Sat eve, 23 Feb 08, Buenos Aires
EL VIEJO ALMACEN
The show at El Viejo Almacen
Was for sure a perfect ten.
Fine Inca music we were experiencing
And superb singing, piano, tango dancing,
Accordion, base fiddle, and violin.
This evening was our evening-on-the-town excursion. There were three events one-right-after-the-other in two buildings across-the-narrow-street-from-each-other belonging to the same outfit. All of this establishment is called El Viejo Almacen, meaning warehouse. (The building was once a hospital and was once a warehouse.) First, a couple gave us a demonstration and then lessons in the tango in the main floor (not the stage) of the little theater. They are good instructors and tried to teach all of us the eight basic steps of the tango. Helen was having as much difficulty learning it as I was. It was a nice experience.
Then we went across the street and up the stairs in the restaurant and were served a nice dinner. I had Argentine steak again, and it was great. Helen had fish. There was also appetizer, desert, and wine, but I had milk instead. Nice dinner. Nice fellowship.
Then we went back into the theater where we had had dance lessons. Now there were tables and chairs set up for us.
There we were treated to a music-and-dance program that must have been 1-1/2 hours long. (I didn’t look at my watch at the start.)
IT WAS ABSOLUTELY FANATASTIC!!!!! Certainly one of the most memorable highlights of our entire trip.
It was in two parts, or three, or several, depending how you count them. The first and third parts of the three involved tango dancers, a male singer and a female singer, and musicians including two violins, two accordions (and later a third virtuoso accordionist), a pianist, and a double base player. All on a fairly small stage. There were many numbers. There were many tango dance numbers. There were at least five dance couples. Dance numbers usually featured just one couple but in one instance three couples and in another instance four couples. The same couples repeated in different costumes. One of the couples were surprisingly old. The dancers were fast, lively, FABULOUS. There was solo singing by each singer, and they were great. There were several solo numbers by the lead violinist, a real virtuoso. There were several solo or feature numbers by the special virtuoso accordionist. There was one solo by the pianist, and he was no slouch.
The other part, in the middle, was Inca-type music by four men in colorful red folk/Incan costumes. A drummer. A guitarist. A man with a little stringed instrument something like a mandolin. A flutist with several kinds of flutes including two pan pipes. They played several numbers together, and each of them did solo numbers. FANTASTIC they were. Wonderful rhythm and they encouraged the audience to clap along with them.
:-)
Bernie
EL VIEJO ALMACEN
The show at El Viejo Almacen
Was for sure a perfect ten.
Fine Inca music we were experiencing
And superb singing, piano, tango dancing,
Accordion, base fiddle, and violin.
This evening was our evening-on-the-town excursion. There were three events one-right-after-the-other in two buildings across-the-narrow-street-from-each-other belonging to the same outfit. All of this establishment is called El Viejo Almacen, meaning warehouse. (The building was once a hospital and was once a warehouse.) First, a couple gave us a demonstration and then lessons in the tango in the main floor (not the stage) of the little theater. They are good instructors and tried to teach all of us the eight basic steps of the tango. Helen was having as much difficulty learning it as I was. It was a nice experience.
Then we went across the street and up the stairs in the restaurant and were served a nice dinner. I had Argentine steak again, and it was great. Helen had fish. There was also appetizer, desert, and wine, but I had milk instead. Nice dinner. Nice fellowship.
Then we went back into the theater where we had had dance lessons. Now there were tables and chairs set up for us.
There we were treated to a music-and-dance program that must have been 1-1/2 hours long. (I didn’t look at my watch at the start.)
IT WAS ABSOLUTELY FANATASTIC!!!!! Certainly one of the most memorable highlights of our entire trip.
It was in two parts, or three, or several, depending how you count them. The first and third parts of the three involved tango dancers, a male singer and a female singer, and musicians including two violins, two accordions (and later a third virtuoso accordionist), a pianist, and a double base player. All on a fairly small stage. There were many numbers. There were many tango dance numbers. There were at least five dance couples. Dance numbers usually featured just one couple but in one instance three couples and in another instance four couples. The same couples repeated in different costumes. One of the couples were surprisingly old. The dancers were fast, lively, FABULOUS. There was solo singing by each singer, and they were great. There were several solo numbers by the lead violinist, a real virtuoso. There were several solo or feature numbers by the special virtuoso accordionist. There was one solo by the pianist, and he was no slouch.
The other part, in the middle, was Inca-type music by four men in colorful red folk/Incan costumes. A drummer. A guitarist. A man with a little stringed instrument something like a mandolin. A flutist with several kinds of flutes including two pan pipes. They played several numbers together, and each of them did solo numbers. FANTASTIC they were. Wonderful rhythm and they encouraged the audience to clap along with them.
:-)
Bernie
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