Pribek

There was a big, open-air concert in Havana yesterday featuring Colombian singer Juanes…

Out of the gate, the NY Times focused on some who felt that attendance was a show of support for the Cuban Government…

Hundreds of thousands of Cubans attended an open-air “peace concert” in Havana on Sunday headlined by the Colombian rock star Juanes, an event criticized by some Cuban-Americans who said the performers were lending support to the island’s Communist government simply by showing up….

…The excitement did not extend to some across the Straits of Florida, where Juanes had endured death threats, CD-smashing protests and boycotts since announcing his plan for the concert in Havana.

The police in Key Biscayne, Fla., said they were monitoring the homes of both the singer and his manager.

Meanwhile, Cuban blogger, Yoani Sánchez said this…

Tomorrow will dawn as every Monday. The convertible peso will continue its ascent, Adolfo and his colleagues will have another day behind bars in the Canaleta prison, my son will hear at school that socialism is the only option for the country and at the airports we will continue to ask permission to leave the Island. The Juanes concert will not have significantly changed our lives, but nor did I go to the Plaza with this illusion. It would be unfair to demand of the young Colombian singer that he propel those changes that we ourselves have not managed to make, despite wanting them so much.

I was at the esplanade to check out how different the same space can be when it accommodates crowds organized from above, versus when it shelters a group of people dancing, singing and interacting without the involvement of politics. It was a rare experience to be there, without shouting slogans and without having to applaud mechanically when the tone of the speech marked that it was the time to cheer. Clearly some elements resembled those who march each May first, especially the proportion of plainclothes police in the audience.

This is a genuine case of a government trying to silence a rock and roller. Gorki Aguila has a band, Porno Para Ricardo, in Cuba.

From the Miami Herald.

Aguila was picked up Monday during a rehearsal for an album tentatively called Geriatric Central Committee, an apparent jab at the aging members of Cuba’s communist party leadership.

He is charged with ‘”pre-crime social dangerousness,” a law the Cuban government uses against people it considers a threat to the revolution.

First off, when does a revolution cease to be a revolution? Pushing 50 guys, the revolution is getting a little long in the tooth.

‘”Pre-crime social dangerousness”, ain’t that a bitch? Doesn’t matter that you haven’t committed a crime, you’re getting ready to.

“In our view, he has committed no crime,” human-rights activist Elizardo Sánchez said from Havana. “The government is furious, because he composed about 12 to 15 songs which they consider disrespectful or irreverent. They ridicule both Fidel Castro and his brother.”

Sánchez said he listened to two of the tunes and they are “quite strong.”

We got it easy. I wonder about this; the artists that we have that do some protest music, how would these people act if what they wrote in a song really put their asses on the line? If they were going to face real deal jail time because they were expressing what they “felt”, would they go on singing about it or would they fold?

A couple of years back, I met this songwriter and he’s a semi-known guy so, I’m not going to name him. Anyway, he told me this story about how he made some anti-administration remarks in a newspaper interview overseas. I guess it was pretty inflammatory stuff because he was contacted by a Secret Service guy when he got back to the States. He said the guy was polite and even offered up his home phone number, “give me call if you’re ever in Washington” kind of thing. But, it totally wigged this songwriter out. Which, you can understand. But, if it was a no questions, we’re hauling you in for what you think, no more gigs for you situation, I’m guessing this guy keeps quiet.

I found this at the Porno Para Ricardo site.

Maybe one of you who knows Spanish can interpret.