racist issues. The second: On every day of metal at Rock al Parque I always find something that contradicts my preconceptions, that manages to amuse or move me, that brightens my day and puts me in a good mood (Yesterday it was the Spanish band Angelus Apatrida, with their well-rounded, powerful songs and their easy communication with the audienceThird: Music journalism, with the obvious exceptions, has learned to be more open, to converse more fluidly with other music writers on the scene, and it shows in their work. Fourth: In general, on these long weekends, In Bogotá, there's no better plan than going to the festival., including, of course, the start date.
Still, something continues to amaze me: massive crowds turn out to enjoy metal and reaffirm their commitment. Yesterday, at least forty thousand people went to the park (a lower number than in other years, but still impressive), and I saw them singing and celebrating the songs of some local bands, alongside the most prominent international acts. I saw people happy with The Brainwash Machine and Implosion Brain, and I felt that they took ownership of their talent. But then that fervor fades, the masses don't attend the private concerts, and what remains is the feeling of having witnessed an illusory event. One might think that there are at least two hundred thousand metal fans in Bogotá (Pogotá! Pogotá! Pogotá!), but How many local groups can attract 500 people to a subsequent presentation individually?
I don't think the problem is money, nor the idiocy that some claim, saying that people are used to going to free festivals and that this has damaged the business. I feel that it all stems from not believing in the client and not convincing them effectively. Of course, those who have tried might respond by saying that I know nothing about it and that I haven't seen what they've suffered in their activities. But I don't believe this situation will be resolved by blaming the public. When I hear those arguments, I almost always see that they lead to spiritual poison, in which those who use them only end up hindering the work of others.
Yesterday I saw the fifth edition of Metal Live magazine. A pocket-sized edition, elegantly printed, with a very striking selection of photos, engaging articles, and a proper understanding of the importance of Colombian artists featured in its pages. Furthermore, a significant advertising presence should keep them afloat smoothly, a task that most independent publications fail to achieve. I saw the magazine and felt that its creators are part of what could be a prosperous future for metal, moving beyond unnecessary conflicts and pointless confrontations and working with the true potential of the scene in this city. Like Metal Live, there are examples worth following closely and keeping an eye on.
Bogotá needs to have a real metal scene, one that supports its artists, attends its concerts all year round, buys its merchandise, keeps up with its news, and creates independent businesses around it. Doing all this is embarking on a necessary inclusive mission, where the whole of society is positively affected., Regardless of whether someone actually likes that music or not. I repeat, perhaps I'm underestimating the number of metal fans in the capital, but that popularity isn't reflected in the cultural economy or in the presence of metal events on the arts calendar. If this doesn't change, no one will dare say that metal will disappear from the city, but it will become increasingly marginalized and will simply become a refuge for complainers and resentful people. And that benefits no one.
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