I played Saturday night at a festival near Trondheim, Norway, in a place called Hell.
My dancers were a great mix in terms of level, energy, and enthusiasm, mostly Nordic but you couldn't tell - tango people should form their own nation, I think. What a glorious country we would be!
Going in, I had a plan that included an ambitious lyrical arc culminating with great 50s vocals. I changed it mid-way and never got to them.
This was the first hour:
- Viento norte | Sexteto Cristal
- Comme il faut | Como debe ser | Quinteto Ángel
- El pollito | London Tango Orchestra
- Vida mía | Orquesta Típica Andariega
-- CORTINA --
- Mi musa campera | Francisco Canaro, Carlos Galán
- Media noche | Francisco Canaro, Carlos Galán
- De puerta en puerta | Francisco Canaro, Carlos Galán
- Venganza | Francisco Canaro, Carlos Galán
-- CORTINA --
- Noche de ronda | Francisco Lomuto
- Corazón de artista | Ricardo Malerba
- Desde el alma | Ricardo Tanturi
-- CORTINA --
- Paciencia | Juan D'Arienzo, Enrique Carbel
- Indiferencia | Juan D'Arienzo, Alberto Echagüe
- Olvidame | Juan D'Arienzo, Alberto Echagüe
- La bruja | Juan D'Arienzo, Alberto Echagüe
-- CORTINA --
- El cielo en tus ojos | Carlos Di Sarli, Roberto Rufino
- Bien frappé | Carlos Di Sarli, Roberto Rufino
- Zorro plateado | Carlos Di Sarli, Roberto Rufino
- Si tú quisieras | Carlos Di Sarli, Roberto Rufino
-- CORTINA --
- Qué tiempo aquel | Francisco Lomuto, Jorge Omar
- Varón | Francisco Lomuto, Jorge Omar
- No hay tierra como la mía | Francisco Lomuto, Fernando Díaz
I started with a mixed contemporary tanda to announce that I intend to mix in new tangos, then dropped into the standard repertoire. People already had a 6-hour afternoon milonga in their legs, and I felt I needed to be careful.
Second hour:
- Julián | Edgardo Donato
- El pollito | Ricardo Tanturi
- El relámpago | Florindo Sassone
- Quejas de bandoneón | Pedro Láurenz
-- CORTINA --
- En tus ojos de cielo | Miguel Caló, Raúl Berón
- Domingo a la noche | Miguel Caló, Raúl Berón
- Entre sueños | Miguel Caló, Raúl Berón
- La abandoné y no sabía | Miguel Caló, Raúl Berón
-- CORTINA --
- Pabellon de las rosas | Juan D'Arienzo
- Sueño florido | Juan D'Arienzo
- Francia | Juan D'Arienzo
-- CORTINA --
- Alas rotas | Edgardo Donato, Horacio Lagos
- Se va la vida | Edgardo Donato, Horacio Lagos
- Hacete cartel | Edgardo Donato, Horacio Lagos
- Carnaval de mi barrio | Edgardo Donato, Horacio Lagos, Lita Morales, Romeo Gavioli
-- CORTINA --
- El incendio | Rodolfo Biagi
- Unión cívica | Rodolfo Biagi
- Pura clase | Rodolfo Biagi
- La maleva | Rodolfo Biagi
-- CORTINA --
- El criollito oriental | Pedro Láurenz, Alberto Podestá
- Yo soy de San Telmo | Pedro Láurenz, Alberto Podestá
- Maldonado | Pedro Láurenz, Alberto Podestá
The mixed instrumentals at the top are from 1950s. I felt that they meshed together rather well. The Caló / Berón tanda was too soft; I should have gone higher on the passion scale.
There was an announcement after the vals tanda, and the Donato / Lagos upbeat tanda that followed was meant to bring some cheers. It worked and the floor was full.
