If you talk about Colombian rock, you talk about velvetythe Ddynamic duo formed by Andrea Echeverri and Hector Buitrago. In the 90s, rock in Spanish was enchanting the youngest, its rude sound and its ballads with loving lyrics were captivating, but these people from Bogotá were interested in making music with a new identity“we wanted to make bogotano rock”.
In the midst of that search for sounds, “The Golden”the most important album in the history of the group and one of the fundamental pillars of national rock that has some of the songs that were marked in the minds of Colombians through generations.
This year that album turns 28 and to celebrate, velvety prepare a live presentation touring the 16 songs that make up his creation. The appointment will take place at the Sport’s palace next April 22 and will have Carlos Vives and Ruben Albarrán, vocalist of Café Tacvba; with whom they say they have a “brotherly” relationship for having started their musical projects at the same time.
in dialogue with Infobae Colombia, Héctor and Andrea revealed details of what is expected for this live show, some anecdotes, reflections and lessons learned from their 30-year career.
Hector Buitrago highlights that they still cannot believe that 30 years have passed since they began their journey as velvetybut especially thanks for the “transcendence” that his songs have had, “being able to go back and forth, remembering those songs feels good.”
Songs like “The Case”, “Candela” either “Batteries!” are part of his second studio album, but without a doubt “Rock flower” and “false bolero” They became those national rock classics that cannot be missed. For andrea echeverri these songs “became something other than what they originally were. Little Rocker Flower became a female empowerment song, when it was a love song that Hector he wrote to a girlfriend.
Preparing for the live performance of The Golden in celebration of 30 years of career, velvety he has had to rehearse not only the songs that have been playing up to his most recent concert, but also those that have not been presented for more than 10 years.
“We had nine songs that we hadn’t played in about 27 years; the other seven at least 10 years ago. So yes, it has been a difficult process, but nice to resume those songs that really are so beautiful; sometimes the singles certainly have their charm, but there are a few hidden pearls”. Andrea highlighted that his favorite of these would be among landless serf either batteries!composed by Héctor, while he really likes dreams of 95written by her.
“In the 90s there was Latin rock and it consisted of fusing rhythms like rock and more modern things with that folkloric root… Caifanes made his version of the black tomasa and thus many other proposals in other countries sought to establish their identity. I don’t think there was a need to take Colombian rhythms abroad, because one did not compose thinking of reaching other countries. What we said since we started is that we wanted to sound like bogotanos; nor in English or look like someone, we research and build something unique”.
Many things have changed in 30 years of existence of velvety; however, when resuming the songs of The Golden, inspired not only by the famous legend of the gold treasure that the conquerors searched for years, but also by the country’s problems at the time. They sadly acknowledge that by remembering songs like landless serfwhich speaks of land dispossession, or batteries!inspired by social cleansing, the country hasn’t changed that much.
“The saddest thing is that not much has changed, I think we are still in similar crises, in a super unequal society… we live in a country that is still very convulsed by violence and inequality,” he said. echeverriwhile Hector he believes that it is precisely that taking up the songs has moved them so much. Buitrago highlighted landless serf “It tells a very tough story and, unfortunately, very relevant.”
velvety They do not yet know which moment of their live show could be the most emotional, since they point out that it will be different for each attendee, but they do point out that “there will be a nostalgic aura, of union, of feeling united by a memory, a moment” . They added that this concert is going to be recorded, so they will publish eldorado live on their platforms and concluded by revealing that “We’re going on tour with ‘El Dorado’”.
