By José Gandue @Gandour Photo by Oscar Perfer @perferoscar
The first edition of Cosquín Rock in Colombia, More precisely, at the Bellavista Colsubsidio Club, in northern Bogotá. The artistic lineup is top-notch., announcing the presence of Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Residente, Aterciopelados, Attaque 77, No Te Va Gustar, La Mojiganga, La Beriso and Lianna. A spectacular Latin American rock and hip hop event is coming, backed by José Palazzo, founder of the festival and its central organizer in Argentina. We have no doubt that its inaugural edition will be a resounding success and that it will continue for years to come.
Now, here's a clear warning: It's confirmed yet again that the biggest shows in Colombia featuring artists from our continent, the most expensive ones, The private company assumes them. There's no "but" here, and it would be foolish of us to criticize this reality. Rather, this gives us an excuse to discuss something: In light of these facts, What role should the region's largest free public festival, Rock al Parque, play?
Why talk about Rock al Parque this time? Excuse my obsession, but I honestly feel that The public event is slowly but surely losing its luster. Many players in the scene are increasingly less interested in the matter. More than one is practically begging for it., despite still being a competition that attracts more than two hundred thousand people in 3 days, Let it end. The most successful private events, over the same number of days, have never attracted more than a quarter of this figure. But yes, You can feel the tiredness and a little disdain from the organizers. What happened with the now almost unmentionable artist censored a few days ago has been a blow to the morale of the event's defenders. And suddenly, Cosquín Rock Colombia is announced, offering a lineup of very popular artists at an attractive price. Anyone might think this is a near-final blow to Rock al Parque. I think quite the opposite. Let me put it this way: This is not a problem, but rather an opportunity.
Friends of Idartes and the Mayor's Office of Bogotá: Leave this display of glittering stars to those who can afford it. Instead, take the opportunity to revitalize Rock al Parque by repositioning it as the festival of new Latin American sounds, where, alongside local bands, Let's bring together new proposals, the most interesting avant-garde from Mexico to Argentina. Let's acknowledge that Latin America currently boasts one of the most exciting hotbeds of world music, and everything is in the making. We can see this in countless examples, ranging from extreme metal to alternative pop. This is about opening the call, under clear conditions, so that hundreds of bands from across the continent can openly present their proposals and feel that, although the festival belongs to Bogotá, It is once again a vital part of the hemisphere's culture.
It is also a time to foster broader exchanges with public and private institutions across the continent, including authors' societies, government agencies, and other festivals., so that the new generation of Latin musicians can circulate throughout all our countries. If everything is done right, and with the appropriate promotion, significant progress will be made in a short time and at a lower cost than imagined. That's what it means to strengthen local and partner cultural industries, which should be the task of the Rock al Parque organizing body. The rest is just idle chatter.
Let's seize this opportunity, celebrate the premiere of Cosquín Rock Colombia and the good work of private enterprises, and make sure the public sector does what needs to be done: Promote new artistic projects, establish alliances, and restore our trust in an institution like Rock al Parque., which deserves serious re-engineering to avoid dying.