Colombian music venues

Bogota Music Venues – 3 Of The Best

July 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Bogota has some very cool music venues and bars.

There are A LOT of Bogota music venues and bars – of all sorts, for all tastes.  It’s a huge city.

Not sure what Los Bogotanos would say about that, but it’s all relative isn’t it? I live in a famous tourist destination yet I have very few venues available to me, and not one of them I would describe as cool, or grungey, or even having much character. None of them I know I can always go to for a good dance.  I love the night life options in Bogota.

A few Bogota music venues I’ve found on this trip deserve mention.

1. LATINO POWER BAR

Latino Power Bar is Numero Uno on the list.

It deserves to be. I am told it is one of a small handful of venues in Bogota which is really supportive of original, live music. I think you can find bands playing almost every night it’s open.

Latino Power Bar - Supporting Original Live Music in Bogota - Beaver on the Beats

On top of the live music, Latino Power has super friendly and relaxed staff, great DJs, lots of character, some grunge (which I love in a bar), good priced drinks, and great vibes all round.

I’m super happy I found this place (thanks Ariana!), and I will keep going back there as much as possible to see what musical delights and friendly people I can find.

Calle 58 # 13 -88

2. A SEIS MANOS RESTAURANT & CULTURAL SPACE

Lucky for me A Seis Manos is my local whilst in Bogota – and it’s open day and night.

A Seis Manos is a hidden sanctuary amongst the chaos of El Centro, and I never would have found it on my own (thanks Sergio!).

I keep going back there because it has really yummy food, including vegetarian fare.

As well as great food, A Seis Manos is an awesome open, light space with lots of character and lots of art of all types to look at.

Even better than the space, are the lovely, friendly staff, and the relaxed and friendly good vibes of the place.

There are arts events happening all the time at A Seis Manos – live music, DJ´s, visual arts exhibitions and films.

I love this place!

Calle 22 # 8-60

3. LATORA 4 BRAZOS

I have only been to Latora 4 Brazos once – and it’s all about the context isn’t it? That one experience was special, but I can’t say what the vibe of this place is like on other nights.

I’m told Latora 4 Brazos is purely an electronic music venue, so I doubt I’ll get back there much (unless Mitu play there again!).

I mention it because I was so impressed with the venue space itself. It is absolutely beautiful. There are so many different adjoining spaces/rooms to enjoy on two levels (each with its own dance floor and own separate acts) – and each space is full of character and ambience.

I guess I wish the venue housed more, or different types of music. Lucky you are if you’re really into techno and house music.

Carrera 8 # 40-18

Big cities like Bogota do have their cultural benefits don’t they. If you’re in Bogota and want to find great venues supporting live music, get yourself to Latino Power, A Seis Manos and Latora 4 Brazos.

Filed Under: A Seis Manos, Colombia, Latino Power, Latora 4 Brazos Tagged With: , , , ,

Mitú – An Entrancing Electronic Music Experience

July 14, 2013 by

Last night in Bogota I had an absolutely unforgettable and entrancing musical experience. A most surprising and unexpected one: Mitú.

I had no idea what the gig was. I only went to see some friends before I leave Bogota.

What I found even before the main act was awesome – one of the coolest venues I’ve been to in terms of character, style and set-up (Latora 4 Brazos), and two female DJs (an all too rare find no?).

When the main act did start, Mitú, I discovered it was fast and intense electronic music – ‘jungle techno’. One percussionist, Franklin Tejedor. One guy in charge of the electronics, with lots of cords and machines –  Julian Salazar– also the guitarist with successful Colombian fusion band Bomba Estereo.

Mitu @ Latora 4 Brazos - Beaver on the Beats

While my friends joined the dancing crowd, I completely switched off, as I usually do when it comes to techno music. At best, I generally find it tedious, and my body just doesn’t want to move to it.

Fascinated by the beautiful venue I wandered away from the music and through the different venue spaces, playing with my camera, and hoping my friends would surface from the crowd soon so I could say goodbye and go home.

When I went back to the crowd, some people had left and I was able to find a space to engage with the Mitú music, and see and hear what was actually happening.

Dios miya! What was happening was really incredible. Two guys having an awesome time on the stage, so much into the music they were playing it was inspiring.

The high quality electronic sounds coming out of those machines were so varied and interesting, with flavours of cumbia and meringue and I don’t know what else!

Mitu @ Latora 4 Brazos - Beaver on the Beats

Mitu @ Latora 4 Brazos - Beaver on the Beats

Mitú’s percussionist, and at times vocalist (in Palenque language), playing Colombian tribal rhythms, was incredible. The quality of musicianship was beyond words. 

Within minutes of engagement, I found myself smiling from ear to ear, jaw to the ground in awe of the music and musicianship, and totally and utterly entranced. Right until the end.

Mitú is the first techno experience of my life that has moved me. A stellar performance, incredible stamina (judging by the time I got home, they must have played for 2 hours), ridiculously talented musicians and really interesting, awesome and yes, entrancing music.

Absolutely spectacular.

Given my general aversion to techno, I’m not sure if I would go as far as to buy the Mitú CD (‘Potro’), but if you’re into electronic music I would definitely find it.  If you ever get the chance to experience Mitú live, go!  I will in a heart beat  if I get another chance.

