2003, September 30th

A big crowd of people danced and sang under the sun and in the riverfront

Country music will also be a San Pedro "trademark"

by Gustavo Laurino
Translation: Betina Jimenez

(ver en español)

(Fotos: La Opinión Semanario)

The rain on Saturday provided more effort, emotion and commitment to the festival that we started organizing several months ago. On Sunday, thousands of people spent the day on the Way of the Cross Arena and vibrated during an event that gathered more than 150 entertainers from Argentina, Brazil and Chile, becoming the protagonists of the first country music, rockabilly and swing event in the country.

A couple of months ago, when the organization of the festival started, a gazette was distributed around the country that said that San Pedro would have, besides oranges, peaches and roses, after the last weekend in September another attraction: a special, unique and unprecedented artistic event.

San Pedro Country Music Festival was born in the heart, soul and mind of a couple of people that have not stopped working since the beginning of the year to make it happen, but this festival would not have been possible without the contribution of the bands and singers that understood the proposition. And of course, it would have not also been possible without the support and commitment, respected at all costs, of companies, private individuals and stores but mainly by the Town Hall.

The last weekend in San Pedro neighbors were waken up by "the visit" of men in hats and boots, but also by many ordinary and simple people that came to San Pedro from many remote places of the country looking forward to this event with great anxiety. The San Pedro Country Music Festival flavored a plain Saturday and Sunday that do not have any important mark in the touristic calendar. Therefore, hotels, camping places, restaurants, bars and many stores in general received a benefit, and others a reward for contributing and making this event possible.

Beyond the music that is fun, contagious and happy; beyond the language that can never be more important than the emotions transmitted by music and most of all beyond the rain that threatened to ruin the efforts made by so many people, the festival took place and it left a mark: that is the most important thing.

From anguish to excitement

Very early on Saturday morning, the weather made us presume a serious complication due to the rain and storms announced. Nevertheless everything was ready to start and so we did. At 2 pm. sharp, Major Mario Barbieri welcomed that participating bands and singers and promised his support to another festival. Next, the Bufalo Billys and their impeccable neo-swing show opened the festival with a lot of energy and overwhelming sound.

The rain demanded from the musicians and especially from the equipment more than they could resist but the show was over and it was greatly enjoyed by more than 500 people that resisted the storm with resignation, a storm that was becoming worse.

Different possibilities to guarantee the shows in spite of weather conditions were discussed between the organizers and the bands before and after starting the festival. The possibility of using Independence gym was the best alternative but moving everything there meant taking a risk and "despising" a sunny Sunday, thus, having to stay in the same place due to operative reasons. Therefore, Country2.com proposed to schedule a program that would extend from 10 am. on Sunday and to decide that day early in the morning what the best choice would be. We were going to move everything to Independence gym if the day was cloudy and rainy. If the weather was good and sunny as it was announced in the weather forecast, the festival was going to take place in the Arena. The weather conditions were good and they provided glory to the festival for an unforgettable Sunday.

No rush but no breaks

The show lasted 13 continued hours since 10 am. sharp until 11 pm.

Henry Hugo (Buenos Aires) was the first one to appear on stage and after him, Cuero Crudo (Chile), Germán Escalante Band (Buenos Aires), Presumidos (Bahía Blanca), Radio Texas (Buenos Aires), Bufalos Sedientos (Córdoba), John Comins Band (Mar del Plata), Pure Country Band (San Pablo, Brazil), Old Richard (Buenos Aires), Pasto Loco (Buenos Aires), The South (Buenos Aires), Yuli Ruth y Las Ruedas del Sur (Buenos Aires), Foggy Mountain Chupacabras (Buenos Aires), La Rocakabillera (Monte Grande), Rock & Rule Swing Band (Rosario), Botas Tejanas (Rosario), Max (Buenos Aires), Metrópolis Country Music (Totoras, Rosario), Crossroads (Buenos Aires) and Wanted (Buenos Aires).

Several band members on stage closed the festival by sharing a song brought by Cuero Crudo guys from Chile (I Saw the Light). From now on, this song will become the "anthem of the festival".

A show that will take place again

The harmony existing between the band members, the respect among them and the organizers, people's admiration and support and the stage chosen for the first festival and a "movement" existing in Argentina after what took place in San Pedro, will not only be present during another festival in September 2004, but they will also contribute to other similar shows that will take place soon and in different cities in the country.

It was for San Pedro natives an unforgettable party that many people cannot stop being thankful for. For the organization that many enjoyed from the information provided in our web page, it was the materialization of a dream that, not even told by that one who had it, reached the dimension of what happened this Sunday.

Footnotes

Saturday night, after dinner offered in Sub-Prefecture, many bands went to The Radio station to offer an advance of their shows. Germán Escalante, Old Richard, Pasto Loco, Foggy Mountain Chupacabras, Cuero Crudo and at the end all the bands together played at the radio, including singers from Quilmes Oeste, a band that could not enroll for the festival.
There were people of all ages at the festival, families that came to spend the day, people that arrived in the morning, left for lunch and came back again. Many "specific" tourists that came from places from where people do not usually travel to San Pedro (for example: Mendoza, Córdoba or Rosario).

The participating bands, artisans and local publicists that supported the event sold different merchandising items at the booths installed at the entrance to the arena. Many of these items will continue to be sold in our web site.