I am seeing her in Philadelphia in April, I return to the USA next week.
I Went To See A Band...
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I may go see her in Seattle on that tour, too. She will be solo, no band.
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After what seems like forever, but is really only something like 7 months, I am back in Buenos Aires. Last night we went to see Tremor with Micaela Chauque at CC Recoleta. It was a wonderful show- early, free, and it started on time. Tremor is a particularly Argentine band- very percussion oriented, with electric guitar and synths, as well as charengo. I have seen them many times, and always find them intelligent and inquisitive, layering influences from many places and times. And though they are urban portenos, they have all always had an interest in argentine folkloric music.
This project is a collaboration with Micaela Chauque, who is an indigenous musician from near Salta. She is pretty much the original Lorax- although not only does she speak for the trees, but also the mountains, the altaplano, and, most importantly, the people who have lived there for thousands of years. She plays a variety of flutes and drums, and has a wonderful, almost operatic voice.
For this show, they also included violinist Alex Musatov, who also has played with a wide variety of bands and musicians.
They created a layered and hypnotic version of andean music, where surf guitar, picked violin, and electronic loops subtly built into a structure for Chauque's voice.
It was pretty magic.
This is a clip of the 5 of them doing a song earlier this summer. They will be playing together again in December at the CCK, also free, if you get tickets in advance.
This project is a collaboration with Micaela Chauque, who is an indigenous musician from near Salta. She is pretty much the original Lorax- although not only does she speak for the trees, but also the mountains, the altaplano, and, most importantly, the people who have lived there for thousands of years. She plays a variety of flutes and drums, and has a wonderful, almost operatic voice.
For this show, they also included violinist Alex Musatov, who also has played with a wide variety of bands and musicians.
They created a layered and hypnotic version of andean music, where surf guitar, picked violin, and electronic loops subtly built into a structure for Chauque's voice.
It was pretty magic.
Ries
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Tuesdays in October- Cuarteto Divergente at Galpon Guevara, which is in Villa Crespo at the corner of Santos Dumont y Guevara.
Cuarteto Divergente is a string quartet, but a very unusual one. All four of them are perfectly capable of playing in many string quartets. They are all excellent musicians.
But this one is kind of tango, and indescribable.
Its quite theatrical- they come out in bright red hooded robes, and perform in front of a projected series of abstracted real images that are mystifying and cosmic- insects and volcanos, fractals and forests- but in its own way, the film is a narrative, a silent film that the quartet provides the narrative for.
This is a project of Alejandro Teran, who has for 40 years or so played, conducted, composed, and arranged many sorts of music. He played with some of the biggest rock stars, he arranged homages to favorite tango singers at the CCK, he has supported dozens of artists both live and on albums, and he is ingenious, mysterious, and visionary.
This series of short pieces ranges from some actual classical music, to a film theme, bits of Cerati and Charly, and a lot of original pieces.
We went on Tuesday, and all I can say is- you should go.
Its unique. Its magical, and you will be transported.
Fernando Samelaya, who has played percussion with pretty much everybody, will be making signiature cocktails for you, and, at a certain point, for the musicians on stage, as an alchemist in residence.
This is why I live in Buenos Aires- because things like this just dont happen anywhere else.
info here- https://www.instagram.com/cuartetodivergente/?hl=es
Here they are a year or so ago, playing a different piece.
Cuarteto Divergente is a string quartet, but a very unusual one. All four of them are perfectly capable of playing in many string quartets. They are all excellent musicians.
But this one is kind of tango, and indescribable.
Its quite theatrical- they come out in bright red hooded robes, and perform in front of a projected series of abstracted real images that are mystifying and cosmic- insects and volcanos, fractals and forests- but in its own way, the film is a narrative, a silent film that the quartet provides the narrative for.
This is a project of Alejandro Teran, who has for 40 years or so played, conducted, composed, and arranged many sorts of music. He played with some of the biggest rock stars, he arranged homages to favorite tango singers at the CCK, he has supported dozens of artists both live and on albums, and he is ingenious, mysterious, and visionary.
This series of short pieces ranges from some actual classical music, to a film theme, bits of Cerati and Charly, and a lot of original pieces.
We went on Tuesday, and all I can say is- you should go.
Its unique. Its magical, and you will be transported.
Fernando Samelaya, who has played percussion with pretty much everybody, will be making signiature cocktails for you, and, at a certain point, for the musicians on stage, as an alchemist in residence.
