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Santander Salamanca and Seville

31 Jan 07 - 01:39 PM (#1953729)
Subject: Santander Salamanca and Seville
From: Kara

Hi
Does anyone know anything about the music sence in Santander Salamanca or Seville?
Are there any good pubs or clubs that should be checked out.
Any Mudcats in these towns who have the low down on the happening thing???
Where is the best place to pick up a bit of flamenco singing?

Let me know

regards

Kara

31 Jan 07 - 04:30 PM (#1953872)
Subject: RE: Santander Salamanca and Seville
From: Bainbo

There are lots of flamenco bars in the barrio Santa Cruz of Seville, but a good bet is to call in to El Tamboril in Plaza Santa Cruz about midnight. There's s a good chance flamenco singers and musicians will drop in and perform while you stand at the bar drinking your sherry (don't worry - it's a completely different drink to the maiden-aunt stuff that gets exported.)

Hotels will be able to fix you up with tickets to a tablao flamenco show - if you fancy watered-down drinks in a cabaret-style approximation of flamenco.

All I can tell you about Salamanca is that it's an impossibly beautiful medieval university town. We stayed in posibly the worst room we've ever had - in possbly the best location, with an iron balcony over the graceful collonanaded main square. On Sunday morning, after church, a few old guys with pipe, tabor, and other instruments began playing tunes, while people in their very chic Sunday best, returning from Mass, gathered in a circle, raising their arms and dancing whatever the local dance is there - a bit like the Sardana, in Barcelona. We'd no idea it was going to happen, and it's a great experience.

There's a lot more to Seville and Salamanca than just the music, though, and you'll have a great time. Sorry I can't help you with Santander.

31 Jan 07 - 05:01 PM (#1953905)
Subject: RE: Santander Salamanca and Seville
From: MartinRyan

Oddly, I wouldn't write off the tablaos entirely. I remember sitting outside a cafe in Seville, a few years ago. A guy was doing the rounds of the tables, touting tickets for a range of tablao-type shows. From his accent, he was obviously Irish, like ourselves. We let him say his standard piece - then set about questioning him in earnest! By talking to him about Irish music first we established that he did, in fact, know something about music - which was a start. Eventually, we boiled him down to admitting that there was in fact just one good tablao in a bar just outside the ring road around the old city. We bought tickets - much to the amazement of the other customers, who had been fending him off earlier. "Sure, we know his granny!" sez us. Not sure they knew what to make of that!

In fact the performance was very good. A group of 4 or 5, I think. Not unlike a good Irish music session where the musicians are really playing for themselves first and foremost - the eye contact gives them away.

Now where was it......? Would the same gang be there....?

Spontaneous or at least unexpected sessions are great - but can involve drinking a lot of finos while you're waiting. Still....

Regards

Regards

01 Feb 07 - 05:43 AM (#1954340)
Subject: RE: Santander Salamanca and Seville
From: Kara

Thanks for the tips

01 Feb 07 - 04:41 PM (#1954965)
Subject: RE: Santander Salamanca and Seville
From: bubblyrat

Two lizards and an orange ??

02 Feb 07 - 06:11 AM (#1955404)
Subject: RE: Santander Salamanca and Seville
From: Kara

bubblyrat, you'r gonna have to help me on that one, I can see the Spanish connection, is it a recipe for marmalade?
a great Flamenco bar?
a famous song?
a Band?
what???

02 Feb 07 - 06:26 AM (#1955408)
Subject: RE: Santander Salamanca and Seville
From: Big Al Whittle

The country round santander and Vivero is very nice as is the inland - a bit like Devon very green.

If you are going for the flamenco. thats an expensive way to go. i did it first time that way, beecause it looks the most direct on the map.

are you going from England? the caen crossing is very cheap and you can take a couple of days driving down into Spain down a road that goes by the sea called the Catelan. Its very nice an experience in itself - the road side cafs could teach England a thing or two, and you can stop in pensions - cheap b an b's.

If you go from Santander, you have to cross mountains( I did it in a Lada!), and deal with the Madrid rushhour. Either that or do the expensive Santander crossing and then load your car on a train to take you down to flamenco country. A lot of people were doing that. All the fast roads skirting Spain charge a toll - have your credit card ready.

Have a good holiday - and best of luck if you're looking a gig. theres usually work. They like our music, but the Spanish are protective of the best gigs for themselves, which is fair enough I suppose.

02 Feb 07 - 06:37 AM (#1955419)
Subject: RE: Santander Salamanca and Seville
From: Kara

Hi weelittle drummer.

I'm not going from England, I'm going from Brittany so I've already done the sea bit. I'm going in a Renault Clio, about the same siza as a Lada I think. I have a gig on the way down France and want more. I don't mind mountains and I've got a month so I'd like to take my time. I'm hoping to be able to busk my way down, markets bars restaurants etc. I wanted to go to Santander as I busked there about 10 years ago and really liked the town, we didn't have time to stay long though as we had to make it to Toulouse for a gig.

Thanks for your tips


Kara

03 Feb 07 - 04:49 AM (#1956333)
Subject: RE: Santander Salamanca and Seville
From: GUEST,Fidjit

Area very good further west Cantabria and Asturia, Galacia even.

Celtic conetions there too. Asturias have a celtic week in July/August.

Lots sfor good cheeses and cider drinking.

Chas

03 Feb 07 - 05:31 AM (#1956355)
Subject: RE: Santander Salamanca and Seville
From: Folkiedave

And Ortiguiera (sp?) in Galicia has one of Europe's biggest celtic festivals.

We were lucky whilst doing the northern coast of Spain - and came across one of the big name groups - Oskorri - and keep a look out for Kepa Junkera....just the greatest.......and Susanna Seivane - just the most beautiful. Pipers all along that coast- "gaitas" in the local language. There will be some bar somewhere in Santander. There is a web page - google for gaitas+santander - but it doesn't seem to have changed in a few years.....

I have a house in Almunecar on the Costa Tropical and my local bar has quality music every night!! But try and learn the difference between rhumbas, sevillianas, flamenco etc......