Aerosmith, guest of honour in Colombia.

During a meeting with children and youngster who were once in gangs and drug trouble, the American rock band Aerosmith received a plate that appoints them as Guest of Honour of Bogota, Colombia's capital city, from the mayor hours before a concert the band performed in this city. In exchange for the plate Aerosmith gave the mayor a baseball cap of the band which he put on inmediately.

Aerosmith arrived in Bogota two days before the concert to, according to its vocal leader Steven Tyler, get to know the city and its young people, so the band members could talk to them. Aditionally, Tyler said that they were pleased to be in Bogota and could not wait for the concert.

In the meeting one of the kids asked Steven Tyler if he was a professional musician, what he answered that one never ends learning that art because everybody can teach something new. The band members encouraged the children to explore the music's wolrd because "every one has his rythm".

I was invited to the meeting since I worked for the Press Office of the City Hall of Bogota. It was a wonderful experience to see and listen in person to those far-off musicians who I have been listening since I was a teenager. I remember I used to have the 'Big Ones' album and listen to it until I learned by heart all its songs. I still have it, it is a tape. Many of my school, neighborhood and college memories are tied to Aerosmith's songs, the same as many Colombian's are, since their music is one of the most accepted in this country, among the rock bands, althoug rock is not very popular down here.

I am writing this a couple hours before the concert, let's see how it will take place.

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