Forgot it's the Sibenik weekend - hope there'll be some salsa people left in London!
London people...
- Thread starter AndrewD
- Start date
toan-hoang
Son
I am sure there will be a few, but a lot goes ...
DJ Yuca
Son Montuno
I was in Soho on a Sunday afternoon recently and I happened to come across a wonderful son/salsa duo The Sugar Kings playing in Cafe Boheme. Apparently they are there every other Sunday, and it is free to get in (although the bar is ridiculously expensive). There is a tiny space to dance, although I didn't see any dancers, or even anyone who looked like they were there for the music, however if there is anyone on the salsa scene who actually likes salsa and son music, I would certainly recommend checking them.
Line up is one gent on vocals and acoustic guitar, and another on coro, bongó and a foot pedal attached to a campana. On some tunes he also plays güiro.
(Specifically: as the song progresses i.e. probably around the same time he would shift to campana if he were in a full band, he stops playing martillo, and his left hand plays güiro whilst his right plays an approximation of tumbao on bongó, using the hembra for the open tones i.e. '4 and'. Anyone know if this is common in small bands? It seems to work.)
http://www.thesugarkings.com/
Line up is one gent on vocals and acoustic guitar, and another on coro, bongó and a foot pedal attached to a campana. On some tunes he also plays güiro.
(Specifically: as the song progresses i.e. probably around the same time he would shift to campana if he were in a full band, he stops playing martillo, and his left hand plays güiro whilst his right plays an approximation of tumbao on bongó, using the hembra for the open tones i.e. '4 and'. Anyone know if this is common in small bands? It seems to work.)
http://www.thesugarkings.com/
calichris10
Son Montuno
Hey has anyone here gone to the Calm Salsa nights run by Carl michael? Friends on FB and was wondering what it was like!
GroovyMambo
Changui
Dear SF friends in London,
I'll be in London Monday and Tuesday for work and am planning to check out Bar Salsa on Monday. Is that the best place for On2 dancing on a Monday night? Hope to meet you soon.
Cheers,
Antonio
I'll be in London Monday and Tuesday for work and am planning to check out Bar Salsa on Monday. Is that the best place for On2 dancing on a Monday night? Hope to meet you soon.
Cheers,
Antonio
Yes
Make sure:
1) You go there late - On2 dancing doesn't really get going until 11.30 - midnight, when space becomes available.
2) You find the On2 end of the room, right at the back of the main floor away from the stage.
GroovyMambo
Changui
Thanks!Yes
Make sure:
1) You go there late - On2 dancing doesn't really get going until 11.30 - midnight, when space becomes available.
2) You find the On2 end of the room, right at the back of the main floor away from the stage.
I go on a semi regular basis and mostly enjoy it. Not as busy as it was 3 or 4 years ago and it's somewhat sub-urban in terms of the standard of dancing (I include myself in this), so don't expect a lot of technical dancers. But the dance floor is big and most importantly they play salsa music (often some nice old school stuff, Carl has good taste IMO) on a Friday night, just a 15 minute drive away, until 1am in the morning.
Though slightly battered in places the dance floor is high quality - assuming it has been polished relatively recently it's really fast without being slippy and it really compliments my dancing and leading.
Salsa on a Friday night is hard to come by in London so it's got a lot going for it if you're close by. I wouldn't go out of my to pay a visit - but if you're in that neck of the woods, or if a couple of your mates are going, or if you just have to dance on a Friday night, it's worth a try.
DJ Yuca
Son Montuno
I'm saying nothing.
Both, but on2 is more niche.
I'm probably missing something here
nowhiteshoes
Son
Ah thanks. Iooks like I'll have to learn to dance on 1
DJ Yuca
Son Montuno
A few years ago I got into a dispute over whether London is some sort of salsa capital of Europe/the world. My point was - and probably still is, from what you wrote - no matter how wonderful certain people and events may be, if there's little on on an average weekend, there's no way the scene can be considered as amazing. That's no slur on the people who do attend events and the events that are actually on, but it seems there's not much on in London.I'm probably missing something here
I also can't help but notice that when I was down there and I stumbled across a great band playing live, I could see literally no salsa dancers present. Admitttedly they were only a duo and there wasn't much space to dance, but the duo are very danceable and they were trying to get people to dance. (I think when someone wants to dance they usually give off signals to say as much, and I didn't notice anyone with that look, but maybe I missed someone.)
That's not necessarily a reflection of the quality of the London salsa dancing scene, though. The gig probably wouldn't have been marketed at dancers, but rather to jazz or world music fans.
(I "stumbled across" Sexteto Cafe playing in Belfast a couple of years ago, and hardly any "dancers" were there as well - although the regular punters were very happy to get on the floor and shake their asses. Great gig, it was a very happy accident to get to it).
If there's not much dancing available on a typical weekend, I'd agree that's more of a measure of the scene though.
I think the dancing scene in London is not bad – especially as Latin culture isn’t that prevalent in the city or the UK as a whole. In the neighbouring boroughs of Enfield and Barnet alone (two very suburban boroughs of the city and for me no more than 30 minutes driving at night) I could go out salsa dancing almost every night of the week (not Thursday for some reason). I’m sure I could find a Thursday venue within 30 minutes if I looked, this is decent, considering I haven’t factored in central London at all.
Even though I would be reluctant to describe it as a world capital – the number of people who say “Oh I did that for a while” when I tell them I dance is pretty high.
I think part of the issue is that the scene is actually quite mature and somewhat lacking in energy and innovation, it’s all somewhat formulaic. Similarly interest in Latin music amongst most dancers is low or fleeting.
It’s a well established scene that I don’t think will die out in the foreseeable future – but you do have to look quite hard to find true salsa nuts, rather than those going through a two year fad.
Even though I would be reluctant to describe it as a world capital – the number of people who say “Oh I did that for a while” when I tell them I dance is pretty high.
I think part of the issue is that the scene is actually quite mature and somewhat lacking in energy and innovation, it’s all somewhat formulaic. Similarly interest in Latin music amongst most dancers is low or fleeting.
It’s a well established scene that I don’t think will die out in the foreseeable future – but you do have to look quite hard to find true salsa nuts, rather than those going through a two year fad.
alvinthethird
Son
Londoners, just booked a trip there! Before going to the Warsaw congress, I shall be in your city for a few days Nov 1st -6th. going to check out Salsa fusion on the 1st and SOS on the 2nd. Hope to see some SFers that I haven't met!