By José Gandue @Gandour Photo by Julián Gutierrez
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The first day of Rock al Parque has passed and, to be honest, it was a predictable day., with very few surprises, We could almost say that overall it was rather boring. It's curious how the curation of the festival's most metal day focuses on being obvious in its choices, opting for antiquated, archaic, and stagnant acts, and how, despite so many contemporary surprises in the most corrosive sounds on the planet, the most conservative approach is favored., with as much rebellion in its content as a yogurt past its expiration date. It seems the organizers' idea is not to disrupt the long-standing traditions of the most reactionary sector of the local rock scene and to offer them legends in obvious decline, specialists in freezing any possible genre renewal. Of course, there are exceptions., But on the day of metal at Rock al Parque, what seems to prevail is the cobweb that no one dares to tear off the walls, And I'm sure the new waves of fans want to stir things up to hear something more in line with the times.
That said, we won't deny that there were some very enjoyable moments, especially on the third stage, where Hardcore and Groove metal were mainly heard. To highlight the surprising notoriety of Mexicans Black Cowboy, with clear words against corruption and plenty of fun on stage. Also noteworthy is the role of Shout, a band from Medellín, which, celebrating its 20th anniversary, still has its freshness on full display and still knows how to connect with the nerves of its fans.
But amidst the day's dullness, one woman stood out, from Kitee, Finland, who, at forty-two years old, makes thousands of spectators jump and feel excited with her voice, her strength and her confidence. Tarja Soile Susanna Turunen Cabuli shines at a festival where there is little female presence on stage. This woman owns the stage, knows her craft, and is fully aware of her potential. Yes, it's obvious she's stunningly beautiful, that everyone thinks of her in ways that go beyond her music, and that the Finnish singer knows how to use all of that to her advantage. But what's remarkable is that she's not there simply to leave men speechless. but to empower the girls who watch it. It is a framework of inspiration in a space where we still do not understand how, for example, at a time when there are so many interesting female musical proposals in Bogotá, only one band with a woman at the front was chosen out of twenty selected in the call. Tanja is an example of the contradiction inherent in the organization of the festival, where the values of current times and the need to equalize the presence of women from the capital's artistic environment are not understood. We want inspiration to come from outside; we still don't trust local talent, and that doesn't speak well of the current political climate surrounding Rock al Parque.
Tarja makes metal with pop presentation arguments. Its presentation is active, entertaining, generates joy among fans and leaves a good taste in the mouth. I know that more than one radical believes his art lacks the necessary rudeness, or that his work doesn't contain the irreverence they demand. So be it, those who seem to go out into temples with whips to persecute their detractors. Perhaps they're bothered that I used the term "fun" to describe what I saw yesterday, something few of the aging guests who graced the Park on the festival's first day managed to achieve in their shows. Tarja, surely unintentionally, brought many lessons that we must consider if we want this event to thrive in the future.
