DAY 5 - LA SONORA PONCENA, AT THE FIESTAS PATRONALES
DE GUAYAMA
Just when we were convinced Puerto Rico couldn't get any better,
Wednesday came and with it "Las Fiestas Patronales" (the patron
Saint
festival) in Guayama. As the opening performance for the festival,
which started on Wednesday and will end on Sunday, was La Sonora Poncena,
in its full splendor, playing outdoors at the central plaza in Guayama.
La Sonora Poncena at a park!!! free of charge to all; the good town of
Guayama chose La Sonora Poncena to begin this year's celebration of
their Saint Patron, San Antonio de Padua.
Right at 9 pm fireworks marked the beginning of the festival.
Immediately following, La Sonora Poncena, with three generations of
Luccas on stage (Quique Lucca, Papo Lucca, and Luciano Lucca), asked for
a moment of silence in respect of Tito Gomez' passing. And then,
the performance began. Luciano Lucca participated by singing a
reggaeton piece into one of La Sonora Poncena's songs. Fifty years
of history in front of our eyes!
Guayama is in the south east side of Puerto Rico. It is known as
"la ciudad de los brujos" (the city of witches) because its people have
historically believed in witchcraft and to this day have an annual
festival called "Festival Brujo". From this city came important
figures in the world of Salsa, such as Rafael Cortijo, Ismael Rivera,
and Tito Curet Alonso. The people of Guayama are aware and proud
of such heritage.
The funniest thing so far happened to me in Guayama. The bar we
went to had two toilets in the girls' bathroom, which actually get used
at once! So... madre mia.... I now have the first toilet buddy of
my life!! hey, when in Rome do as the Romans do... that's the way
it is!
The "Fiestas Patronales" are held in the central plaza. The Plaza
is lined up with food, drink, and goods sellers. People bring
along their lounge chairs to enjoy the performances, there are two
groups per night minimum, free of charge, of all varied music genres.
These fiestas are held in every town around Puerto Rico, once each year,
in celebration of the Patron Saint of each town. Young and old all
enjoy the festivities together. People watch the performance,
talk, eat, very few dance, teenagers walk around looking at other
teenagers - it is truly an awesome party. I got myself some shoes
for $10!
After La Sonora Poncena, Los Sabrosos del Merengue got on stage.
We stayed for a while and then left to the city of Guaynabo to check out
the club called El Criollo, which is the spot for Salsa on Wednesday.
We arrived at 1 am and we had been told the place closed at 3 am.
Unfortunately, we were kicked out at 1.30 am: "talk to the manager... if
the place is dead... we close". Aaahhhhh! so there IS a good side
to paying cover charge! because I suppose, if I pay at the door,
they'd have had to stay open 'til they said they were gonna! Oh
well, at least we saw the joint. Who really cares! I just saw La Sonora
Poncena!!!
on our way to Guayama.... L.A. traffic?!?
The Church of Guayama
'Procession' carrying the figure of San Antonio de Padua around town right after the mass
A bar in Guayama
toilet buddies!
LA SONORA PONCENA
with Quique Lucca
with Luciano Lucca
with Manolo Rodriguez - timbal
with Papo Lucca
with Willito Lopez - conga
line dancing to merengue in the park
Los Sabrosos del Merengue
El Criollo
LA SONORA PONCEÑA
-'ACHERO CON PALO' - PAPO LUCCA AND QUIQUE LUCCA
LA SONORA PONCEÑA PLAYING A
DANZON - AND A VIEW OF GUAYAMA
LA SONORA PONCENA - 'TIMBALERO' - MANOLO RODRIGUEZ
