Hip Hop vs. Salsa

[GTO Bruin]

OK, I'll admit the title was a hook. I'm not trying to start a debate here. Rather, I thought I'd vent a bit about how we had salsa interuptus last night due to hip hop.

My usual salsa venue is a place called Gardel's in Baltimore. It's a beautiful historic building with large dance floors on three levels. Usually the second floor is used for lessons followed by dance. The main floor has dining table surrounding a dance floor where most of the action is on the Saturday salsa night. Overall a classy place which draws a fair share of DC salseros as well.

Well last night, Gardel's hosted three private events in addition to the usual salsa night. One was a wedding, and the other two were hip hop oriented. The first was an event sponsored by Morgan State Univ., a primarily African-American campus. The other was somehow associated with the music industry (local radio, MTV?). Word was that Beyonce and L.L. Cool J were to be there (though I pretty sure this was pure rumor). An upper floor and a tent outside were pumping hop hop for these guests.

By 11PM most of the salsa crowd was inside. But the hip hop masses kept coming. There were throngs of people trying to get in through a receiving line of security who were frisking everyone. So crowded was the entrance that leaving was impossible through the pushing, shoving and profanity. The situation was bad enough that they stopped the music around midnight and let people out the back by the loading dock.

So a lot of salseros were really short-changed getting only a little more than an hour to dance. Too early to stop, and too late to go somewhere else. So in this case of hip hop vs. salsa, both lost. :(

As a foot note, I like hip hop. :rolleyes:

[sara1011]

I'm wondering if Gardel's is the issue. I remember I went several months back on a Saturday night, the purported Sexxxy Salsa Saturday venue, which plays salsa on two of the three levels. That night, the second floor deejay played "world music," meaning Latin rock, reggaeton, and other. Despite the fact that many went of us went up to ask the second-floor deejay to play salsa (because the first floor had become dangerously crowded) he didn't.

I think Gardel's wants to open itself up to a more diverse crowd, but it's doing so at the expense of other patrons. Believe I love hip-hop, it's what I grew up listening to, but there needs to be another night (not the salsa night) if Gardel's is trying to offer more musical stylings.

[GTO Bruin]

I'm wondering if Gardel's is the issue. I remember I went several months back on a Saturday night, the purported Sexxxy Salsa Saturday venue, which plays salsa on two of the three levels. That night, the second floor deejay played "world music," meaning Latin rock, reggaeton, and other. Despite the fact that many went of us went up to ask the second-floor deejay to play salsa (because the first floor had become dangerously crowded) he didn't.

I think Gardel's wants to open itself up to a more diverse crowd, but it's doing so at the expense of other patrons. Believe I love hip-hop, it's what I grew up listening to, but there needs to be another night (not the salsa night) if Gardel's is trying to offer more musical stylings.

Yeah, Gardel's has a few issues. Like a lot of places, they're trying different things to bring business in to stay afloat. Saturday is their only big night. On Friday, it's dead, and most of the salsa crowd goes to Latin Palace or DC.

But Gardel's offers something that is hard to find in the entire Baltimore/DC area. It is the only place I can think of that is upscale. Most people will dress up for Gardel's. Where as every other venue is very casual. I think that's why it is so popular on Saturdays when people feel like they're going for a night out. Also, I think it's why people go to other venues on other nights like Friday. The casual venues are perfect for after work. Also, the salsa scene in Baltimore is healthy, but not big enough to support two big salsa venues on the same night. Particularly when DC draws people on any given night. I think people just get into the habit of Club One on Wednesday, Latin Palace on Friday and Gardel's on Saturday (or DC on any given night).

[tj]

Well, add in that the drinking crowd spends waaaay more $$ than the salsa crowd, then it's to be expected that stuff like this happens. I've known several places that tried salsa on weekends only to decide that they can make more money having a non-salsa night or at least trying to cater to the Latino Scene rather than just the hard core dancers.