The queen of punk always puts on an elegant show. She is 65 years old, but she entered the stage to the rhythm of Mozart’s ‘Requiem’, with the firmness and delicacy that the monarchy displays. She was wearing a black miniskirt, mesh stockings and a black mask that highlighted her black eyeliner. Behind her were Pilar Román, with the guitar; Iván Santana, on drums, and Iñaki Rodríguez on guitar. Ana landed in front of her keyboard, looked towards the audience and kicked the air. Punk is a way of life, and Ana Curra is one of the women who keeps it alive.
She never aspired to fame, she says she is free because she doesn’t care if they don’t remember her, and she pays her debts by being a piano teacher, so her music is not her livelihood but her love. That freedom is what is reflected in her show: costume changes, sensual dances, high kicks and dancing at ground level were some characteristics of her presentation; For Curra there are no limits.
The concert began with one of the best-known songs from Permanent Paralysis: ‘The Act’. In the audience, a woman shouts: “we are addicted to lust, long live bodily decay! Let’s go Ana!” And so, in seconds, what was a quiet royal waltz became punk: a tumult of jumping, screaming and pogo.
Ana moved her hands up in waves as she clung to the microphone, which she handled as if it were an extension of her: she moved it from side to side, laid it down, hugged it, and pushed it without letting it fall to the ground. When she wasn’t dancing with him she was dancing with her keyboard, moving back and forth while she played it, sometimes she would stop looking at him to smile at her band or dance a little with Iñaki.
Ana Curra, the queen of punk in Spanish, visited Bogotá
Photo:Loren Buitrago
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He continued with ‘Addicted to Lust’ and ‘Born to Dominate’ from Permanent Paralysis’. He paused to honor all the world’s punk and rock legends, including David Bowie. The Spanish singer paid tribute to him with an arrangement of ‘Heroes’. Then there was a technical mishap that the artist took advantage of to talk to the audience: “How are you, Bogotá? If you want, we can take the opportunity to resolve your doubts”, the public’s response was specific but clear: “wrapped in rum! in this gray afternoon!”. Ana replied: “I can give you this afternoon,” she says.
‘Volviendo a las andadas’ is one of his best-known and appreciated albums by the Bogotá public; It is a mix of punk, post punk and progressive rock that conquered the local scenes of several Spanish-speaking countries in 1987. It contains great hits such as ‘In this gray afternoon’, ‘Wrapped in rum’ and ‘Pájaros de mal omen’. However, it is not common for the singer to perform those songs. At the 2022 Rock al Parque Festival, many were left wanting to hear them, but right there the promise of “we will return” gave hope to music lovers and fans.
Please, a minute of silence for your dead
That’s why, when the first chords of ‘On this gray afternoon’ sounded, the audience went crazy. “Mamasota! “I love you Ana!” were cries that were combined with the first verses: “I can’t believe it, no, no. Looking at you I remember that day when the phone rang: Morocco, Lisbon or Paris perhaps.” And although to people outside of punk the Boro Room stage could seem like chaos, the floor and the stage were a reflection of the disorder and harmony of punk culture.
Before continuing, he toasted with a plastic glass full of rum: to Iñaki, to Pilar and to Iván, to the public and to all their dead. Thus she began an atheist mass, a valid oxymoron for anyone who knows her.
Punk and Ana Curra fans singing in the middle of the concert.
Photo:Loren Buitrago
Attendees at the Ana Curra concert
Photo:Loren Buitrago
Ana grew up in a believing family, attended a nun’s school and, since then, demonstrated her rebellion. In 2023, in the center of Chapinero, the chords of an organ joined with the guitar, the bass and the drums and gave way to Curra, who spanked herself, pampered her legs and lowered herself to the ground, moving her hips in circles to the rhythm of: ‘I want to be a saint’, ‘I have a passenger’ and ‘Witch’s Apprentice’.
Her presentation was an outpouring of female sexual liberation; She sang ‘Wrapped in Rum’ and ‘Birds of Bad Omen’ while she spread her legs, moving her hips and waist. She approached the audience: some of her asked for autographs, others shouted that they loved her and others stared at her and followed in her footsteps. Everyone was jumping, some fists and kicks were flying, and even several glasses of rum raised in the air let out streams of alcohol everywhere.
Ana does not believe in God, but she does believe in punk and freedom; As a gift, she offered the attendees a ritual, a catharsis, a space for liberation. She said goodbye with ‘I want to be your dog’, ‘United’ and ‘A day in Texas’. Before leaving the stage she expressed: “we will return, rest assured. I love you.”
Concert song list
Ana sang songs from Paralisis Permanente and from her solo albums
Photo:Loren Buitrago
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- 1. Requiem – Wolfwang Amadeus Mozart
- 2. The act – Permanent Paralysis
- 3. Born to dominate – Permanent Paralysis
- 4. Heroes – David Bowie remake
- 5. On this gray afternoon
- 6. That strange smile – Permanent Paralysis
- 7. I want to be a saint – Permanent Paralysis
- 8. I have a passenger – Permanent Paralysis
- 9. Witch’s Apprentice
- 10. Aphrodite the monarch
- 11. Ghost Rider – ‘Suicide’ remake
- 12. Wrapped in Rum
- 13. Birds of ill omen
- 14. Blood – Permanent Paralysis
- 15. I want to be your dog
- 16. United – Permanent Paralysis
- 17. Visiting Bach
- 18. Self-sufficiency – Permanent Paralysis
- 19. A day in Texas – Permanent Paralysis
The guide that Ana and her band had for the presentation
Photo:Loren Buitrago
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LOREN SOFÍA BUITRAGO BAUTISTA
EL TIEMPO SCHOOL OF MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM
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2024-04-06 23:05:51
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