By the Zonagirante.com team @spinning zone Photo by Dora Guerrero
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This edition of Rock al Parque, as we've emphasized in several articles, isn't particularly daring in its choice of international guests. The premise, ever since the Bogotá City Hall realized the festival was celebrating its twentieth edition, was to fill Simón Bolívar Park at all costs. There isn't much room for showcasing new sounds, recent trends, and cutting-edge brands that can be exhibited.With the peace of mind that comes from being a free event, free from the pressure of covering costs through attendees' monetary contributions, Rock al Parque 2019 aims to be the grand farewell show for our current mayor. Therefore, the final image of the event must show people packed to the very edge of the venue. No one is saying the lineup is bad, not at all. But it lacks a balance between the need for a massive audience, which the current administration uses to justify the investment, and the pleasure the festival has given us each year of discovering new acts and innovative sounds. The curatorial team has not had the freedom or the courage to surprise us too much. There are also artists from Latin America and Spain that we are happy to recommend, regardless of how linked they are to the mainstream or the alternative scene. They are musical artists that we like, that fascinate us, and that we hope will get the attendees singing their greatest hits, in support of the joy of the festival spirit.
Let's begin:
The Great SilenceIt's been a long time since we've seen them in Bogotá, and when they came they were at their peak, with their fabulous videos playing on MTV Latino and surprising us with their unique take on vallenato in Monterrey. «"Chuntaro Style"». Their fusion made us dance and jump with rage and pleasure back then. And surely, now that they're back, they'll do everything possible to bring that joy back to their fans. We can assure you that if anyone's going to get the entire audience dancing until they're exhausted, it'll be them.
Performance time: Sunday, June 30, 9:00 pm Bio Stage.
Fito PáezMention the Rosario native and you're immediately met with both admirers and detractors. A man surrounded by both love and hate, we can't deny that his repertoire includes anthems that have resonated with us throughout the years, and that, although we've seen notable ups and downs, he always manages to pull a rabbit out of the hat and surprise us with unforgettable songs. In 2017, we said that one of our favorite albums of the year was The Liberated City, because he achieved impressive tunes that combined a strange hope, which knew how to adopt in its notes the rage and the precise black humor of the moment, And that once again established him as a suitable chronicler for the turbulent times we live in. Anyone can criticize Páez's style, but few can deny that he is a genius.
Performance time: Monday, July 1st, 8:20 pm Plaza Stage.
Christina RosenvingeShe is beautiful, brilliant, daring, intelligent, and her music always has something to teach us. Some simply remember her from those pop days with Alex and Cristina, others from her time with Christina y los Subterráneos, and still others have seen how her career has unfolded, constantly moving closer to cutting-edge approaches., to not fear the rules of the market, to be bold and to seek to leave their own mark instead of following the current. At a time when Rock al Parque has few female artists on its lineup, fans cannot miss the show that this Spanish artist will give us, and which will surely surprise us as it should.
Presentation time: Monday, July 1st, 4:55 pm Bio Stage.
Rita IndianaShe is the rebellious, inspiring Caribbean, the rule-breaker. She, Rita Indiana, is the one who makes you dance but also makes you think, preventing you from falling into the cheap rhetoric of the lazy rumba crowd. This Dominican woman has a strong political discourse that few of her peers have embraced, and she has confronted the racist laws imposed in her country to expel Haitian neighbors. It's no coincidence that in 2011, She was selected by the newspaper El País as one of the 100 most influential Latin personalities. It promises a good end to Sunday's events on the Lago stage.
Performance time: Sunday, June 30, 9:00 pm Lake Stage.
The Dirty CandleGuys, you've finally arrived at Rock al Parque. You were way too late. You are the kind of Uruguayan rock we need to complete the deck of cards that explains why, for decades, The music scene of Montevideo and its surroundings has a well-earned reputation for creating that almost perfect blend of celebration and nostalgia in its tunes. La Vela Puerca demonstrates that, in a simple and direct way, melodies can be created that remain etched in the heart and feel sincere from beginning to end.
Performance time: Sunday, June 30, 7:05 pm Bio Stage.
