Monday, June 11, 2007

3 bands + 2 festivals = blissful summer weekend

Fabulous weekend! For absolutely free, I saw three fabulous, danceable Latin bands at two great festivals in 24 hours. All seasoned heavily with good food, good company, and good beer.

Friday night: El Clan Destino at the Memorial Union Terrace for the Isthmus Jazz Festival. The Terrace was crowded, but the band was good (a little more smooth, less salsa-y than Madisalsa). The beer and laughing and sunset over Picnic Point were even better.

Saturday afternoon: Locos por Juana at the Marquette Waterfront Festival in Yahara Place Park. Fabulous music - a whole lot of Cuba with a heavy splash of Jamaica. (Sounds like a good theme for a fruity drink, too, no?) Great Latin dance sounds with a whole lot of reggae thrown in. And what a great atmosphere - families hanging out on blankets and lawn chairs, good food, boats on Lake Monona pulling up to shore to listen, and, the highlight: a 40-something woman wearing a short Hawaiian print sarong, a bikini top with a different Hawaiian print, and a tiara, dancing for all she was worth.

Saturday night: Back to the Union for Madisalsa. They don't seem all that jazzy to me - more straight up big-band salsa y merengue, but I'm not one to argue. They're really good, and there were so many people dancing it was hard to walk.

So many festivals, so little time!

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