Great Antigua Music Venue

Thanks for the tip and posting !!

Thanks for the post.

The restaurant also hosts a get together for Gringos every Tuesday morning at 9AM. You will meet anywhere from 2 to 20 people, it just depends on who wants to come on a particular week. There are usually more local Gringos than tourists, so tourists can get a lot of local information.

Thanks, laurajoy. We're returning to Guatemala this summer for three weeks - didn't come across La Pena de Sol Latino last time, but we will definitely check it out on this trip. Any other information on the music - is it all traditional music or do they have some contemporary music as well?

http://www.lapenadesollatino.com/<BR><BR>I suppose I'd describe it as a mixture of contemporary and traditional. I believe that at least one night of the week there is Cuban music. Definitely check it out!

La Pena de Sol Latino is a band that has played in Antigua for a number of years. They are a bunch of Peruvian guys who play a large assortment of wind pipes and little stringed instruments. One guy has a drum he beats a bit while playing the windpipes. There there is a sixth member of the band who is a gringo named Bill. He plays congos. Bill decided it would be good to have their own place, so he opened the reataurant by the same name. The musicians are excellent, the music most enjoyable. They play Wednesdays through Sundays. There is a guitar player the other two nights, I forget but think flamenco is what he does (I haven't heard him).

There is a large flock of white egrets that roost in a high tree behind the restaurant. You can sit upstairs on the deck and watch them come in for the night. And they will come in, thought the masses may be at dusk. Probably a couple hundred. Entertaining to watch while sipping some suds. Ask Bill for the best time. I know what is was in April, but probably varies with time of year.

There was another great band in Antigua in April. They may still be there. It is a group from the Buena Vista Social Club. The guy in the funny littly white cap on the cover of the original CD plays congo drums and sings. Has 3 or 4 backup musicians including a keyboard. As Cuban as it gets. There were playing at Ponza Verde (5a calle Sur, about four blocks from the park) on Thursday and Friday nights, and at La Escudilla/Riki's Bar (4a calle norte, half a block from the park) on Wednesday nights. Reservations needed at Ponza Verde, or sit at the bar (go early enough to get a seat). And I would go to Riki's early to get a good seat, and enjoy a nice meal while waiting.

Buen viaje!

Hey... good to know all that. I'll check it out next time. Thanks for sharing.

Is any of this musica with dancing or just listening??

gracias

I'm sure the natives of Peru do some sort of dancing to the wind pipe flutes. So if you are really feeling tranced I guess you could join the show in front of the band. There is room for a few trancers there. I haven't been there when the guitarist plays, so don't know about dancing to him.

As to the Buena Vista Social Club group, there is no dance floor, but people have at times salsaed between tables in the restaurant. Not really any room at La Escudilla to dance.

This is not what you wanted to hear. I'm a dancer, too. But there are other places where you can salsa and freestyle. But that's about it. No swing, two-step, country, ballroom, or other latin dancing that I know of. Maybe one of the three big hotels have something.

Buen viaje!