By José Gandue @Gandour Photos by Julián Gutierrez
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And, playing at meteorologists in the midst of the worst moment of global warming, They told us it was better to celebrate Rock al Parque at the end of June, because we were sure to get a tan from all the sun that would cover Simón Bolívar Park. Of course, why not? But still, Google told us early in the morning that the chances of rain in Bogotá were fourteen percent. And we fools who trusted cyber-corporations believed them and went to concerts as if we were in the desert. Anyway, falling into the cliché of the TV news, we had a day drenched, very, very drenched. And if you take refuge in the festival's press tent, amidst the congestion, overcrowding, darkness, and neglect of the hall, you hear all the stories about what's going on with the Rock al Parque organization, its connection to the local scene, and the details of this or that contract. Some conspiracy theories that get lost in the fantasies of yesterday and today, and concrete accusations that definitely need to be investigated. Certain uninformed people find out too late that The Great Silence cancelled their presentation and, as a last-minute solution, have decided to take advantage of the presence of Ruben Albarran, Cosme Albarrán, the singer from Cafe Tacvba, was there to present what they called a "No DJ set." Some faces showed distrust, while others said, "Maybe he'll come up with something crazy and interesting; after all, he's the man of a thousand names, the one with the wild outfits, the original Cosme." I don't know, I must confess that ever since 1999, when Cafe Tacvba and Molotov prevented Ultrágeno from performing at Rock al Parque, I've held a grudge against those bands, and especially against Mr. Albarrán., But, forgive me, it's my problem, exclusively mine.
Before the rain I saw I hate Botero. Half the people love them, the other half despise them. I stand at the Plaza stage to watch them, because I haven't seen them in a long time and some of their songs amuse me. Instrumentally, it's a band with details worthy of admiration. The thing about them is that Odio a Botero tries to be a funny band, and that's why the sonic power of their guitarist isn't clearly noticeable. Jaime Angarita is a daring artist with his effects, his performance, and his attempt to redefine the word punk by labeling his musical style. It's hard to notice when what stands out is René's angry/humorous/sarcastic rhetoric, which is what most of his fans expect to hear. Sometimes I think many fans of this band would prefer to hear a stand-up comedy routine from the band's frontman, perhaps leaving the instrumental part playing in the background as ambient music, as if nothing were amiss. I'd like to hear a side project from Angarita someday, one where laughter isn't the main focus. In short, the result of the presentation of I Hate Botero was decent but also predictable. Funny formulas often tend to run out if they don't renew their repertoire, and something similar is happening here.
After the rain, tired of hearing all the speculation from the press circle, we went to the Bio stage (formerly called Lago, a change that is part of the organization's stubbornness and has confused festival regulars). We got ready to see The Dirty Candle, and we find ourselves The Double A, ...beginning her presentation. Here begins my confession of the day: I suffer from a terrible and unjustifiable prejudice against a large part of the rock bands in Medellín. Be warned, some of the bands from that city thrive on the overuse of pop-punk formulas and their anthems to the national team and any current hero (they sound like the Medellín version of Los Oportunistas del Conurbano, that fantastic sketch by Peter Capusotto), and they're so insistent that they infect the rest of their group. Watching La Doble A was an exercise in necessary humility and silence on my part. Throughout his entire concert I thought, "Shut up, listen, learn, celebrate.".
The Double A takes its political discourse seriously, words that are very contrary to what we normally hear from Antioquia, a predominantly Uribe-supporting territory, anti-peace processes, where they celebrate with uproar phrases like "come on, I'll punch you in the face, faggot" and "we're going to defend ourselves with lead.". Serious, firm in their words, and without resorting to the cloying sentimentality of false propagandists, and especially by creating well-rounded songs, they won over the audience. A performance that skillfully combined entertainment with strong arguments., where there was time to jump, laugh, shed tears and celebrate being there, in that moment, With a group that told us their truth and maturely embraced their role on stage with all due responsibility. An unforgettable show.
Next, a little while of The Dirty Candle. Not much, because frankly, the rain is exhausting, and (for the first time in my life as director of Zonagirante.com, I'm going to say this) I'm not up for much running around the festival anymore. I need to pace myself and see a bit of each show. Anyway, regarding the Uruguayan acts, I should note the obvious: They are a machine for making good music and their orchestral format is brilliant. All their songs have the perfect development to thrill their audience, and after seeing them, I hope they return soon to take their rightful place among the fans of this city.
A little later, some of this, a little more of that. Believe it or not, I saw Pedrina for a while. I keep saying it: I didn't like the process of including this Bogota artist in the festival lineup; the whole thing always smelled fishy to me, and I'll keep saying it. The organization never had the decency to clarify the matter, and that makes it even more suspicious. But hey, he sang there and it must be said that he has a couple of songs that are enjoyable.
Is today the last day of the festival? The mission is to enjoy what's there, almost without going through the Plaza Stage. I'm more than sure that the press area will be full of toads and vampires who have never been to the festival and who will think they own the place. There will be too many lizards going to Rock al Parque for the first time with undue arrogance., to say that Juanes He's the greatest rock talent in this country, singing his ballads and his mediocre carranga songs. Unfortunately, due to these circumstances, I won't be able to see Fito Páez, because the pit will be packed with these kinds of beasts who will prevent the press from working smoothly. I hope the Mayor doesn't show up there with his whole entourage, pretending to befriend the festival he's tried so many times to shut down. That would be chaos.
Likewise, I go to the Park thinking about something clear and having, as I said a few days ago, imitating my beloved Diego, the imperfect God Maradona: No matter what the fools and the politicians say, music is not tainted and my intention is to fall in love with Christina Rosenvinge, sing the classics of Pornomotor and wait for Babasónicos sing The hot ones, So that people can make out tonight, nobody will even notice.
