In January 2020, while participating in a radio show, the American bassist and vocalist Duff McKagan would have revealed unexpected and monumental news for thousands of people in Guatemala: that year, for the first time, would perform with his band Guns N’ Roses in the country.
While the local media announced the arrival of the performers of “Sweet Child O’ Mine”, a growing wave of expectations reconfirmed that Guatemala was once again positioned on the map of international shows.
However, the emotion faded after the increase in cases of covid-19 and what could have been one of the most historic rock concerts in the country ended up becoming an illusion after the cancellation of the event.
Three years later, and after the rubble left by the pandemic, the desire of various promoters and agencies to bring in international artists remains valid. After a 2021 and 2022 with bets on big events, 2023 starts off strong and promises more than 20 for the first five months of the year.
During the period comprising From January to May 2023, Guatemala will receive 21 international shows that will detonate from a variety of musical genres.
The alternative rock of Cafe Tacvbathe pop bathed in romance of ha*ashthe stories of the bachatero Romeo Santos and the fiery urban party of rauw alejandro will be heard in venues in Guatemala City as Majadas Forum, Cayalá Esplanade, Tikal Futura, Industry Parkamong other spaces.
Some of the musical projects that will arrive in the country come from latitudes such as Mexico, Italy, Spain, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, the United States, the Netherlands.
This wave of foreign artists reveals a reactivation and increase in public shows after three years of pandemic.
The Mexican duo Ha*Ash will perform in the country on February 11. (Free Press Photo: Keneth Cruz)
To get an idea of this increase, it is worth mentioning that by January 2021 only the concerts of Il Divo and Alejandro Sanz. However, by April 2022 the presentations that would give Alejandro Sanz, Marco Antonio Solís, Christian Nodal, Bad Bunny, Mijares-Lucero, Reik, in addition to the more than 50 artists from the Empire Music Fest (EMF) festival.
The about 21 events that are already confirmed for 2023 in the country they suppose a reconfiguration in public spectacles and their socioeconomic dynamics. At least that’s how he can see it Rodolfo Madridevent agency manager Two worldswhich operates since 2018.
“We came from being stagnant and now we see an expansion of the industry. I believe that 2023 will be a year to study and establish the rules of the game in this boom that arises after pandemic”, says Madrid, whose agency has managed to expand its events in Guatemala, El Salvador and Costa Rica.
Prior to the pandemic Dos Mundos used to perform more intimate concerts given the alternative cut of the foreign artists they have brought (among them, the Colombian Esteman or the Mexican Vanesa Zamora).
Kevin Kaarl’s concert in the country, organized by the Dos Mundos agency, managed to bring together more than a thousand people in the Parque de la Industria in 2022. (Free Press Photo: Dos Mundos Agency)
“The audience has been more attentive to the shows after the pandemic. An effect of this occurred when we announced the concert of the Daniel project, Me Estás Matando, in 2022. Was a sold out immediate”, says Rodolfo Madrid, who emphasizes that, each concert is a bet on new experiences both for the public and for the promoting agencies.
“We are excited and somewhat anxious for this first show. Despite the fact that everything has been reactivated and mass events are more accepted, we have the challenge of presenting something different with this concert in a safe space.”, says Beatriz de María, spokesperson for center stage.
As Beatriz points out, the new agencyof shows of which he is a part along with five other people, has the challenge of vary the artistic proposals in front of the national public: “We will not base ourselves on a specific genre. We look for artists to be of quality and who have marked different eras of music in their countries”.
This premise has led Center Stage Productions to take into account in their presentations Guatemalan artists who provide a narrative sense to the opening of the shows. From that account, the Café Tacvba show, will be inaugurated by the band House of Kello next February 2 at Forum Majadas.
At the time this note was published, one month after it was put into circulation, Tickets for the Café Tacvba concert have been sold by more than 50%. The omens for a year marked by music in Guatemala begin to resonate.
These are the 21 international concerts that have been confirmed in Guatemala in the coming months:
February
Cafe Tacvba – February 2 at Forum Majadas
Luis Angel El Flaco February 4 at Fraijanes Municipal Stadium
Rels B – Skinny Flakk – February 4 at Forum Majadas
Feid – February 4 at Explanada 5 (Old Army Stadium)
Maria Conchita and Daniela Romo – February 11 at Forum Majadas
Caló and The Sacados – February 9 at Futeca Cayalá
Ha*Ash – February 11 at Futeca Cayalá
Eden Munoz – February 18 at Explanada Cayalá
Sound Depression – February 18 at Parque de la Industria
Il Volo – February 22 at the Miguel Ángel Asturias Cultural Center
Brusses – February 25 at Parque de la Industria
March
Caifans – March 3 at Forum Majadas
Elsa and Elmar – March 4 at Parque de la Industria
Melendy – March 18th
Cumbia Total – Sonora Dynamite – March 4 at Tikal Futura
50 caliber – March 17 at the San José Pinula Fair
Moenia – March 17 at The Bedford
April
Romeo Santos – April 14 at Explanada 5 (Old Army Stadium)
Camilo – April 27
Empire Music Festival – April 28, 29 and 30
May
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