By José Gandue @Gandour Photo by Rodrigo Morales Ortiz @megapulse
And then someone came up with the idea for a huge event featuring only Colombian rock bands. That's right: The Día de Rock Colombia festival will hold its first edition on August 12 at the Autopista Norte Events Center., in Bogotá, and will feature 31 bands; La Pestilencia, Nepentes, 1280 Almas, IRA, Ataque en Contra, Superlitio, Don Tetto, The Mills, 3 de Corazón, Telebit, Consulado Popular, Velo de Oza, Revolver Plateado, Seis Peatones, Rocka, Nawal, Lo Ke diga el dedo, Estados Alterados, The Hall effect, Código Rojo, Doctor Krapula, V For Volume, Árbol de Ojos, Ship, The black cat bone, Pirañas, K-93, Koyi K Utho and Los de Adentro. It will be a competition that will have 2 stages and aims to attract more than seven thousand people.
Let's talk about the positive first: Finally, a private company is doing an activity of this kind. where he acknowledges the possibility that rock music in this country is capable of attracting large crowds who pay a significant amount for admission. Furthermore, we must acknowledge that Radioacktiva, the most listened-to station in the genre, is finally taking the lead on a project of this kind (they've hosted Christmas celebrations and similar concerts in their history, but never on this scale or with these ambitions). It was about time, wasn't it? If the promotion is effective, attendance will surely be massive (and that's what we hope).
Now then, because we're picky, we won't let any details go unnoticed. First: This feels like the Boys' Club. Do the math: There are 31 groups, and if our numbers are correct There are only 3 women among all the musicians hired. (Maybe one or two more, if last-minute guests are added.) Is Colombian rock really that misogynistic these days? Seriously? And this reflects a problem: How do we define the word Rock at this moment, especially from the perspective of the media? What message are we sending to the public about this? Do we want them to think that the musical genre can only thrive with an excess of testosterone? Could this be one of the reasons why the rock audience isn't growing in Colombia these days?
On the other hand, believing evidently that there are a significant number of attractive bands within the lineup, You might feel that there isn't much risk in the selection. And while they made the effort to book 31 bands, there isn't much contemporary sound in their lineup. We're happy to see Revólver Plateado, Seis Peatones, and Consulado Popular, and we recognize the importance of having classics like 1280 Almas and Estados Alterados on the bill, but without resorting to direct attacks, some of the other bands have a musty, outdated feel and remind us of the overexposure of other eras. A couple of changes, aiming to showcase what's happening in this scene today, wouldn't have gone amiss.
Likewise: It's a first edition and their intentions are welcome. Rock Colombia Day is a reality and it must thrive. We will be monitoring its development.
