Every Friday during the summer, Redwood City celebrates the Music On the Square festival in the city's main square. This July 8 it was the turn of SF PeopleThe event, which was held at the esplanade of the San Mateo County Museum of History, brought out the cumbia rhythm to those who gathered there.
With a fusion of reggae, salsa, hip-hop, reggaeton and, of course, cumbia, the Bay Area group immediately set the atmosphere on fire. Even though the temperature reached 27 degrees Celsius -or maybe because of it- the passion with which they performed their music inspired people to dance without fear of ridicule.
Not only Latinos or those of Hispanic origin, but many of those who identify themselves as white -because in the United States everything has to do with race- danced to the cumbia and salsa of La Gente SF as if the music could make them forget that since July 1st in California the price of gasoline is more than six dollars per gallon, which has caused an increase in the prices of all products.
Fridays at Music On The Square are a party: groups of friends, couples and entire families -including pets- arrived at 3:00 pm with their chairs, tables, coolers and tablecloths to set up their picnic and enjoy the concert with all kinds of food: from guacamole and tacos to pizza, and of course, a good selection of cheeses, seeds and fruits.
Although glass bottles are prohibited, alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine are allowed. And although local vendors offer wine in plastic cups, many managed to sneak in a good Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, because, of course, it would be sacrilege not to accompany the good music with some of the delicious wines produced in California.
At 8 p.m. the concert ended. Although almost all the restaurants and stores near the plaza were already closed, nobody seemed to care; the cumbia of La Gente SF had achieved the miracle: to make them dance as if nothing else mattered in the world.
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