Nobody believed that Stereo Picnic It was going to be ten years old someday. As a music lover, I can't help but be grateful. First, for having a second venue to enjoy large-scale concerts. Second, because Páramo has proven to be a company willing to listen to critical voices, without trying to silence them, and instead evaluating what they can do to address the observations. Third, I am grateful because I know that at some point it was very difficult to get the festival off the ground, and although it is still stressful and complicated, thanks to the effort that has been made, no one can deny that it is a part of the city's heritage. That work is truly appreciated.
For their tenth anniversary, they decided to move to a larger location, responding to popular demand. Their previous space had become too small, and they were able to overcome that challenge. Of course, the journey between stages is now longer, which forces us to sacrifice some concerts for the sake of muscle health (we're getting old, girl), But the sound doesn't cross. Ideally, corridors could be made for people with disabilities, but I imagine everything will be sorted out little by little.
Below, a series of lists about music, which should always be the most important thing, and some unpopular opinions, which should never be missing.
The discoveries:
The best thing about every festival is the chance to discover new bands. It's always a wonderful occasion, but in concert, bands have to demonstrate exceptional skill, and that's why I believe the things you discover at a festival stay with you forever. These were mine.
The Kitsch: They're wild. From the first song to the last, they kept their energy intact. They have a sound that no one else in this country is making, a mix of punk, surf, and garage, with a format that will work for them on big stages as well as in venues of varying sizes. I want everything they've ever recorded, because their performance was really great. They made a friend dance in a leopard-print swimsuit. The allusion to pulp fiction and (admittedly) kitschy porn from the '60s and '70s is understandable, but if they hadn't included it, it wouldn't have made much difference. I'd advise them, instead, to put together a more polished outfit than just bras and Flea-style nudity in underwear. It might be the same thing, but with more intention. But what do I know? There's a reason they say advice is so bad—we give it away for free.
The Yumbeñas: Someone dared to call them a "pink punk" band. I find that a sexist label rather inadequate for the sound of these girls (and their drummer), who drove everyone wild on stage. Watching them, you can't imagine the music they're going to make, and that only makes their performance more rewarding. The friends' choreography helped, because it was the perfect combination of joking around and taking it seriously. A lot of power in the sound, a very simple and straightforward composition. In short, punk. The good kind.
Khruangbin: One of the most pleasant discoveries for most attendees, this Texan group perfectly combines virtuosity on the instruments with the Groove. Their stage presence is simple, which is very easy to do when it's as beautiful as the three of them, especially the guitarist and bassist. They played funk riffs, infused with classic rock, and a cabaret-like sound that's going to get them rolling around this country. A brilliant curatorial choice.
Irie KingzOf course I'd heard them before. It's just that I didn't know who they were, or where they came from. In a moment of temporary amnesia (knock on wood), which I attribute simply to the senility brought on by tiredness combined with whiskey, I mistook them for the Hungarian group Irie Maffia, but of course that's just because I was completely out of it. Then, when they started tearing up the stage with that very special groove, The combination of dub, dancehall and roots that they create, which is combined and enhanced with the San Andrés rhythm, the influences of Mode Up and urban music, completes the equation. They're amazing. Now that I've been properly introduced to them, I'm officially a fan of their work.
The best:
St. Vincent: Believe, Without a doubt, it was the best show of the festival. Not only because she's a powerful and musically talented woman who meticulously plans every second of her show—from the guitar she uses to her little dance moves, the position of her knee, the beautiful videos she uses, and so on—but also because you can dance and think to her rhythm at the same time. Perhaps the best thing was the widespread feeling among the "experts" that Colombia wasn't ready to see something as sophisticated as St. Vincent. Of course it was. Everyone was perplexed, of course, but completely surrendered to the force of this woman who, while she may not become the queen of pop, will always be the leader of the resistance.
Portugal, The ManI never imagined they'd be like this live. They're good, I already knew that, and they play great music, compose excellent songs, everything. But the force they displayed on stage was unprecedented. At least for me. It was worth running from the door to see them on Saturday.