Filed Under: Colombia, Colombia, Latora 4 Brazos, Mitú Tagged With: , , , ,

Nestavibe – A Cute Reggae Band In A Stunning Venue

July 12, 2013 by Leave a Comment

The band, Nestavibe…8 youngens.

Nestavibe - Live at Fundacion Gilberto Alzate Avendano - Beaver on the Beats

The venue…

  • In a very beautiful, but reputedly dodgy (justifiably so) historical neighbourhood of Bogota called La Candelaria. I love La Candelaria.
  • A stunning old theatre. One of a few different spaces within the walls where lives the Fundacion Gilberto Alzate Avendano. Every stone and piece of wood within those walls has character and beauty.
  • Comfortable red velvet chairs. I suspect you can hear and see everything that happens on that stage from every single one of those chairs.

The quality of sound…perfect.

The lighting…perfect.

The music…mostly reggae/dub – but, well, um, nothing at all like I think I’ll find in Jamaica next week.  No singing to Jah. Singing to Jesus.

Nestavibe live @ Fundacion Gilberto Alzate Avendano-Beaver on the Beats

Back to the venue, cause it’s worth it…

This gig was one of many concerts, exhibitions, dance and theatre shows of all sorts happening in this venue every night of the week – for free. The program is full, and has some really great stuff.

Occasionally some of the Foundation’s events are held in the outdoor patio area where I was last week for Richard Blair’s DJ set.

Operations Manager of the Foundation, Julian Mosquera Munoz, says he wants every event to be held in the theatre. He believes the experience for the audience is much more special in that space than any other, and that will make people want to come back again.

Nestavibe - Live at Fundacion Gilberto Alzate Avendano - Beaver on the Beats

I´m not convinced that every event should be in the theatre. I do appreciate the lovely environment, alot. It is certainly special. I couldn’t help thinking tonight though, that if the music had moved me to want to dance, I probably would have been feeling a little frustrated at being stuck in my comfortable red chair.

There is no doubt that I want to go back to the Foundation again to experience more.  So in the end, maybe Julian is right.

One event I definitely want to get back there for in January, is the six-day long Festival Centro. The programs from all years (past and coming) look amazing, with a feast of national and international music artists to satisfy all tastes.

If you’re in Bogota and want an intimate musical, dance or theatre experience, definitely check out the program for what’s on at Fundacion Gilberto Alzate Avendano.  Or get yourself to Bogota for Festival Centro in January.

Filed Under: Colombia, Colombia, Fundacion Gilberto Alzate Avendano, Nestavibe Tagged With: , , , ,

Richard Blair – Musical Experience of the Week

July 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment

My musical experiences in Bogota this week were of different types and qualities.

The best one?  Well it wasn’t really fusion music. It wasn’t even a live band.

It was a DJ set by Richard Blair: Producer and Engineer;  Founder of Sidestepper, a very successful Colombian fusion music band; and an artist well recognised and respected both in and outside of Colombia as one of the first pioneers of Colombian fusion music.

Richard Blair - Sidestepper

Richard Blair – Sidestepper

Sidestepper @ WOMADelaide

Sidestepper @ WOMADelaide

Sidestepper I have more to say about later.  There is also much I could tell you about the incredible artists Blair has worked with in his career (including my all time favorite Colombian artist, the divine Toto La Momposina).

Blair´s DJ Set this week was part of a high quality electronic music program called ´Conectados´.

Richard Blair

Richard Blair

Conectados is just one of many musical and other arts projects run by Fundacion Cultural Arca – a non-profit organisation in Bogota, set up to support artists in a variety of ways, and to develop international cultural exchanges. The Foundation runs Conectados in association with Fundación Gilberto Alzate Avendaño, a part of the Colombian Ministry of Culture and Tourism, also dedicated to supporting and promoting indepèndent music and other arts projects in Colombia.

So why was a DJ set the best musical experience of the week?

Richard Blair - DJ Set - Conectados - 2013 - www.beaveronthebeats.com

  • It wasn’t reggeaton, with only touches of pure reggae, being played in a bar which is supposedly a ‘reggae’ bar. More about the sickly reggeaton plague another day.
  • It wasn’t musicians playing on a very dirty, busy, public road called La Septima.
  • It wasn’t bad quality live music like I heard played by one Latin fusion band on Friday night.
  • The crowd wasn’t rude, noisy or disrespectful  like I experienced at Rock al Parque or at countless other gigs in my life.

What is was, is this:

  • high quality music – super tasty vintage, vinyl dub and reggae.

Richard Blair DJ Set in Bogota - Beaver on the Beats

  • high quality mixing, sampling and turntabling by Blair.
  • high quality sound in the venue.
  • a beautiful, ambient outdoor patio space in a colonial building filled with a respectful, appreciative audience.

All those things made for a lovely musical and human experience.

The only surreal thing about the Richard Blair gig was sitting down on chairs with the rest of the ‘audience’, to watch a DJ play music. No matter for me though. It was still awesome to listen to, and there is plenty of time for dancing to tasty dub and reggae in Jamaica next week! 🙂

Filed Under: Colombia, Colombia, DJs, England, Richard Blair, Sidestepper Tagged With: , , , ,