While many artists connected with their fans during quarantine with virtual concerts, Cultura Profetica sat back and waited for things to “go back to normal.”
“We could have done several concerts online and we held on for a bit with the expectation and hope that this would not stay that way for long,” vocalist Willie Rodriguez previously told Billboard.
Now, as people adapt to the new normal, so does the Puerto Rican reggae band, already performing two in-person shows since their last one right as the pandemic struck on March 15, 2020.
On Saturday, Cultura performed at Miami’s Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, offering fans a socially distant outdoor experience where groups of 10 enjoyed the show in their very own “pods.”
Helmed by Swarm (a local production team), Sophisticated Minds and No Limes Entertainment, around 5,000 concertgoers attended the show, half of the venue’s attendance capacity.
“We complied with a full COVID plan approved by the city of Miami and implemented sanitizing locations, 6-foot distance signage, and of course the pod platforms,” Ricardo Arjona, head of Sophisticated Minds, tells Billboard. “We also had fire marshals on-site, a full medical team, and a COVID Area with an additional team for emergency purposes.”
Likewise, all of the production team and musicians followed the rules and protocols, such as washing hands, wearing face masks, temperature checks, social distancing, and a mandatory negative COVID test.
The concert lasted a bit over two hours, where the Latin Grammy-winning band performed notable songs such as “Herida Mortal,” “Caracoles,” “Saca, Prende y Sorprende,” “La Complicidad,” “Love and Happiness” and “Ilegal,” to name a few. Guest artists included opening act Simon Grossman, emerging artist Delić and reggaeton star De La Ghetto.
“The feelings were pure euphoria, and a magical celebration of artistic freedom, a dream-like experience!” guitarist and bass guitarist Omar Silva tells Billboard, adding that the Miami show “definitely met our expectations, especially concerning the audience’s receptiveness for a live music experience.”
Silva — who says the band had “none and so many doubts at the same time” about going back onstage during the pandemic — assures that the band is “working hard to fulfill our fans’ expectations.”
Up next, Cultura Profetica, celebrating their 25-year career in 2021, will visit fans in Texas, Atlanta, New York and Puerto Rico.