This is why I live in Buenos Aires- because things like this just dont happen anywhere else.
info here- https://www.instagram.com/cuartetodivergente/?hl=es
Here they are a year or so ago, playing a different piece.
Ries
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This Friday we went again to Centro Cultural Recoleta to see this weeks edition of Raiz, a series of concerts, which this was the last one of.
Today featured El Remolon, Luvi Torres, Brawli, and Agus Ganem, playing psychedlic jungle folktronica.
Washes of synthesizer backed 2 vocalists, drumming on a bombe, and charengo.
It was a little bit cumbia, a bit andean folklorico, a bit 21st century electronica, and you could dance to it.
As a group, they dont seem to have any recordings or videos- I hope they make some.
A few joint ventures-
Luvi Torres with El Remolon:
Luvi Torres with Chancho Via Circuito:
Agus Ganem looping and fingerpicking charengo:
El Remolon with Brawli:
Today featured El Remolon, Luvi Torres, Brawli, and Agus Ganem, playing psychedlic jungle folktronica.
Washes of synthesizer backed 2 vocalists, drumming on a bombe, and charengo.
It was a little bit cumbia, a bit andean folklorico, a bit 21st century electronica, and you could dance to it.
As a group, they dont seem to have any recordings or videos- I hope they make some.
A few joint ventures-
Luvi Torres with El Remolon:
Luvi Torres with Chancho Via Circuito:
Agus Ganem looping and fingerpicking charengo:
El Remolon with Brawli:
Ries
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Tuesdays is La Grande. Although they will be closed in December, maybe sooner, as some of them are going to Japan.
But definitely next week. 4040 Santos Dumont, starts around 8, costs 1500 pesos this month. They have some simple food, usually one veg and one meat dish, and a limited but good bar.
This week was a surprise visit by Juana Molina, who jammed with the band for the whole first set, and then sang backing vocals for the second set. Generally Juana in concert is planned, with a setlist and specific songs. But at La Grande, she kinda dives in the deep end. She was somewhere in the scat singing, Meredith Monk/Barbara Togander/Bjork end of the spectrum, but as always, the band was still rocking. No videos of this, as it was all improv. Even though it wasnt announced in advance that she was playing, a fair amount of people somehow found out, so the club was pretty full, a few hundred people, but not packed.
Its pretty special to see someone who usually plays in venues seating 500 to 2000 people just standing right in front of you, getting funky.
You never know who will be sitting in with the band- there was also an aging rock guitarist, a whole young band, a rapper, an andean flute player, and the human beatbox Milo Moya at various points, onstage with the 9 members of the house band.
But definitely next week. 4040 Santos Dumont, starts around 8, costs 1500 pesos this month. They have some simple food, usually one veg and one meat dish, and a limited but good bar.
This week was a surprise visit by Juana Molina, who jammed with the band for the whole first set, and then sang backing vocals for the second set. Generally Juana in concert is planned, with a setlist and specific songs. But at La Grande, she kinda dives in the deep end. She was somewhere in the scat singing, Meredith Monk/Barbara Togander/Bjork end of the spectrum, but as always, the band was still rocking. No videos of this, as it was all improv. Even though it wasnt announced in advance that she was playing, a fair amount of people somehow found out, so the club was pretty full, a few hundred people, but not packed.
Its pretty special to see someone who usually plays in venues seating 500 to 2000 people just standing right in front of you, getting funky.
You never know who will be sitting in with the band- there was also an aging rock guitarist, a whole young band, a rapper, an andean flute player, and the human beatbox Milo Moya at various points, onstage with the 9 members of the house band.
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Monday we went to Chela, in Parque Patricio, which is a gigantic old factory that is now an arts space. It has exhibitions, artist residencies, and performance spaces.
We went to see Opera Periferica do a show called Barroco Transplatino, which was kind of Martin Fierro meets Trans Queer Post Punk Gaucho Opera.
On one side, was a string quartet, augmented by classical guitar and an electric piano.
On the other, Augustin Genoud, who peforms heavily electronically treated vocals and synthesizer, which he says ranges from Baroque to Beatbox.
In the middle, a cast of extremely non gender specific individuals performed a piece that referred to 18th century spanish/gaucho literature, but thrown in the blender with decades of over the top queer performance and dance. It ranged from mapmaking, to oratory about tierra and sangre, to a little sex, to more oratory, to jewish prayers, with a lot of time out for vogueing and dancing. It was abrasive, and beautiful, and cosmic, and historic, and contemplative, and improvisatory, changing quickly and often.
