My DJ set from the last Milonga Joe

This must've been my most progressive playlist to-date.

The occasion was the penultimate edition of Milonga Joe, a popular Monday evening milonga in Prague. The very last one happens on the 24th of February, 2020.

I went all in without much preparation done beforehand. Somehow the right people showed up and I got in the "zone" instantly.

Without further ado, this is how I played it.

Intro tanda, a few people arriving and talking

• Indio manso * Carlos Di Sarli (1958)
• Bahía Blanca * Carlos Di Sarli (1958)
• El abrojo * Carlos Di Sarli (1958)
• Una fija | Glorias de ayer * Carlos Di Sarli (1958)

Still not too many present, the first couple dances

• And I love her * Orquesta Romantica Milonguera (2019)
• No sé tú * Orquesta Romantica Milonguera, Roberto Minondi (2020)
• Perfidia * Orquesta Romantica Milonguera, Roberto Minondi (2018)
• Algo contigo * Orquesta Romantica Milonguera, Ximena Gimenez, Roberto Minondi (2020)

Sound check with a singer Emmanuel Codina who'll have two sets tonight.

• Poema * Orquesta Típica Andariega (2017)
• Trenzas * Orquesta Típica Andariega / Marisol Martinez (2019)
• Loca * Orquesta Típica Andariega (2017)
• Al compás del corazón | Late un corazón * Orquesta Típica Andariega / Marisol Martinez (2019)

Time for valses!

• No nos veremos más * Collectif Roulotte Tango, Gaspar Pocai (2015)
• Romance de barrio * Collectif Roulotte Tango, Gaspar Pocai (2012)
• Pedacito de cielo * Collectif Roulotte Tango, Gaspar Pocai (2012)

Take it more easy now? Nah.

• Café Domínguez * Tango Bardo (2015)
• Pavadita * Tango Bardo (2015)
• Mi dolor * Tango Bardo (2017)
• Tigre viejo * Tango Bardo (2017)

Okay, we need something romantic and calming now.

• El último café * La Auténtica Milonguera / Marisol Martinez (2020)
• Por la vuelta * La Auténtica Milonguera / Jesus Hidalgo (2020)
• Cada vez que me recuerdes * La Auténtica Milonguera / Marisol Martinez (2020)
• Tú, el cielo y tú * La Auténtica Milonguera / Marisol Martinez, Jesus Hidalgo (2020)

Milonga time! As it turned out later, the only milongas of tonight.

• Silueta porteña * Osvaldo Pugliese, Miguel Montero, Jorge Maciel (1956)
• Milonga sentimental * Fulvio Salamanca / Armando Guerrico, Mario Luna (1958)
• El ABC del amor | ABC del amor * Juan D'Arienzo, Horacio Palma, Jorge Valdez (1961)

The singer comes on stage and does a four-piece tanda. Very passionate and technically 100%. People like him and dance.

I felt I needed a to calm them afterwards. Nothing too trivial though. This Di Sarli tanda is one of two from the Golden age that made it tonight.

• Didí * Carlos Di Sarli (1947)
• El ingeniero * Carlos Di Sarli (1945)
• La racha * Carlos Di Sarli (1947)
• Ojos negros * Carlos Di Sarli (1945)

The singer did tangos, and so it's time for valses again.

• Angélica * Alfredo De Angelis, Juan Carlos Godoy (1961)
• Desagradecida * Alfredo De Angelis, Lalo Martel (1962)
• Maldito corazón * Alfredo De Angelis / Juan Carlos Godoy (1960)

I had one more tanda to go before the singer would return. I chose these instrumentals deliberately, even though they begin with two covers of Di Sarli and we had Di Sarli before the valses. Not that I am looking for an excuse or anything.

• Cara sucia * Collectif Roulotte Tango (2015)
• Una fija | Glorias de ayer * Collectif Roulotte Tango (2015)
• Inspiración * Collectif Roulotte Tango (2012)
• La maleva * Collectif Roulotte Tango (2015)

The singer comes onstage and does his second set. Very romantic with relaxed tempos.

It's about 23:15 and I don't want people to start looking at their watches. A high-energy tanda of Tanturi instrumentals could help (and it did). This is 2nd Golden age tanda of the night.

• El buey solo * Ricardo Tanturi (1941)
• Comparsa criolla * Ricardo Tanturi (1941)
• Argañaraz | Aquellas farras * Ricardo Tanturi (1940)
• Una noche de garufa * Ricardo Tanturi (1941)

Oh yes, valses again! I announce the last two tandas. My favorite tanguera appears nearby, and so I prepare both including an extra Cumparsita, and go down to the dance floor to make a few moves myself.

• Ilusión de vivir * Leo Lipesker, Roberto Rufino (1959)
• La noche que me esperes * Osvaldo Pugliese, Alberto Morán (1952)
• Manos adoradas * Osvaldo Pugliese, Alberto Morán (1952)

How better to end an evening than with late Di Sarli vocals with Jorge Durán?

No la maldigas por Dios * Carlos Di Sarli, Jorge Durán (1958)

Dónde estás * Carlos Di Sarli, Jorge Durán (1958)

Por quererla así * Carlos Di Sarli, Jorge Durán (1958)

Si nos queremos todavía * Carlos Di Sarli, Jorge Durán (1958)

And, without any extra pause, the Cumparsita.

La cumparsita * Tángalo, Susana Bishop (2014)

I spotted one or two hard-core traditionalists who may have disapproved but I've gotta say, I was very pleased with myself yesterday. Most of the people stayed on the dance floor the whole evening, although as usual we had a gender imbalance at play. I saw a lot of smiles and hugging. It worked.

With Klub Joe closing, we're losing an excellent venue where I'd typically play twice a month. Too bad. Somehow, though, when a milonga closes, another opens soon thereafter. I am not too worried.