Funneling the clouds, the ‘weather guru’ reigns over Rock in Rio USA

Image

L.E. Baskow

An attendee zip lines past the Main Stage on Day 2 of Rock in Rio USA on Saturday, May 9, 2015.

Published Fri, May 15, 2015 (10 p.m.)

Updated Sat, May 16, 2015 (4:49 p.m.)

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Omar Santos, the "weather guru" of Rock in Rio, has worked with the festival since 2001.

Around these grounds there has been talk of a “voodoo weather guy” or “weather guru” on the premises. This mystical man has protected Rock in Rio USA from any debilitating wind, rain or even hail the size of canned hams (#Letterman).

He is here, indeed. He is wearing a black shirt and jacket and black slacks. He is lurking around MGM Resorts Festival Grounds, sometimes peering skyward at images no one else sees.

He is Omar Santos, and he has kept us high and dry. Well, dry, at least.

Santos has served as a hired guru for Rock in Rio since 2001, when the festival in its home city was staged fearfully under the threat of heavy rain. As the story goes, festival officials had read a story about Santos’ organization, the Chief Cobra Coral Foundation, and summoned him to deflect the elements.

How does he do it? In short, Santos professes to possess powers that enable him to shift potential storm patterns by mystically reading high winds and humidity. Through an interpreter, Santos says he is “connected to spirits.”

This international man of mystery has been hired by 17 countries to read and redirect weather. He communicates to the heavens. He talks to the clouds. But he does not speak English.

“This cannot be taught,” an interpreter says, as he speaks in high-velocity Portuguese. “It is a gift.” There have been hints of rain during the first three nights of Rock in Rio USA in Las Vegas and even a few drops last Saturday. But no precipitation of consequence has yet fallen.

“I have redirected these clouds,” the interpreter says, paring down a particularly long sentence to something that would fit on a coffee mug. Or an umbrella.

During that 2001 Rock in Rio festival, rains that were rolling toward the event seemed to stop just short and pelt nearby neighborhoods, but the fans and musicians (and equipment) were left dry. Three years later, at the first edition of the festival in Portugal, Santos remembers redirecting the clouds toward a drought-ravaged region in Spain.

“All droughts,” the interpreter says, “are connected, the ones in California to the ones in Spain.”

When it is suggested that Santos should stay in the United States and help redirect our weather patters to alleviate our own climate crisis, Santos says he has no plans to stay in Las Vegas. But his iPhone is protected by a new Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas phone case.

Too bad he has to leave us when Rock in Rio USA bugs out. As one Las Vegas dignitary earlier suggested, “We should double his salary to stay here.” But Mr. Santos does not do this for the money, but for the gratification, and his continuing global conversation.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at Twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow “Kats With the Dish” at Twitter.com/KatsWiththeDish.

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