Third hour:
- Caminito | Carlos Di Sarli, Oscar Serpa
- Cuatro vidas | Carlos Di Sarli, Oscar Serpa
- Viento verde | Carlos Di Sarli, Oscar Serpa
- Por el camino | Carlos Di Sarli, Oscar Serpa
-- CORTINA --
- C.T.V. | Aníbal Troilo
- Cachirulo | Aníbal Troilo
- Cordón de oro | Aníbal Troilo
- Guapeando | Aníbal Troilo
-- CORTINA --
- Lontano | Orquesta Típica Andariega, Fabián Villalón
- Buonasera | Orquesta Típica Andariega, Fabián Villalón
- Gira Gira | Orquesta Típica Andariega, Fabián Villalón
-- CORTINA --
- Yo quiero cantar un tango | Pedro Láurenz, Alberto Podestá
- Recién | Pedro Láurenz, Alberto Podestá
- Muchachos, mi último tango | Pedro Láurenz, Alberto Podestá
- Nunca tuvo novio | Pedro Láurenz, Alberto Podestá
-- CORTINA --
- Café de los Angelitos | Rodolfo Biagi, Alberto Amor
- Viento malo | Rodolfo Biagi, Alberto Amor
- Cuando llora la milonga | Rodolfo Biagi, Alberto Amor
- Adiós, pampa mía | Rodolfo Biagi, Alberto Amor
-- CORTINA --
- Largá las penas | The Alex Krebs Tango Sextet
- Negrito | The Alex Krebs Tango Sextet
- Ella es así (feat. Enrique El Peru" Chavez)" | The Alex Krebs Tango Sextet
What worked: the Andariega vals tanda was received with enthusiasm. These are indeed superb new valses!
What didn't: I felt that the Biagi / Amor tanda following Láurenz with Podestá did not provide sufficient contrast. I should have built up more energy coming to the milongas.
Fourth hour:
- Madreselva | Francisco Lomuto, Jorge Omar
- Por la vuelta | Francisco Lomuto, Jorge Omar
- Gólgota | Francisco Lomuto, Jorge Omar
- La melodía de nuestro adiós | Francisco Lomuto, Jorge Omar
-- CORTINA --
- Tierrita | Ricardo Tanturi
- El chamuyo | Edgardo Donato
- Gallo ciego | Ricardo Tanturi
- Elegante papirusa | Edgardo Donato
-- CORTINA --
- Ella | Ángel D'Agostino, Tino García
- Esquinas porteñas | Ángel D'Agostino, Rubén Cané
- Quemá esas cartas | Armando Cupo, Alberto Morán
-- CORTINA --
- Tristeza de la calle corrientes | Tango Bardo, Cucuza Castiello
- Felicidad | Tango Bardo, Cucuza Castiello
- Miedo | Tango Bardo, Cucuza Castiello
- Alma de loca | Tango Bardo, Cucuza Castiello
-- CORTINA --
- Esta noche me emborracho | Rodolfo Biagi, Carlos Saavedra
- Mientras duerme la ciudad | Rodolfo Biagi, Carlos Saavedra
- Sin palabras | Rodolfo Biagi, Carlos Saavedra
- Gracias | Rodolfo Biagi, Carlos Saavedra
-- CORTINA --
- Milonga de antaño | Francisco Canaro
- Milonga de mis amores | Francisco Canaro
- Silueta porteña | Francisco Canaro, Roberto Maida
I was holding back and besides the Tango Bardo tanda, I did not step outside of the standard repertoire. One reason was that a fellow DJ ran a parallel alternative / non-tango session at the bar, and I thought I should provide sufficient contrast to that. Today, I'd swap the Biagi / Tango Bardo tandas, or even replace the latter with something more energetic.
Last hour and good-byes:
- Muchachos comienza la ronda | Osvaldo Pugliese, Roberto Chanel
- Farol | Osvaldo Pugliese, Roberto Chanel
- El día de tu ausencia | Osvaldo Pugliese, Roberto Chanel
- El tango es una historia | Osvaldo Pugliese, Roberto Chanel
-- CORTINA --
- Didí | Di di | Ricardo Tanturi
- Lágrimas | Ricardo Tanturi
- Argañaraz | Aquellas farras | Ricardo Tanturi
- Una noche de garufa | Ricardo Tanturi
-- CORTINA --
- Cuando florezcan los rosales | Sexteto Cristal, Guillermo Rozenthuler
- Noches de invierno | Sexteto Cristal, Guillermo Rozenthuler
- Vals del recuerdo | Sexteto Cristal, Guillermo Rozenthuler
-- CORTINA --
- El yacaré | Ángel D'Agostino, Ángel Vargas
- Adiós, arrabal | Ángel D'Agostino, Ángel Vargas
- Solo compasión | Ángel D'Agostino, Ángel Vargas
- La cumparsita | Ángel D'Agostino, Ángel Vargas
The end came at about 2.15 AM an I felt that the closure was satisfying. If I were to do this all over again, I'd go in with ~ 10% more confidence and challenge the floor more in certain key moments.