Dancing to Live Bands
- Thread starter Pacion
- Start date
salsachinita
New Member
All the time!
We have a real live-band culture here in Melbourne. When promoting an event, the first question almost everybody asks is: "Which band is playing?" DJs generally play along side bands.
Providing the bands are good (which they are, mostly), I love dancing to live music. I love the real-time energy exchange that happens right there 8) !
From my travels, I noticed that many cities are generally DJ orientated. Live bands tend to play at special events only, as a treat.
How about your city...? What is it like? (Enquiring mind too :wink: !)
We have a real live-band culture here in Melbourne. When promoting an event, the first question almost everybody asks is: "Which band is playing?" DJs generally play along side bands.
Providing the bands are good (which they are, mostly), I love dancing to live music. I love the real-time energy exchange that happens right there 8) !
From my travels, I noticed that many cities are generally DJ orientated. Live bands tend to play at special events only, as a treat.
How about your city...? What is it like? (Enquiring mind too :wink: !)
borikensalsero
Moderator
Although NY City is a DJ oriented City, There is nothing that beats a live salsa band. There is just something about the energy they create that takes over the entire room and dancer.
Here in NY City we are spoiled. I've dance to just about all top Salsa bands, and it has truly been amazing.
In NY City we've had the pleasure to dance to.
El Gran Combo, La Sonora Ponceña, Willie Rosario, Roberto Roena, Orq. Broadway (Charanga Band), El Canario, Oscar D'Leon, El Gallo, Hector Tricoche, El Cano Estremera, Choco Orta, Willie Colon, Grupo Niche, Son De Cali, Larry Harlow, Eddie Palmieri, Andy Montañez, Wayne Gorbea, Soneros Del Barrio, Spanish Harlem Orq, Johnny Pacheco with Yomo Torro, Alfero De La fe, and a bunch of others.
I believe that all of us should have the oportunity to see all these guys during our salsa careers.
Here in NY City we are spoiled. I've dance to just about all top Salsa bands, and it has truly been amazing.
In NY City we've had the pleasure to dance to.
El Gran Combo, La Sonora Ponceña, Willie Rosario, Roberto Roena, Orq. Broadway (Charanga Band), El Canario, Oscar D'Leon, El Gallo, Hector Tricoche, El Cano Estremera, Choco Orta, Willie Colon, Grupo Niche, Son De Cali, Larry Harlow, Eddie Palmieri, Andy Montañez, Wayne Gorbea, Soneros Del Barrio, Spanish Harlem Orq, Johnny Pacheco with Yomo Torro, Alfero De La fe, and a bunch of others.
I believe that all of us should have the oportunity to see all these guys during our salsa careers.
salsachinita
New Member
:notworth: More reason to draw me back to NYC......besides a dance (or two :wink: ) with Boriken :notworth: !
I've seen some of these bands live, even danced with some of them
! Amazing experience.......I am still pinching myself :shock: !
I've seen some of these bands live, even danced with some of them
! Amazing experience.......I am still pinching myself :shock: !Pacion said:
Yep, I've been lucky enough to dance to bands, many times, with many people. I enjoyed it so much, I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. With the exception of Eddie Palmieri - he was having a bad day that day.
The "Why" is a little tougher to explain. It's a bit like the difference between singing with a backing track or full-out band. With the band, it's so much more organic - the creative/improvising process becomes much more transparent.
Maybe I'm spoilt, being both a dancer and player. There are times during band practice when everything locks into place and the swing is just out of this world. You can't get that from canned music. (Mind you, I haven't yet mastered playing bass guitar AND dancing with a partner at the same time... :lol: )
Loo
MacMoto
Active Member
Have you?
Yes
Who?
Salsa Celtica
When?
New Year's Eve
Where?
A concert hall in Edinburgh with seats removed to provide a good-sized dancefloor. Unfortunately the hall had a sloping floor with only narrow strips of flat parts, and dancing on sloping parts was rather tricky. I was glad I was in my flat shoes.
Did you enjoy it or not enjoy it? Why? Would you do it again?
I loved it, though I hadn't been dancing long at that time and only danced with the people I knew. This was probably a rather unusual salsa concert as the band has a following among Scottish folk music/ceilidh dancing fans, and the supporting band was a Scottish folk band, which meant lots of kilted men in hill walking boots among the audience/dancers! The band played on this in some of their more strongly Celtic-flavoured songs, alternating between Latin and Scottish sounds making salsa dancers and ceilidh dancers compete (some of the salsa dancers, including our group, did both...). DJ music is fine, but the energy a live band feeds off dancers, and vice versa, is quite something else. I would definitely try again.
