There are something like 60,000 Colombians in London and the audience seemed 50 per cent Colombians and 50 per cent others. Yesterday Ramon Chao discussed his extraordinary book The Train Of Fire And Ice about his trip across Colombia with Manu Negra (reviewed here) and the outspoken columnist and writer Carolina Sanin gave a talk, while today there have been children's workshops and film-makers in conversation.
One of the things that the Festival has helped establish is that Colombia, and Bogota specifically, has become a centre for thrilling new music. Last year the Festival brought over Bomba Estereo, who describe themselves this way: " Como grupo queremos dar un mensaje que oscile entre esa realidad que se vive en Colombia, un país de fiesta y guerra", which more or less translates into: "As a music band we want to convey a message that oscillates between the reality lived in Colombia, that of a nation of partying and war at the same time." Here they perform Corinto named after both a conflict-torn place in Colombia which is also I'm told i slang for the cocaine that comes from the area:
This year the Festival has brought over La Mojarra Electrica, whose jazzy, funky music mixed with more traditional Colombian rhythms had a packed Riverside Theatre audience dancing in the aisles last night:
One of the greatest other new Colombian bands is in town shortly also, called Chocquibtown, whose more laid-back Pacific hip-hop can be seen below:
Meanwhile, one of the strongest acts in Bogota is Sidestepper, a duo consisting of ex-pat Englishman Richard Blair and producer Ivan Benavides.
This should be enough to convince you that Colombia has some of the most fertile pop imaginations in the world operating at the moment. La Mojarra Electica are on again at 8 p m tonight.
Colombiage info here.