Goodbye to the concert boom? Cancellations and changes of location endanger the future

About 15 years ago people began to talk about the ‘boom’ of concerts in Lima. Whether because of the quality, whether because of the fame of those who arrived or their volume, the little word stuck like chewing gum: Roger Waters (2007 and 2018), Soda Stereo (2007), REM (2008), Metallica (2010 and 2014) , Guns N’ Roses (2010, 2016), Beyoncé (2010), Paul McCartney (2011 and 2014), the Rolling Stones (2016), Katy Perry (2018) and more landed at the Jorge Chávez.

Does the dream collapse?

When the pandemic arrived, all the shows announced for 2020 were postponed until the most serious time of infections, hospitalizations and deaths had passed. Then the keyword became something else: reactivation. Only in 2022 did Guns N’ Roses, Kiss (in their farewell show) and even Bad Bunny return, this time at the National Stadium, a venue that also received Harry Styles, another one left behind by the pandemic, and Coldplay, perhaps the best musical show in the history of Peru.

As always, in the last quarter the announcements of the following year’s concerts began, but at the same time something happened that would serve as a prophecy for 2023. 14,000 people were allowed to enter the first of Juan Luis Guerra’s two concerts in November. when the capacity limit was 9,000, so the Municipality of Surco closed the Arena Perú.

The year began and the Arena Perú was left empty, not suitable for shows according to Santiago de Surco, whose mayor Jorge Bruce went out to the media with his katana drawn: “There will be no more concerts like those that have been held in the past, we will not allow concerts in venues that are not soundproofed because that is a nuisance for all the neighbors.“, said. There were cancellations and changes of venues, but not only in Surco, and not only due to inspection. You could say that it has been the “perfect storm” in the sea of ​​artists.

Unlike other years, we cannot remember a time when so many concerts and festivals in Lima, where most international shows arrive, were canceled or changed venues so many times. “There has never been a year like this”Fahed Mitre, director of the All Access company that in recent months brought in Avril Lavigne, Alejandro Sanz and 5 Seconds of Summer, said by phone. The Municipality of Ate did not grant permission to this last show at the last minute.

Miter assures that it is a “political position“of the mayors who seek”ingratiate yourself with your neighbors”, which, he highlights, harms everyone. In the logic of the businessman, Surco has been imitated by Ate (“three hours before the event decided to deny authorization“) and Lima, which last Saturday did not allow the Rock in the Park event to take place. Miter, without going into details, talks about corruption and acknowledges having once been extorted in the context of organizing concerts.

A ‘boom’ without ‘venues’

Bogotá has its Movistar Arena (13,000 spectators), Santiago also (16,000 spectators) and not to mention Buenos Aires. Lima is in need in that regard: a special place is needed for shows with acoustics, closed so that the noise does not bother the neighbor. What is missing to finally have a great arena or concert venue in Peru?

“Demand makes supply. Buenos Aires (Argentina), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and even Santiago (Chile) have been presenting for years and have had an influx of people who go to concerts much more than in Peru“, Alberto Menacho from Artes Perú told us a few months ago, who brings The Weeknd this 2023. “Let this continue for a couple more years, when people already have the habit of going to a concert, then a real need is created. [por una arena]”.

Unlike other years, we cannot remember a time when so many concerts and festivals in Lima, where most international shows arrive, were canceled or changed venues so many times.

“We don’t have an arena, we work in stadiums and many of the stadiums are for soccer, so the dates are complicated.”said Miter for his part. “The National Stadium is a very unpredictable situation, you have to be very lucky to get a date. What is missing here is finding the place to place an arena. (…) An investment of more than 25, 30 million dollars is required. And now we do not have entrepreneurs who are willing to make an investment of this magnitude.”he added. It is worth noting that Kandavu told this newspaper weeks ago that they are studying the possibility of investing in the construction of an arena.

Canceled concerts

Local changes and uncertainty

The emblematic case of the venue changes is Fito Paez, originally announced for Arena 1 in San Miguel, but which moved to National Stadium due to “high demand”, with an increase in the box office due to the capacity of the new venue. This show returned to Arena 1 after the aforementioned IPD announcement. Hombres G was luckier, moving from Arena 1 to Nacional and staying there.

The inspection in Santiago de Surco led to four concerts changing venues. In Arena Perú they would play Paramore (it went to San Marcos Stadium), Joaquín Sabina (moved to the Military Circle of Peru) and Alejandro Fernández (moved to the Lima-Chorrillos Cultural Club); while in Plaza Arena Ha*Ash would play (he also went to the Lima-Chorrillos Cultural Club). There are also the unexplained changes, like that of Calvin Harris, announced for the National Stadium and which ended up taking place at the San Marcos Stadium just five days before the show. One can only speculate as to why.

The San Marcos Stadium is the most recent venue that is in danger, since the Municipality of Lima closed it for 60 days due to complaints from neighbors and the students of the school themselves. National University of San Marcos. Manowar, who was due to play there on September 14, moved to Arena 1; Rawr Alejandro, from October 28, went to the National Stadium; and Aguamarina will remain in the same place, but on a different date: November 25. Curiously, it is the same date and venue for the Vivo x el Rock festival, organized by Kandavu and which has not yet said anything about this crossover.

Finally, the mystery of the year: The Weeknd, scheduled for October 22 at the San Marcos Stadium. We are seeking to speak with the organizing company, Live Nation, but at the moment they will not declare. Instead, they issued a statement on social networks where they claim to be “decisively supporting the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos to raise the minor observations that motivated the temporary closure of its stadium.”

There are still several concerts scheduled for 2023, but recent developments leave fans doubting whether they will happen or whether they will be canceled when they are in line. Even the company that brings in Roger Waters had to issue a statement to calm the anxious ones. The year is not over yet, but this show of doubts, last-minute changes and anticlimactic endings is more disconcerting than melodious.