Son de Barranca

August 10th 2019

Sala Manuel M. Ponce, Jardín Borda, Cuernavaca

6 pm
Concert/disc presentation
Duration: 1 hr 15 min.
 
I arrive at the venue on the clock. I first step with intention into the Jardín Borda (a park), then into the Hall.
People are still accomodating. House is almost full. There's some expectancy in the air, the audience is vibrant. I
choose a place, at the middle-back of the seats that'll help me listen and see the band without obstacles, and
also take a look at the audience without being to obvious.
After 10 minutes, the presentator gets on stage, and calls up one of the band's patrons. This man gives a small
speech about his experience with the band, and gives some explanation about the kind if music that we will
listen to, which is some mexican traditional music on traditional instruments, though with original
arrangements, and some original songs.
The band is invited to the stage, and get on in a bit of disarray.
 
They begin right away. I immediately notice two things: one, is that the energy is right, they've come to show us
their music and they take over without fuss, with joy. The other, is that they sound really bad, and this is mainly
because of the amplification of the traditional instruments, and probably lack of rehearsal on this conditions.
The main singer and lead player (requintista) looks annoyed at this, but gives in to the performance. The rest of
the band members (two men and two women) look nervous, but joyful.
I listen up, and focus on the band's arrangements, and their energic performance. The rest of the audience
seems to have this intention too (and maybe haven't noticed the unbalanced audio).
Every song or two, the main singer (who is the band's director) halts the performance, and gives a small
explanation on the origins of the song, the band's relationship to it, or a piece of the ensemble's history.
As much as this usually annoys me, I listen to him, trying to keep in check the inner dialog criticising this action.
In the second half of the concert, the repetitive nature of folk music, and the similar arrangements grow
tiresome to me. I become distracted after looking at a person who looks very much like an old friend. I notice
that the audience's energy, though still high, begins to become dispersed: I see more phones pulled out to
record or take a picture.
 
The show ends with an original song, very much in the style of the rest of the concert. Still, it seems to wrap up
the performance very well: the audience listens to the very end, and gives a loud ovation to the band. One of
the members asks us to meet them in the Arts Academy, which is near, to continue the celebration (this kind of
music is usually played in a festive environment called "fandango", which may last until the next day). There are
some timid calls for an encore.
I go outside the Hall, and the Jardín Borda, and let go.