Linda Gómez is at the second day of the Festival Estéreo Picnic, the attendees braved mud, rain, anxiety and despair, as they waited for the band that for many perhaps had been their motivation for buying the ticket: The Strokes.
The novelty in the cold afternoon at Festival Estéreo Picnic, was provided by a torrential downpour that turned the park on Calle 222 with Autopista Norte into a quagmire that seemed more a battlefield in which only the most rugged survived.
However, the most prepared fans were well equipped with rubber boots and waterproof coats, and everyone had the energy to get through the second day of the festival that had several must-see artists.
The early evening was warmed by the soft music of bogotanos CocóNonó, who opened the event accompanied by a beautiful sunset. Later the place began to liven up with the DJ from the Crew Peligrosos; Rat Race. At the same time Los Mackenzy played over on one of the other the three stages.
Árbol de Ojos took to the main stage after, to the delight of the many long haired, black clad rock fans who had gathered for day two of the festival. Catfish and the Bottlemen were up next, completing the picture.
But there is nothing like the flavour of the Colombian Pacific, imparted by national group Zalama Crew, to get more than a couple of the crowd members moving their feet.
Then came Vance Joy with his folk indie band that gathered hundreds of spectators who packed into the tent like flies to see them, and they sang, danced, shouted, as one would expect at a concert. But as always, bad things happen. Everything was going well until we decided to stay and see the next artist when suddenly one of my colleagues was stripped of their most precious working tool – their phone.
So that was the disappointment of the night, and unfortunately, we knew we weren’t the only ones. Several people were victims of theft on the night – somewhat ‘common’ at events with large crowds according to the authorities. So if you are going today, or to some other event in the future, take special care with your valuables – thieves also like to party!
To get rid of the bitter taste we went to see Flume, and despite what happened, I have to say that it was simply incredible. With 3D visuals that made the mind vibrate, the Australian played songs like ‘Never Be Like You’ and the public succumbed to the ecstasy. An unforgettable experience!
Julian Casablanca and his band The Strokes kept the energy on the same wavelength. Everyone wanted to be in that space, it was packed with people, people screaming anxiously to see them start, until they appeared from the darkness and from then on everybody was jumping and shouting. Many friends – perhaps fulfilling a dream by seeing this band – were hugging. Or maybe they were just drunk – one of the most common variables yesterday.
To finish two big names clashed. Caribou with an eclectic assembly that helped to calm the festival, and Claptone who instead raised up still more beats until the small hours of the morning. It was and definitely will be a day to remember…