It was pretty great, and not like anything I have ever seen before.
I think they only did two performances of it, that night, as part of the Festival Nuevo Opera 2022, which is currently going on in spaces around the city, and features a very wide range of interpretations of what opera is.
The cast looked like this, before clothes started coming off- https://www.instagram.com/p/CjQ-wSUOdu9/
This is a song by Genoud, not one that is in this performance, but one that gives you an idea of the crazy things he does with his voice. Meredith Monk would approve. As would Genesis P. Orridge.
We went to see Opera Periferica do a show called Barroco Transplatino, which was kind of Martin Fierro meets Trans Queer Post Punk Gaucho Opera.
On one side, was a string quartet, augmented by classical guitar and an electric piano.
On the other, Augustin Genoud, who peforms heavily electronically treated vocals and synthesizer, which he says ranges from Baroque to Beatbox.
In the middle, a cast of extremely non gender specific individuals performed a piece that referred to 18th century spanish/gaucho literature, but thrown in the blender with decades of over the top queer performance and dance. It ranged from mapmaking, to oratory about tierra and sangre, to a little sex, to more oratory, to jewish prayers, with a lot of time out for vogueing and dancing. It was abrasive, and beautiful, and cosmic, and historic, and contemplative, and improvisatory, changing quickly and often.
It was pretty great, and not like anything I have ever seen before.
I think they only did two performances of it, that night, as part of the Festival Nuevo Opera 2022, which is currently going on in spaces around the city, and features a very wide range of interpretations of what opera is.
The cast looked like this, before clothes started coming off- https://www.instagram.com/p/CjQ-wSUOdu9/
This is a song by Genoud, not one that is in this performance, but one that gives you an idea of the crazy things he does with his voice. Meredith Monk would approve. As would Genesis P. Orridge.
Ries
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Last week we saw a show at MALBA, the museum. They have been doing a few live music shows, sponsored by the Friends of Malba. This one was outdoors, on the small 1st floor terraza, starting at 7pm. Its a pretty small space, so although it was free, you had to sign up in advance. They had rented a very professional sound system with lights, so the sound was great. They were selling snacks and cocktails at the tiny 1st floor coffee bar, plus Speed was giving away Speed and Champagnes.
The band was Ibiza Parejo, a duo of women we have seen and love many times, who mix electronic drums, synthesizers and loops with live guitar, live drumming, and vocals. Kind of Folk/House music- singalong, but also dance yer ass off. The crowd was small, maybe a 100 people in total, but excited, and, aside from us and a mother and aunt of one of the band members, young and hip. They tend to attract a queer crowd, as many of their lyrics are quite inclusive, to say the least, so there were some great outfits and sophisticated labor intensive hairdos.
The music went on as the museum closed, all the lights in the galleries went off, and dusk fell. It was like having a secret party in the museum.
Pretty enchanting. A little Sweaty, as we danced.
Malba, like all of Argentina, is extremely casual about publicity and letting anyone know whats happening, but we ran into the staffer who had organized this show at an art opening later in the week, and he told us the next concert in this series will be on the plaza in front of the museum on December 2, probably at 6 or 7 pm. It will feature multi-instrumentalist and composer Nico Sorin, accompanied by master drummer Santiago Vazquez, the creator and now alumni of Bomba del Tiempo at Konex. No mention of it, of course, on any of Malba's social media or website, that will probably only come the week before. But it should be great, and easy access, since it will be outside the museum, no tickets required.
Ibiza Parejo. Everybody there was singing along to this one.
Nico Sorin with Santiago. He has written a lot of soundtracks for films, and his music often has that sort of cinematic feel to it.
The band was Ibiza Parejo, a duo of women we have seen and love many times, who mix electronic drums, synthesizers and loops with live guitar, live drumming, and vocals. Kind of Folk/House music- singalong, but also dance yer ass off. The crowd was small, maybe a 100 people in total, but excited, and, aside from us and a mother and aunt of one of the band members, young and hip. They tend to attract a queer crowd, as many of their lyrics are quite inclusive, to say the least, so there were some great outfits and sophisticated labor intensive hairdos.
The music went on as the museum closed, all the lights in the galleries went off, and dusk fell. It was like having a secret party in the museum.
Pretty enchanting. A little Sweaty, as we danced.
