The Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires does a pretty good job when it comes to festivals. There is not a month that goes by without a big festival celebrating everything from independent cinema to modern art from dance to maths. This time around it is the second Ciudad Emergente Festival which has ran over the long weekend, ending today.
Held at the Centro Cultural Recoleta it brings together new, emerging bands, fashion designers graphic artists, street dancers and film makers. It has a very urban twist on it, two walls inside the Centro Cultural have been put in the hands of two teams of street artists, the dance is danza calleja (from the streets) and the art/cinema is mainly graphic or associated with music. All in all, however, a great opportunity to take a check on Argentina's apparently blossoming arts scene. What's more, it is completely free.
Macaco Bong(ey)I managed to catch a couple of bands which I'd been meaning to see. First of
Macaco Bong (pronounced Macaco Bongey), an instrumental rock trio from Brazil (ciudad de Buenos Aires emergente?) They played an intense set of at times post-rock, at times instrumental funk, at times pure rock. Three fantastic musicians playing with heart and soul. A
Pagina 12 article (in Spanish) says they list: "Pantera and Dream Theater to Weather Report, Pat Metheny, Mogwai, Charlie Parker, Joe Satriani, Tom Jobim and Michael Jackson" as influences....
Just thought I would add the poster for it's design qualities.Later I saw
Imperio Diablo, who I had heard a lot of, seen a few videos etc. They are, more or less, a troop of Argentine travellers bringing the music of Bolivia and Peru to Argentina. A mix of cumbia, huayno, electronica, hip-hop and lots of dancing and shouting "heei!" The group play traditional instruments (charango, accordion, flute, pan-pipes, violin, rhythm n brass section) and are backed by a couple of laptops producing beats and overtly political samples. Throw in some Amerindian dancers and you have an entertaining spectacle. Though the bands members may have been to Bolivia's famous
Oruro carnaval a few too many times, if it makes you dance, it's alllright!
Diablada from Imperio Diablo
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As I sat in front of the Obelisco this afternoon waiting for a friend it struck me that post-rock is as good a soundtrack to this manic city as any. I don't know if anyone has seen the film Baraka? (We watch it every week in my Geographia Generál class.) Well, it has really epic soundtrack and I recall shots of ant like people crossing huge roads (Tokyo, New York) B.A. today was just like the film: huge swathes of ants criss-crossing the suitably epic Avenida 9 de Julio. I sat and watched accompanied by my first BA Post-Rock discovery, Go Neko!
(Mamushka Dogs are on that shit - download Go Neko! heeere!!)
Go....Neon-ko!Undoubteldly influenced by the likes of Mogwai, GYBE etc (aren't they all?) I have to say it aint too bad! Looking forward to catching them live if possible, Post-Rock, if its good, is always more impressive live. This brings me to another little chip which weighs heavily on BsAs's shoulder. Since the
Cromagnon fire some five years ago, in which 194 people died, the city's live music/part/club night scene has been incredibly stiffled. The sheer costs and red-tape associated with organising an event puts off your average indie-kid or your underground rave organiser. Paying the police, security and endless regulations. (I am not saying that these are not in place for a reason; safety matters, but could a reasonable agreement not be reached?)
A friend was telling me that around 2004 many bands just gave up and an upcoming scene was killed off in a matter of weeks. There was insufficient support from the government and the costs of putting on shows quickly made it impossible for independent promoters to get a foothold without considerable backing.
These conditions are smothering what could and SHOULD be a flourishing scene. Man, this city has 12million people! The diversity must be incredible. It should be a hot-spot of culture, experimentation and freedom. Granted it is a hugely cultural city (theatre, cinema, festivals, events) but I am yet to witness something really fresh and underground (maybe it is just a case of knowing where and when?) It is time for things to change. There are people who want it and who see what is happening in cities like New York or London. Granted this is Latin America and it is not, economically, on the same scale, but BA has potential, so much potential!
*Stands down off soapbox*
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Macaco Bong(ey)
Just thought I would add the poster for it's design qualities.
