Manolito, the Concert of the Century and failing the timba geek test
It's 7:50pm Havana time and I just walked out of a matinee on Galiano with Manolito. These guys are possibly the best band on earth at the moment. Man. Tight as. More grunt than a Mac track. Kick ass horn section. Great percussion. Great songs. WTF more could anyone ask for? Maybe you could ask for a hot young MC like Mayami (and I mean hot in all senses of the word), to stand next to the legendary El Indio, and Amaray, whose singing just keeps getting more soulful. Holy shit. These guys were the bomb. And made up for my piss-weak attempt at being a timbera last night.

I arranged to meet Martin K at La Tropical for a salsa marathon. I was late, he'd already gone inside. I dicked around thinking: will I go in on my own? The reggaeton (Eddy K) emanating from inside wasn't doing much to persuade me.

Outside it was the usual shitfight with masses of police and throngs of people and paddywagons beeping at carros. A guy started talking to me (que sorpresa!). Turns out he was a tecnico with Charanga Habanera - due to be playing later than night. Another tecnico came up, Chino (and Mr B, he says hi!); so I hung around trying to decide what to do. Meanwhile, Van Van started with Chapeando. I was tempted to go in, but this being my first week here, I hadn't quite got my Habana legs. Also, the guys kept saying I should wait and go in with them cause then we could be in a special area (jaja).

So I waited.

Van Van finished.

And I waited.

Meanwhile, inside, more (recorded) reggaeton was being played. Eventually the representante de CH came up and after much bullshitting and being squashed by the crowd, I got in with Chichia and Chino. I carried a timbal to the backstage area. The guys introduced to me a sweaty Roberton, who offered his big face for kisses (sweet), as we walked to behind the stage. Still reggaeton playing. I sat down, and the mosquitos promptly made absolute mincemeat of me. I started feeling very sorry for myself.

On the other side of the stage, the three tiers were crammed with people, top to bottom. After an hour with nothing happening; Adalberto came on (I'd been told it would be Manolito, but you know how it is here). I just srcatched the red lumps on my legs and thought, fuck it. If it took an hour to set up between Van Van and Adalberto, Manolito won't be on till sparrow's fart. So I wimped out big time. Got a taxi home and watched an ep of Veronica Mars on my laptop.

This morning I rang Martin. He stayed until 4, and NG la Banda still hadn't played ( it started at 3pm the previous day, so it went for more than 12 hours!). He saw: Van Van, Adalberto, Manolito, Charanga, Bamboleo. I said, how was Manolito? He said, uh I didn't notice to be honest. I was a bit distracted. He didn't make it to the Manolito matinee. And neither did loads of other people. Last time I went to a matinee with Manolito at Galiano, there was a queue almost to the Malecon (OK, slight exaggeration). Not wanting to miss out, I went down at 4.30 - there were about 10 people inside. If I'd sauntered up at 6.30pm, I still would have been able to walk right in. By the end of the show, it was nowhere near full.

So, I lost out last night; and won today. It was great to see Trabuco from right down the front; with plenty of room to move.

I'm in love.

Oh, details
They played: Comunicate, Me Dijiste Mentiras, Sacude la Mata, Locos, which they've dicked with and sounds a bit weird, Diablo Colorado ... omg I can't remember. They did an Amaray song, which I think is from the new album but isn't one I've been thrashing to death. And another from Locos which I know, but don't know the name of. Amaray kinda took over. I love him, but I"d like to see a little more El Indio. My only other gripe is they didn't do Hablando en Serio. Hopefully they'll do it on Saturday night - at Galiano again.

I saw Pupy last Saturday night there: again, not very crowded. I went down at 11.30 and walked right in; but I could have turned up at 12:30, which would have been better. They were great of course. Pupy danced like a stick insect!

There'll be more reports anon!

Manolito y su Trabuco, Casa de la Musica, Galiano, August 2002
I just found this entry in an old diary:
"[My friends] Helen & Enrique and I walked down to Galiano at 11.30pm. I'd rung the Casa to ask what time Manolito was starting and the guy said 11.30. Yeah. Bullshit. There were the usual dancing girls and the usual idiot MC and the usual shite [recorded] music. Manolito came on around 12.30, I think. He roooooooooocked! They did almost the same set [not sure which set that was], except they did Se Rompieron Los Termometros which was incredible. They finished with Marcando la Distancia - the curtain came down cutting off the end, as usual. I hate that. Then there was the MC and the dancers and that Ketchup song - I joined in [with the actions], killing myself laughing. It's almost so bad it's good... Adán from Klimax was there. I said hello, but I don't think he remembered me. He was a little drunk. We went next door when it was over and Helen & Enrique ate fried chicken and chips. I had a coke. Got to bed 3-ish."

So there ya go: snapshot of a weekend gig in Havana. I think they got rid of that MC - thank god. Man, he was annoying.

Just so you can hear what I'm raving about re the Tirso track on the Fidel Morales album (see post below), here is a snip. I've also inserted it into the copy if you feel like listening to it in context. And yes Kevin, my Tirso review is coming. Honest. I'm just busy working too much and reading Ned Sublette's book Cuba and its Music: From the First Drums to the Mambo (haven't managed to get out of Africa yet), and planning my holiday (boohoo). But I'll get to it soon. Promise.