Estereo Picnic Music Festival. Get your toosh down there, OK?

I’m not going to be afraid to show my biases in this post about the Estereo Picnic Festival that’s happening here in big, bad Bogota this Friday and Sunday. First of all, I’m biased towards good music, and so I think you better get yourself here to gorge yourself on the smorgasbord of said consumables on display. OK, so maybe that’s not a very controversial bias to admit to. But let me continue.

What I take as the greatest challenge – a challenge which can end in either joy or sheer annoyance – when going to a music festival with two stages, is what choices to make as to what you’ll see. This can either end up in a breathless, jubilant dash between sublimity and sublimity, or utter disappointment. One way to avoid this is to go on Friday instead of Sunday. This is a pretty good option: as not only will you get the guaranteed quality and energy of both The Foals and partymaster Steve Aoki, but such gems as the langurous, nostalgic voice of Zoé’s León Larrugui and those clean-cut indie-istas from Northern Ireland, Two Door Cinema Club. I’ll expose another couple of biases here. I reckon bands that start early in such festivals get a raw deal. And, as I’m also biased towards Colombian music, I think it would be a bit rude of you if you went on Friday, and didn’t get there early to check out the 60s-infused blues rock of Diamante Elécrtico; who will be sure to wake you up with their brazen energy. Another pocket-inspired admission of bias: Friday is significantly cheaper.

Right, so if you’ll still determined to be a greedy-guts and see just how much music you can get your greasy little mitts on, Sunday it is. But, what to do? You’ve got some choices that, at first blush, don’t seem too tough. Cafe Tacvba, the eclectic, ska-bathed geniuses from Mexico is a safe choice over whatever Ondatrópica is, right? You’d think so, wouldn’t you? It just so happens, though, that the latter band is a collection of Latin American superstars who are doing big things with Cumbia, along with every other traditional genre you’re likely to come across in Colombia. And after you’ve experienced the consummate New Order, who will most probably regale you with two of the best songs ever released (bias alert), you should stay at the main stage to wait for highly acclaimed The Killers, no? Do that if you like, as it’s probably going to be hard to get to most of Crystal Castles’ set anyway, but I think I’ll end up doing my darndest to get to as much of C C as I can, being fairly in love with their glitchy charm, and not particularly interested in shouting along to the inane “I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier” (it’s not actually a clever line at all, guys: if one states, “I’ve got soul,” not many people would race to the conclusion that one is in the armed forces). Sure, who doesn’t love Mr Brightside – but I reckon it’s better to gamble on those edgy Canucks.

Two more biased-riddled reccommendations before I leave you. I happen to think Alcolyrikoz, a hip-hop trio of paisas, are kind of the bomb. Headbopping, eclectic beats that dig into the rich heritage of Colombian music melded with two emcees with serious skillz (you can tell I’m serious, as I just spelt “skills” with a “z”). Go to their set. Also, get there early for Mr Bleat. You may just fall in love with the cantankerous, deliciously dissonant vocals of their front-lady – also, as it happens, from Medellin – as I have.

But, sure, go ahead: make your own choices based on your own biases. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you!