Quick and Dirty Supersónico Review...

...plus some social commentary...

Yesterday I went to the Supersonico music festival from 4-10:30. For those of you who don't know, this is the fest that Latin American Alternative music lovers have been waiting for. Kind of like a one-day long Latin Coachella. 

Here are my general thoughts on the show and its main acts: 
1. I have talented friends (I got to dance to Canyonazo for a bit - always good)
2. Bomba Estéreo is always good. Li Saumet is still a firecracker. 
3. Ana Tijoux is lovely, always lovely. It's been awesome to see her do so well as the years pass. She is so much better live than in the studio, it is almost unbelievable hearing the words flow from her mouth. She is, undoubtedly, the best female MC in the world. And definitely in my top 10, regardless of sex/gender. 
4. Calle 13 is dope. Doper than I thought; it was my first time seeing them. They are 3 siblings plus a full, incredible band. Major shout outs to their female member, Ileana Cabra J. PG-13 who I think brings a lot to the group. I do think, however, that Calle 13 is better in the studio than live. 
5. Café Tacuva is legendary, and amazing to see live. I feel like I can stop going to all live music shows now that I've seen them (and Bajofondo, Aterciopelados, Jarabe de Palo, etc.) and danced to all my favorites. When they played Las Flores my body just filled up with the wildest energy I didn't even know was in there after 5+ hours of standing at the concert. I told myself if they opened with el Baile y el Salon that I would leave after that first song. Well, they did open with that song, and of course I couldn't leave after that! Ha ha. The lead singer Rubén Isaac Albarrán Ortega totally has my heart. I know my sweetheart doesn't mind. 

To have so many good acts under one roof was extraordinary. However, there are certain things that would have made the show better. It seemed that there weren't enough food options (I wasn't hungry, fortunately, but the lines were crazy long), especially for an event that didn't allow outside food. Not cool. 

I was thinking about how crazy big shows/fests like this get and I was letting myself wander with the thoughts of how an event like this would be in the structurally and socially highly-advanced countries of Scandinavia. For example, instead of people just crowding around the front, pushing each other and trying to get to the front at the very end of the show when the big names come up, there would be a system of sections based on heights. Shorter people naturally would naturally have space in the front, whereas taller people would have spaces in the back. I don't think that Scandinavian countries actually do this; I don't think they even have enough height diversity for such a system, heh heh. But this kind of system would eliminate some of the pushing and unfortunate social interactions that end up happening, especially towards the front of the audience. It was/is always kind of ironic that performers like Calle 13 and Ana Tijoux preach issues of social justice and taking care of one another (which the majority of people voraciously cheer at when mentioned in between songs), while concert etiquette/repsect for others is totally thrown out the window in the heat of the freaking-out-fan moments. Un poco absurdo, no? Would be kind of cool if the event producers, or the artists themselves, called this out and established more accountability on this. 

Anyways, I was in the first three rows during all the major acts, but then half way thru Café Tacuva I decided to move back so I could dance. Totally the best choice I made all night, especially (as I said) when Las Flores came on. So in love with that moment!

Thanks Supersonico!