By José Gandue @spinning zone

I know, more than one of my esteemed friends from the Bogota scene, those who say "I won't go to debates unless I get paid" and who claim they would go to a bare-knuckle fight, when I haven't had the physical ability or the desire to do it for a long time, He must think I'm crazy, almost on par with Dr. Chapatin and other similar characters. Anyway: I ask the question in the title not to provoke controversy, but to discuss something beyond the lineup of the most important free festival we have around here., And because it's part of my city's public cultural policy. This talk doesn't only involve the music scene in the Colombian capital, but it directly and indirectly affects and contributes to the other actors involved in Latin American music. 

Why am I saying all this? The main thing to remember, even if it's a self-evident truth, The thing is, Rock al Parque, like all festivals with that name, is funded by the state (money from the Bogotá City Hall) and, so far, and I hope for many years to come, these are free, open-access events., regardless of the social, racial, or political backgrounds of the attendees. It is a political (not electoral or partisan) event, decided and planned by the city's government bodies, and more specifically, by the District Institute of the Arts (Idartes). Therefore, Discussing their curatorship should not be considered a useless act, much less offensive or invasive to the work of said officials. And as with any state decision, whatever it may be, you can simply ask him the question of «"And what's that for?". 

If you've read me, you already know this. I have always asked, with the most incisive but healthiest of intentions, what the festival is for.. And I ask that question, so that it is better understood, being on the side of the Bogota music scene, who should, above all the actors involved, to be the most benefited. The festival, as it has operated for a long time, has as its main mission to entertain hundreds of thousands of people for three days, who come to see live shows, and to celebrate, naturally, life., feeling pleased that the city has these kinds of activities. Perfect. It's commendable, but as it's designed, as we've said on several occasions, It's of no use to those who stay, to those who spend the other 362 days of the year around here. Not only do they end up designating barely a third (or less) of local participants in the poster's creation, but (and this is the point in question in this article) The arrival of international guest groups does not benefit the resident talent. Because?

I stand by the following words: Obviously, within the festival's curation, there must be at least one very attractive name on each stage for each day of the festival. In other words, at least nine renowned musical projects that will encourage the audience to stay until late into the night. And to show, in the final photo, the number of people who attended, since that's how our mayor and his advisors feel everything is justified. Fine, no problem. But what about the rest? Remember, it's a free, public festival., The point here is not to recoup money, but to make it serve a purpose beyond entertainment. Therefore, one can happily take risks, and also not lose sight of the social and artistic value of each guest we invite.

There's no point in bringing back the English punk band with 40 years of history, which has fallen beyond the normal stage of decline for every group.. ...or the metal band with decades under their belt that no longer even plays regular summer shows in their countries. Continuing to play on nostalgia, instead of showing the present and the future, is somewhat pointless. And even more so when we know that the average age of Rock al Parque attendees doesn't exceed twenty-something. To continue, like Grandpa Simpson, babbling «"This group, which has toured the world for half a century, is doing its last tour and they are coming to Bogotá before one of them breaks his hip and we can't see him again."» It's counterproductive. Moreover, the only one who truly benefits from this operation is the shrewd operator who acts as its representative, earning a few dollars by exploiting a fabricated melancholy.

So, rule number one: To bring a fresh, current sound, perhaps looking to the future, that has more to teach and show about what is happening in the world. That benefits both the public and the artists. And I'll give you a compelling example: In 2001, during the brilliant night of Mexican electronic music held in Parque del Renacimiento, A group from the city of Monterrey called Kinky, which nobody knew, performed. Moreover, if I remember correctly, it was this band's first performance outside of Mexico. There was a risk involved; they accepted the possibility that it wouldn't be well-received. Now tell me, is there anything to regret?. The bands and artists participating in Rock al Parque should serve as inspiration, not as a source of nostalgia.

Rule number two: We have the opportunity to position ourselves, as we should always have wanted, as the best meeting point for Latin American music. But it's not simply a matter of inviting, as we did correctly in the past, the most prominent bands on the continental market at the time. That purpose has already been hijacked by private companies. The aim is to make an open call to all the key centers on this side of the world to offer the best of their artistic community and to make real exchanges with these groups. And before any fool starts spouting off that there is nothing in Latin America of the contemporary sound we intend to promote, I invite you to review all the playlists we have made over these years to realize that we are geographically in one of the most exciting musical moments of the moment. 

Exchanges? Yes, because bringing a band from our neighboring countries cannot be a childish act; it must bring dividends. If we bring in such an artist from such a country, there must be reciprocity for the export of our bands. It's that simple. It can't be as a former festival curator once suggested, claiming to have negotiated with Spanish festivals, and when asked how many groups we were going to bring to the Iberian Peninsula, saying that wasn't part of his job.Fantastic idea, buddy!

Implementing these policies would not only help promote our artists year after year in various parts of the world, but it would give the administrative institutions organizing the festival more arguments to grow in their objectives. Commit to working year-round to cultivate local talent with an international perspective It's about creating a true cultural industry and moving beyond the exclusive role of organizing entertainment events for the public. It is about strengthening a sector of the economy that has been quite neglected until now. The role of state policy in relation to music cannot be trivial. A necessary refocusing of the expansion of our capabilities and our needs generates work, stability, commitment, and peace. These warnings cannot be ignored, nor can the values and possibilities of culture and art be undervalued. For this, we can look at very valuable examples from Chile, Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina., where are the institutions from which we can learn and grow.

I'll finish, just for fun, by putting together a playlist of some of the international guests I'd love to see at the festival one of these days (sooner rather than later). These are artists and groups who have never performed at this event before. Their sound is current, they're relevant, and especially promising, and I'm sure their networks are more than willing to do business to promote our talent abroad. This is just a sample; obviously, there are many more.