A new monthly salsa club is starting up in Glasgow next month, and the opening night will feature a live band, Rumba Caliente (another local outfit). I haven't heard them before but am looking forward to it.
Yes
Who?
Salsa Celtica
When?
New Year's Eve
Where?
A concert hall in Edinburgh with seats removed to provide a good-sized dancefloor. Unfortunately the hall had a sloping floor with only narrow strips of flat parts, and dancing on sloping parts was rather tricky. I was glad I was in my flat shoes.
Did you enjoy it or not enjoy it? Why? Would you do it again?
I loved it, though I hadn't been dancing long at that time and only danced with the people I knew. This was probably a rather unusual salsa concert as the band has a following among Scottish folk music/ceilidh dancing fans, and the supporting band was a Scottish folk band, which meant lots of kilted men in hill walking boots among the audience/dancers!
The band played on this in some of their more strongly Celtic-flavoured songs, alternating between Latin and Scottish sounds making salsa dancers and ceilidh dancers compete (some of the salsa dancers, including our group, did both...). DJ music is fine, but the energy a live band feeds off dancers, and vice versa, is quite something else. I would definitely try again.A new monthly salsa club is starting up in Glasgow next month, and the opening night will feature a live band, Rumba Caliente (another local outfit). I haven't heard them before but am looking forward to it.
MapleLeaf Salsero
New Member
Well we´re not as lucky here as the New Yorkers. We´re mostly DJ oriented. Only on special ocasions do we have a live band.
Do I prefer dancing to live music? YES and NO!
YES:
Creates a totally different atmosphere: more energy, more adrenalin, greater feeling of the music,...
NO:
Some of the salsa bands here play never ending salsas. Sometimes a well-known salsa which lasts 4-5 minutes on a CD gets stretched into a 20-25 minute song. :shock: After the lyrics are over, they just endlessly repeat the music over and over again with a word or two thrown in every 5 minutes. :shock: It wouldn´t be a problem for me if I were at a concert listening to them. The problem is that I have to dance to that! I don´t like dancing a fast salsa with the same lady for 25 minutes. I get tired and so does she. Hellooooo....
Do I prefer dancing to live music? YES and NO!
YES:
Creates a totally different atmosphere: more energy, more adrenalin, greater feeling of the music,...
NO:
Some of the salsa bands here play never ending salsas. Sometimes a well-known salsa which lasts 4-5 minutes on a CD gets stretched into a 20-25 minute song. :shock: After the lyrics are over, they just endlessly repeat the music over and over again with a word or two thrown in every 5 minutes. :shock: It wouldn´t be a problem for me if I were at a concert listening to them. The problem is that I have to dance to that! I don´t like dancing a fast salsa with the same lady for 25 minutes. I get tired and so does she. Hellooooo....
Genesius Redux
New Member
Love dancing to live bands, when they're good and when they have a sense of the music. My first studio had a live band every Friday night and they were no more than adequate. Especially when there are so many really good dance compilations out there.
The worst was when they used to play "Black Orpheus" as a tango, with the drummer beating out the tango basic on the snares. Losers!
But a good live band can respond to and work with the crowd. 8)
The one problem--we had a pretty good live band at the club this past Friday. But for some reason, they were taking like 2 to 3 minutes between tunes, and they only played two sets of about half an hour each. Plus I'm picky about the music, especially the horns (and the trombones--these guys were so-so).
Could be that the widespread availability of recorded music has made live music less appealing. :?
The worst was when they used to play "Black Orpheus" as a tango, with the drummer beating out the tango basic on the snares. Losers!
But a good live band can respond to and work with the crowd. 8)
The one problem--we had a pretty good live band at the club this past Friday. But for some reason, they were taking like 2 to 3 minutes between tunes, and they only played two sets of about half an hour each. Plus I'm picky about the music, especially the horns (and the trombones--these guys were so-so).
Could be that the widespread availability of recorded music has made live music less appealing. :?
I've had the opportunity to dance to Sonora Carruseles twice in LA, and they're FANTASTIC! Definitely go see them if they're in your area!
There are some good LA bands that play regularly in the clubs too. Son Mayor and Johnny Polanco y Su Conjunto Amistad come to mind.
I'm looking forward to the bands playing during the upcoming congress, especially Africando, El Gran Combo, and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra!
There are some good LA bands that play regularly in the clubs too. Son Mayor and Johnny Polanco y Su Conjunto Amistad come to mind.
I'm looking forward to the bands playing during the upcoming congress, especially Africando, El Gran Combo, and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra!