Quilmes... rock?

One of the very many nights I was down at the bar in Ostinatto and talking to Seba, I was informed of a local band playing some funk/rock - friends of Seba. They were playing in a bar in Palermo (Machina, I believe) and Seba was heading there after work. Entonces, not one to throw an op for live funk to the dogs, fui.



The bar was pretty cool. The stage was actually above the bar so in order to get a drink you were standing directly in the dance floor/mosh pit which would have made for some interesting purchases. When we got there the band was already playing, and doing very well. The guitarists had a great duality and were bouncing riffs and solos off each other and the drummer was vibing out to their tunes. These guys are world class underground I think, but their singer is nothing short of crap. Couldn't hit a note, had a shitty MPC that he would play some crap beats on when people were soloing, and pretty much ruined the show. I happened to talk to one of these guys another night and they said that the singer was new and they had been through a few. I reckon they need the smooth baritone of a funky black dude with a gigantic afro and bell bottom jeans. They really reminded me of early Tea Party, which for me is a gigantic fucking compliment.

So anyway I thoroughly enjoyed the night listening to these guys. Then I heard about QUILMES ROCK! Which was a day-long rock festival of local rock bands and some internationals. Of note were Cafe Tacuba and Blur. I didn't know that Cafe Tacuba existed and when they came on the stage I had no idea who they were but they had an excellent energy on stage and it turns out they are really big here.

I ended up going to quilmes rock way too late and missed it when Huevo, Sebas friends band, played at 5am, but I got to see a lot of other bands, almost all of which were fucking terrible. There was three small stages and one main stage where the big names played. With an unbiased view, I think that Huevo needed a set at least after 8pm. The bands playing before the big names were unenthused, unskilled and unentertaining. I watched a band of guys enrobed with neon rimmed sunnies and generic design muscle singlets (sin musculos) half-heartedly play skitty, which is like ska but shitty.

When Cafe Tacuba came on they lit up the park. The music had soul, the instruments sounded good and the singer rocked the set. Listening to their recorded stuff afterwards, I would say that I wouldn't go buying an album but I would definitely go to see them live again if I get the chance.

Then Blur came on.

Now, I don't know any of their songs, I just know the name is big but I am in no form a 'fan'. I lasted about four songs and left the festival in disgust. The lead singer is the unequivocal definition of cunt. He got on stage with a 'fuck the show' attitude, abused the techies, wrecked the equipment and didn't connect with the crowd at all. He said 'gracias' once, in the hardest pommy accent I have heard. It sounded like graw see yaws. I understand bro, poms have a hard time adjusting their accent for spanish, it's been a recurring feature of my foray into the depths of Buenos Aires hostelling. But it's one fucking word and you're on stage in front of thousands of people who want a good show and who listen to and appreciate your music. And even then, the music was generic rock. Generic, shitty rock. It's the kind of music that sneaks into a random youtube playlist and you don't notice it is playing at first but then about a minute in you notice it and go 'what the fuck am I listening to' and change the song.

It's hard to explain my facial expression through the twenty or so minutes I dealt with this discharge of disenchanting decibels. A picture will do a better job.

Something like this

So I scurried away to find a midnight bus that really didn't want to let me on, and tried to shake the whole sordid affair from my memory.

Blur fucking suck man.