Malba, like all of Argentina, is extremely casual about publicity and letting anyone know whats happening, but we ran into the staffer who had organized this show at an art opening later in the week, and he told us the next concert in this series will be on the plaza in front of the museum on December 2, probably at 6 or 7 pm. It will feature multi-instrumentalist and composer Nico Sorin, accompanied by master drummer Santiago Vazquez, the creator and now alumni of Bomba del Tiempo at Konex. No mention of it, of course, on any of Malba's social media or website, that will probably only come the week before. But it should be great, and easy access, since it will be outside the museum, no tickets required.
Ibiza Parejo. Everybody there was singing along to this one.
Nico Sorin with Santiago. He has written a lot of soundtracks for films, and his music often has that sort of cinematic feel to it.
Ries
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Saturday was March Del Orgullo, the Argentine Pride celebration. Its been 30 years since the first one in Buenos Aires, and it seems to have become a must do for a very large amount of people. We went early, around noon, and Plaza de Mayo was already full of people, along with Diagonal Norte y Diagonal Sur y Avenida de Mayo for several blocks each- easily 10,000 or 20,000 people. And the crowds just kept growing.
It was interersting that, although the really over the top costumes drew the most attention, the crowd was far from all drag queens and goth princesses- there were lots and lots of ordinary people, ranging in age from toddlers to seniors, some just there to listen to music, browse all the merch stands, and eat street food, many others actively supporting the very idea of gay rights in Argentina. Lots and lots of seemingly straight people, dressed as they always dress, with just the addition of a cheap rainbow flag worn as a cape, or a rainbow painted on their faces. Plenty of game boyfriends dragged along by their more politically advanced girlfriends, with a bit of glitter applied.
There was a main stage with music all day and long into the night. Including some bands that were popular and get serious airplay, but feminist and inclusive if not outright queer.
But the main scene, aside from the hundreds of guys hawking cans of cold beer, was the 2 dozen or so carrozas- semi trucks and their 10 or 15 meter long trailers, decorated as floats for the parade.
Virtually every one had a diesel generator, and a big sound system.
Some were just playing a playlist from someone's phone, but at least a dozen had dj's playing live sets, from noon until at least midnight, so, in total probably a hundred different dj's.
Battle of the Bands on an epic scale.
We mostly were there to support friends who run Carroza Loca, which is the float of a dance party that roams from club to club.
We saw a range of interesting djs, and enjoyed ourselves, but bowed out relatively early- some friends of mine stayed for the after dark procession to Congresso, and then the ongoing web of afterparties that lasted til dawn, at least.
To me, it was interesting how non-confrontational and peaceful the whole thing was.
I did not see a single policeman, until, when leaving, I saw they had positioned police vans a block or so away in several directions.
20,000 to 30,000 people partying, dancing, drinking and eating for 12 hours, with absolute minimal drunkeness or violence, and no need of oppressive police presence. Tons and tons of ad hoc DIY alcohol vendors, mixing cocktails on street corners, selling beers from a tray on top of their heads, along with every kind of food you can imagine- including some savory looking "Vegan Homosexual" sandwiches.
It was a scene that just could not exist in the USA, where often violent counterprotests and heavy police presence is a constant at Pride Parades.
Instead everybody had fun.
But the really amazing thing was, the next morning at 10 am, we took the 29 colectivo to San Telmo to go the the feria, and it drove in front of the Casa Rosada.
And there was absolutely no sign that there had been a gigantic party there less than 12 hours before.
No garbage. No booths. No graffiti or vandalism- the entire neigborhood had been cleaned up by the city in the middle of the night, the gigantic stage and all its lights dissassembled, the portapotties hauled off, the inflatable rainbow arch removed, tents and puestos all gone- its as if an army of gay elves had whisked in and done all the dishes.
Yet another reason why I love Buenos Aires.
Even its debauchery (and yes, there were plenty of crotchless pants and tattoos and piercings and PDA's between bearded drag queens in beehive pink wigs) it was civilized and polite.
It was interersting that, although the really over the top costumes drew the most attention, the crowd was far from all drag queens and goth princesses- there were lots and lots of ordinary people, ranging in age from toddlers to seniors, some just there to listen to music, browse all the merch stands, and eat street food, many others actively supporting the very idea of gay rights in Argentina. Lots and lots of seemingly straight people, dressed as they always dress, with just the addition of a cheap rainbow flag worn as a cape, or a rainbow painted on their faces. Plenty of game boyfriends dragged along by their more politically advanced girlfriends, with a bit of glitter applied.
