Argentina: 'Indio' Solari's wake held in working-class town of Avellaneda

Avellaneda, a town south of Buenos Aires known for its strong working-class and industrial heritage, is hosting the wake for Carlos 'Indio' Solari, a towering figure in Argentine rock history. Thousands of his devoted followers began congregating around the José María Gatica sports center on Saturday night to bid a final farewell to the influential musician.

Solari, 77, the former frontman of the legendary band 'Patricio Rey y sus Redonditos de Ricota,' passed away on Friday following a hemorrhagic stroke. The choice of Avellaneda for his wake holds significant meaning, as the town's identity, shaped by 20th-century industrial development and a history of union activism, resonates deeply with the themes often explored in Solari's lyrics and public statements.

Throughout his career, Solari frequently evoked the struggles and spirit of the working class in his music. His songs often critiqued power dynamics, exclusion, and societal frustrations within Argentina. This connection to popular struggles and the world of labor is a recurring motif in his work, both with Los Redondos and his solo project, 'Los Fundamentalistas del Aire Acondicionado.'

Avellaneda itself was once a major industrial hub, home to numerous factories. While many have since closed or scaled back operations, the town retains a strong sense of its industrial past. The area also holds historical significance, having been the site of the 2002 killings of social activists Maximiliano Kosteki and Darío Santillán during a repressed workers' protest.

Although Solari was born in Paraná and spent much of his life in La Plata, Avellaneda holds a special place in his musical narrative. He held one of his largest solo concerts there in 2014 at the Racing Club stadium, drawing approximately 100,000 fans, a testament to the enduring phenomenon of his convocatoria inherited from his time with Los Redondos. Long queues of fans stretched for blocks around the sports complex on Sunday, with many traveling from across the country.