Brock Fest, Buenos Aires: Not Just Another Brick in the Wall

It is difficult to go to a show where your son is going to play the drums and then be ready to make a review detaching from your feelings as a mom; it is when professionals prove their proficiency. So, I will start by saying to the readers: ” I am sorry”.

Juan Lavenas started rocking when he did not even know he will get to where he is now. His father, Juan Lavenas, an agronomy engineer and his mother, Sara Pedretti, housewife and pastor were not surprised when their son joined his cousin’s band where he dare played the piano and the guitar, during a family holiday. He really enjoyed those jam sessions. He was eleven, then.

As a result, at the age of eighteen he took a course on orchestra director and composer and finally got a degree as professional musician with a stellar performance on guitar.

His influences were Guns ‘ N Roses, Nirvana, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and the Ramones. Juan was so absorbed by the way children expressed themselves, their ways were so natural, tender but powerful; sound came out of their souls in such a mysterious way that Juan moved to the idea of creating an itinerant rock school for children which he named ROCK N’ LEARN.

A Child’s Spirit and strength filled him with such an insurmountable joy that he recruited some friends to join his project. He pioneered the first art and music academy for kids and aimed at the core business going to schools where students stayed after scheduled hours to learn music and meet the art of the intangible.

The results did not wait: immediately he had a positive feedback and he expanded into new schools and private neighborhoods. His inner voice, his dreams and his child’s hopes blessed his path along these fourteen years dedicated to music. He implemented a pair- to- pair system where children select their own songs and he is also aware of each child’s own needs and capacities.

Now I am at the first Latin-American Children Brock Fest which merged due to BRICK BROCK FEST –a world-renowned producers’ extravaganza that is qrowing into a mega event.

Four hundred students on stage, headlined by Juan, hit the audience the moment the first notes were heard. It was a joy to listen to these kids play songs by the Beatles, Michael Jackson, AC-DC and more.

Parents went wild! I loved how they sang altogether the same words it seemed that they have been waiting to recall and let go to be heard out loud. It was so spontaneous yet professional, so family-like an event yet I felt that I was actually at a rock show. For real!

Every detail was well prepared: lights, sound, a screen behind the stage that showed jam sessions, even a drone was flying to record every single step they made.

I had a chance to interview with Juan Levenas between acts:

Q: What you see of yourself when you look at the kids?
A: I feel my love for teaching and my wish of becoming immortal through their music.

Q: Who inspires you at present?
A: My parents, my sisters, Felicitas and Veronica, my grandparents, my buddies and my psychologist. Gandhi and trustful people not politicians.

Q: A favourite song?
A: “While my Guitar Gently Weeps.”

Q: Something you would like to add?
A: The mystery of life is man’s engine to doing things. LET THERE BE ROCK – WE SALUTE YOU!

If this is the first show I will say, without hesitation for a moment that Brock Fest has achieved its goal and it is heading for the future. Moreover Juan Lavenas has his own band “Montecarlo” which has already released three albums (www.montecarlorock.com.ar). The band could buy a new trailer and new instruments. It was a one way ticket to success and to making people happy; it is simple: Juan wanted children to experience the healing effect of music, the sounds that provide energy, the rythm that beats together with your heart.

This story will surely be continued…

Maria Cabeza
©copyright 2015