Scene & Unheard: Buenos Aires, Argentina Issue #34

A guide to the city's latest music and hot spots

By Rebecca Davis
Published: December 1st, 2007 | 12:00am

ROSARIO BLÉFARI
LABEL: FAN Discos
PLAYERS: Bléfari (vocals), Andrea Di Nápoli (bass), Pablo Córdoba (drums), Javier Marta (guitar).
INFLUENCES: Sonic Youth, A.C. Newman, the Buzzcocks, and Los Gatos.
SOUNDS LIKE:An indie pop soundtrack to your life — sometimes dark and moody, sometimes upbeat and airy, but almost always hum-able.
THE LOWDOWN: Bléfari is a multi-threat artist in the Argentine underground culture scene. Having played in the seminal ’90s rock band Suárez, acted in a Martín Rejtman film, written and directed her own play, and put out a book of poetry, she’s returned to music, churning out indisputably catchy pop gem after pop gem. With three solo albums under her belt (and a fourth on the way), Bléfari has gone from electronic to rock to pop and back again, all while making her music sound utterly cohesive. In fact, she has described her upcoming album as a dialogue, where “the songs will be in relation to a conversation, talking amongst each other.”
URL: myspace.com/rosarioblefari

PRINCESA
LABEL:Bomboclap Records
PLAYERS:Valeria Goberna
INFLUENCES: Tu General, Ivy Queen, Salt-n-Pepa.
SOUNDS LIKE: M.I.A. if she had grown up in Latin America and collaborated with Daddy Yankee.
THE LOWDOWN: Among the many reggaeton and cumbia acts in Buenos Aires, Goberna stands out not because she’s a woman (although she is one of the few) but because her music is tight, her lyrics are smart, and her beats are catchy. Goberna first started making music in 1998, but it wasn’t until 2005 that she struck out on her own, releasing her first solo album “Algo Para Decir” (“Something to Say”). Afro-Uruguayan by descent, Goberna gives African singing classes in her spare time. She was chosen recently by Nokia to generate collaborations with local artists while traveling by bus from Buenos Aires to northern Argentina. This trip to Argentina’s heartland will serve as the inspiration for her upcoming album, a true return to her roots.
URL: www.myspace.com/princesavale

NO LO SOPORTO
LABEL: unsigned
PLAYERS: Naila Borensztein (guitar/vocals), Lara Pedrosa (bass/vocals), Lucia Borensztein (drums)
INFLUENCES: PJ Harvey, CocoRosie, Radiohead, Luis Alberto Spinetta.
SOUNDS LIKE: Late ’70s-era Go-Go’s mixed with early ’90s-era Radiohead
THE LOWDOWN: No Lo Soporto pairs the sisters Borensztein with hard-rockin’ bassist Pedrosa to lead Argentina’s new-wave indie rock scene. While their debut eponymous album (released in 2005) is delicate and sweet, live the band is anything but, with the guitar thrashing, drums smashing, and the always-charismatic Pedrosa plucking away at the bass like there’s no tomorrow. Kept busy for the past two years with tours and MTV Latin America award nominations (for Best Indie Band, natch), the band promises that their follow-up album will continue in the vein of their live sound, with lots of power and a bit of pop.
URL: nolosoporto.com.ar, myspace.com/nolosoporto

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A Monday through Sunday party guide to Buenos Aires

As the birthplace of tango, site of Soda Stereo’s start, and home to some of the craziest Ramones’ and Rolling Stones’ fans in the world, Buenos Aires is indisputably a music hotspot. And while there’s plenty to enjoy during the day — beef for meat eaters, Malbec for winos, and shopping for everyone in between — it’s at night when things really start to heat up. Though the choices are overwhelming, here are our picks for fiesta of the night.

MONDAY: LOS LUNES ESTAN DE MODA

You never know who will be playing at this weekly party, but who cares when admission is free and the in-house DJ is good? Arrive early to get a seat up front and pass the time with a plate of picadas and a strong specialty cocktail.
La Cigale, 25 de mayo 722, free admission.

TUESDAY: LA TRASTIENDA
Set back from a gloomy cobblestone street in San Telmo, La Trastienda is one of the nicest live music spots in Buenos Aires. While tickets are on the pricier side at about $10, the venue boasts a mix of up-and-coming indie rockers and much-loved mainstays.
La Trastienda Club, Balcarce 460, latrastienda.com.

WEDNESDAY: ZIZEK
Cumbia’s shift over the past couple of years from maligned music of the poor to celebrated party songs of the ironic hipster set is best represented by Zizek. This weekly club night boasts cool crowds, artistic video installations, and impressive DJs such as Diplo taking over the decks.
10 p.m., Lado B, Niceto Club, Niceto Vega 5510, nicetoclub.com.

THURSDAY: MUSIC IS MY GIRLFRIEND AND LOS INROCKS CLUB
With an indie rock double-header, Thursday is arguably the best night of the week. Start off the evening at Music Is My Girlfriend, where scenester bands like El Mato a Un Policia Motorizado and the Jacqueline Trash take over the stage, and then head down to Los Inrocks Club, the weekly dance party organized by the best underground music and culture magazine in Argentina, Los Inrockuptibles.
9 p.m., Unione e Benevolenza, Peron 1372; 11 p.m., Cocoliche, Rivadavia 878; myspace.com/inrocksclub.

FRIDAY: COMPASS/PHONORAMA AND SYMPATHY FOR THE PARTY
For a night of music, dancing, and fashionistas, these two parties can’t be beat. Compass/Phonorama takes over both rooms at Niceto Club with live indie and electronic music and lots of Argentine hipsters. The after party is at Sympathy For the Party, where you can expect to be out dancing to glitter hits, punk tunes, and indie anthems until sunrise.
Midnight, Niceto Club, Niceto Vega 5510, nicetoclub.com; 2 a.m., Le Click, Avenida Rivadavia 1910, glitterhouse.com.ar.

SATURDAY: FIESTA POP
The party starts late on Saturday, so take a nap before heading over to Fiesta Pop. Although Salon Pueyrredon could use some sprucing up, there’s no better place for hedonistic partying. Even if you miss the live band (which is likely, since the place is too punk to stick to a schedule), it’s worth sticking around for the dance party, which goes for all hours of the night thanks to cheap beer and cute punk kids.
1 a.m., Salon Pueyrredon, Avenida Santa Fe 4560, fotolog.com/popdesalon.

SUNDAY: SABOR CRIOLLO
So Sabor Criollo is officially a Peruvian restaurant, not a weekly party. But it might as well be one on Sunday nights, when the place fills up with young Argentines looking to eat, drink, and be merry. If you’re lucky, there’ll be an event going on in the back room. If not, order a pisco sour and enjoy the cumbia playing on the stereo system.
Sabor Criollo, Uriarte 961.