AlcolirykozThey just keep getting better. It's insane what they do with the flow, how they moderate the rhythm, how they interweave and layer their voices. It's amazing how simple yet powerful the orchestration is. We Bogotanos love them, and that was evident in the packed venue when they performed, closing out Friday afternoon. It wasn't an easy schedule, but they pulled it off with great elegance. Come back more and more, we'll be waiting for you here.
UndergroundThey weren't given the best time slot, I think because they were unsure if there would be enough people in Bogotá to remember them and dance to their music, or if there would be enough people from Medellín to come and support them. They delivered, and the audience did too. A lot of people came to see them at 4:30pm on Sunday and it was a good show. They sound great, so great, in fact, that I'm worried about the future of Parlantes (just kidding, I'm teasing). Let's see if they release anything new, or if it was just a nice reunion. Anyway, thanks a lot.
Seun Kuti & Egypt 80It's a shame they played them so late, a shame they let them play so deafeningly loud, because many of us were forced out of the AXE tent. Seun Kuti is a worthy successor to his father. They sound like a whirlwind, with that Afrobeat cadence that never goes out of style. It's a display of power like few others, but it's not just that. Seun Kuti has taken it upon himself to update and keep the sound he inherited relevant. If you haven't heard him yet, now's the time.
The Spirits: This was already known. They came to Circulart, they came to Rock al Parque. If you weren't warned, I hope you still saw them. This group is the true new Argentine sound, A combination of psychedelic and surf heritage with the sound of Argentine percussion, carnival and murga rhythms—a great blend of global and local elements. And rock, above all rock, which is so sorely needed.
The must-sees
The festival had four headliners. Here are my impressions of their performances, which, oddly enough, I don't think were the highlights of FEPX. This is, above all, my collection of unpopular opinions.
Kendrick Lamar: We all know KL is a machine. One of the most interesting musicians of the last ten years, the most relevant rapper today, and, to top it all off, a Pulitzer Prize winner. However, and this is my unpopular opinion, rappers never make good closing acts. He did everything right, starting with rapping at 2,600 meters altitude. The visuals were good, the sound was good, the music was good. The problem lies in the nature of rap, which is verbal music where the vocal tone, in the name of cadence, acquires a fluid yet repetitive quality. Rap is excellent when accompanied by an orchestration that not only sets the rhythm but also adds melody (like a trumpet and drums in Alcolírykoz's case) or a genuinely danceable element. Kendrick Lamar is, objectively, one of the best acts to have come to Bogotá, and objectively, he can be thoroughly enjoyed, but I didn't have that much fun during his performance. Of course, I wouldn't have placed him anywhere other than headlining a main stage, so my unpopular opinion isn't a criticism or something I think needs fixing; it's simply how things are and won't change, because I do want to see the best rappers in the world on the festival stage (Anderson Paak, Jay-Z, even that jerk Kanye).
Niche: In the history of Estéreo Picnic there have been several emotional moments, but I doubt there has been one quite like Niche's performance. At first, we all knew it was a risky move, because it seemed out of place, but the people's affection for this emblem of Colombian music (not just from Cali) completely outweighed that feeling of strangeness. From the first song to the last, everyone was absolutely transported, crazy for Niche's salsa. Even many of us, who aren't fans of romantic salsa, of which Niche became a major exponent starting in the late eighties, were happily singing along. The big problem is that the sound was atrocious. Not bad, not just okay, atrocious. It sounds like overacting, and nobody else is talking about it, at least not that I've read, but it's unacceptable that the number everyone was waiting for sounded like that. Sure, most people don't care about that, they just enjoy themselves, but that's no excuse. Nor is it an excuse that the blame surely lies with the band's sound engineer and not the festival crew, because someone should have stepped up at a moment like that. The best sound on any stage is always found around the sound booth, and from there to the back of the audience it should sound the same, because they know the size of the stage they're facing. With Niche, everything sounded muffled, except for the congas (thank goodness, because otherwise, how would we have danced?). The muffled horn section, the muffled clarinet solo (right when they threw in a snippet of a Lucho Bermúdez song, no less), sometimes the vocals would fade away, sometimes even the bass, which by its very nature covers the greatest distance, would get lost in the songs. I don't think it's justified. Obviously, it's over now, and this complaint is surely not only too late, but will also be drowned out by the general euphoria. Let it serve as a lesson for the future, because it's not a reason to explode, but an adventure is more beautiful when it sounds good.
