A Nightlife Supreme

Sometimes I feel like 8th grade dances have mentally scarred the American psyche. If it weren’t for alcohol our dance floors would remain completely vacant, despite everyone’s inner urges to bust a funky move to some upbeat tunes. This is most certainly not the case here.

The first time I had the pleasure of visiting this wonderful city, my friends took me out to a club in Palermo. We didn’t even exit the apartment building until close to 2:00am; ironically the very same dreaded hour when last call delivers the night’s fatal blow in many Southern states.

Yet to my surprise, we were some of the first to arrive. Initially I assumed we had chosen a fairly unpopular club, but over the course of the evening my hypothesis was continually proven inaccurate. The dance floor fit for several hundred reached a nice healthy consistency of fun-loving clubbers.

But it wouldn’t have mattered. Before there were 300, there were only 30 present and the majority of them were dancing!! Guy or girl, solo or accompanied, these cats were rocking out with the spirit of that tipsy aunt during “Brick House” at her niece’s wedding reception. It was absolutely astonishing. The best part is that they weren’t even drinking.

There is something to truly be admired here. Although bars are a different story, it’s safe to say that most Argentines go to a club for the music. They possess one of those rare qualities that I liken to an evangelical preacher who’s not profit-driven or an infomercial salesperson that truly believes in his/her product.

It also says something about how much we gringos are concerned about what others might say or think if we exhibit a behavior that the masses label as strange or laughable. Respect it.

The other amazing thing about the massive clubs and discos here is the safety factor. Yes there might be a gentle pat-down upon entering, but I’ve seen plenty of folk just walk in with backpacks that haven’t even warranted a peep from security. My gut immediately yells red flag on this one, but I have never once seen a knife, gun, or even a fight in my almost three years of enjoying the Buenos Aires nightlife.

We gringos can be very judgmental. And there’s nothing wrong with strutting your stuff, but the social norms do require a certain formality of dress standards when going out in the U.S. You’ll find plenty of that here as well, but t-shirts and jeans are perfectly acceptable for some of the most popular clubs in Buenos Aires. Imagine rolling up to a club in Miami with your favorite Led Zeppelin tee and some holey jeans–unless you’re über famous, don’t plan on being allowed entry.

So next time you’re in New York and are forced to buy a $350 bottle just to get inside and see a destitute dance floor, you might wanna think twice. While everyone is sizing the other up to see whose got the most bling, I’ll be with 300 carefree clubbers with my t-shirt and tennis shoes, getting down to the electronic grooves that this magnificent city puts out every single day of the year.

Will Betton
LPBA Staff