There was a main stage with music all day and long into the night. Including some bands that were popular and get serious airplay, but feminist and inclusive if not outright queer.
But the main scene, aside from the hundreds of guys hawking cans of cold beer, was the 2 dozen or so carrozas- semi trucks and their 10 or 15 meter long trailers, decorated as floats for the parade.
Virtually every one had a diesel generator, and a big sound system.
Some were just playing a playlist from someone's phone, but at least a dozen had dj's playing live sets, from noon until at least midnight, so, in total probably a hundred different dj's.
Battle of the Bands on an epic scale.
We mostly were there to support friends who run Carroza Loca, which is the float of a dance party that roams from club to club.
We saw a range of interesting djs, and enjoyed ourselves, but bowed out relatively early- some friends of mine stayed for the after dark procession to Congresso, and then the ongoing web of afterparties that lasted til dawn, at least.
To me, it was interesting how non-confrontational and peaceful the whole thing was.
I did not see a single policeman, until, when leaving, I saw they had positioned police vans a block or so away in several directions.
20,000 to 30,000 people partying, dancing, drinking and eating for 12 hours, with absolute minimal drunkeness or violence, and no need of oppressive police presence. Tons and tons of ad hoc DIY alcohol vendors, mixing cocktails on street corners, selling beers from a tray on top of their heads, along with every kind of food you can imagine- including some savory looking "Vegan Homosexual" sandwiches.
It was a scene that just could not exist in the USA, where often violent counterprotests and heavy police presence is a constant at Pride Parades.
Instead everybody had fun.
But the really amazing thing was, the next morning at 10 am, we took the 29 colectivo to San Telmo to go the the feria, and it drove in front of the Casa Rosada.
And there was absolutely no sign that there had been a gigantic party there less than 12 hours before.
No garbage. No booths. No graffiti or vandalism- the entire neigborhood had been cleaned up by the city in the middle of the night, the gigantic stage and all its lights dissassembled, the portapotties hauled off, the inflatable rainbow arch removed, tents and puestos all gone- its as if an army of gay elves had whisked in and done all the dishes.
Yet another reason why I love Buenos Aires.
Even its debauchery (and yes, there were plenty of crotchless pants and tattoos and piercings and PDA's between bearded drag queens in beehive pink wigs) it was civilized and polite.
Ries
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Normally I dont see a lot of Dance. But we did go to the current performance of Pablo Rotemberg at Teatro San Martin, which is pretty out there contemporary dance.
We went because the music was by a favorite, Argentine musician Axel Krygier.
The "mundo postapocalíptico abre un desierto" was kind of gaucho drag Dante with a cast of 4 professional ballet style dancers, and the other 4 contemporary Malambo dancers.
Although Malambo is a gaucho tradition dating back a couple hundred years or more, it is, like many aspects of Argentine culture, actually originally Afro-Argentine, and even the word Malambo is an Angolan loan word.
And contemporary Argentine Malambo dancers seem to realize this, and are more related to hip hop dancers like Chicago Footwork than they are to Martin Fierro.
Whenever there's a beat, you can trace it back to Africa...
The use of the dance as percussion was riveting, and while the storyline is not exactly a straight narrative, we enjoyed this a lot.
Krygier's compostions ranged from recognizable songs to heavily processed instruments that became wind and ocean and the background music of Heaven and Hell.
One of these dancers, dressed a bit less casually, was in the show.
We went because the music was by a favorite, Argentine musician Axel Krygier.
The "mundo postapocalíptico abre un desierto" was kind of gaucho drag Dante with a cast of 4 professional ballet style dancers, and the other 4 contemporary Malambo dancers.
Although Malambo is a gaucho tradition dating back a couple hundred years or more, it is, like many aspects of Argentine culture, actually originally Afro-Argentine, and even the word Malambo is an Angolan loan word.
And contemporary Argentine Malambo dancers seem to realize this, and are more related to hip hop dancers like Chicago Footwork than they are to Martin Fierro.
Whenever there's a beat, you can trace it back to Africa...
The use of the dance as percussion was riveting, and while the storyline is not exactly a straight narrative, we enjoyed this a lot.
Krygier's compostions ranged from recognizable songs to heavily processed instruments that became wind and ocean and the background music of Heaven and Hell.
La Era del Cuero
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