UnderworldI don't think I can be objective. I'd been waiting years to see them live, and it sounded exactly like it sounds in my head: the density of the electronic sound of the nineties/two-thousands and that feeling of freedom that comes with live vocals, plus the dancing, plus the live, direct sound of the machine—so superior to DJs (so different, above all. What DJs do is worthwhile too, don't get too attached). I felt nostalgic, remembering when I was able to set my own course without having to choose the music, when everything that happened was a surprise. Like rediscovering the night all over again, at nineteen. Some media outlets said I hadn't lived up to expectations. I wouldn't be able to say such a thing. Maybe they were expecting a band, who knows. Sure, it wasn't as powerful as a Prodigy performance would have been, but it was certainly as powerful as an Underworld performance, and that's saying something.
Arctic MonkeysLet's start with the unpopular opinion. Arctic Monkeys are very out of tune live. This isn't the fault of the organizers, nor the sound engineer. It's just the way it is. They kicked things off with their biggest hit in years (“Do I Wanna KnowAnd they completely messed it up. Of course, the magic of a live performance isn't just in the music, but in the delivery, including the ability many singers and musicians in general have to mess it up with great flair, and perhaps this was the case here, because the crowd, far from listening, was screaming with excitement. Literally screaming. Why do these things happen? It's normal. You always find bands that improve with repetition, which, not counting editing and production, allows them to record great albums and then give concerts that are more about charisma than music. That said, Arctic Monkeys was a very good closing act for the festival, with a beautiful stage design and the crowd giving it their all. Congratulations, and see you next time.
Finally, some concluding notes:
The sound of Niche: Niche was just one specific case. The festival's sound was very good, but I think the lesson should be to be able to get involved in the overall sound, even if it involves a series of decisions made by the band's sound engineer. Added to that was the volume that Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 were reaching on the AXE stage. It's possible that, even without noting it down, the next festival will go perfectly. However, and perhaps that's why I'm reiterating this point, I don't see much criticism being made right now. I don't know why, but we should overcome our fear of pointing out things that aren't working or didn't work. I'm far from being an enemy of the organizers, and that mentality is going to end up killing what little cultural and youth journalism we have in the country.
Excessive plastic: This is an issue that has been handled well in Páramo (formerly T310 and Absent Papa), but it needs to be thought through more carefully. The consumption of plastic during the three days of the festival is enormous, and it would be worthwhile to consider negotiating with the brands to address this issue. Some places are doing it themselves, but others are sticking to the old formulas. Again, this isn't the organization's fault, but I think they've created a strong brand, with significant weight, that could definitely make its presence felt and further enhance their "a different world" motto.
The press pits: Let's take it one step at a time. Things have improved, of course. On a personal note, I must thank you for allowing me to enter the pit this year to do my drawings, of which I'm sharing the best ones here, but we need to come up with a design that allows everyone to get the best angle. I say this because of the photographers, who had a real problem photographing the bands, especially the drummers, on such a high stage. My suggestion, so you can see I'm not just criticizing, is to build two pits: one to the side with a couple of steps, and one at the front. Open the front pit first, then the side pit, so we can have enough angles and camera shots without disturbing the audience.
The business: at the end of The Kitsch presentation, The singer concluded by saying something that for many is a challenge, but which is nonetheless a fair request: "Pay the national bands.". I know there are many bands that do receive payment, however small. I also know that, on any artist's resume, having played at Estéreo Picnic is a mark of prestige, but prestige doesn't buy food, pay bills, much less rehearsal space. Music is a business, and it should be for everyone. I don't know what Páramo and The Kitsch negotiated, nor do I know if they're telling the truth, but I do know there's a widespread complaint about it. It's worth paying attention to, because, if anything, Estéreo Picnic should start to influence the rest of the industry, fulfilling its role in making music in Colombia more prosperous for everyone involved.
Finally, I simply want to thank the organization once again. The effort you make is enormous, and the city owes you a great debt. I hope you'll take all my unpopular opinions in stride and encourage critical thinking in other media outlets across the country, because that's the only way to truly enrich an industry. Keep up the good work; we'll be there. Happy ten years, and may there be many more.
