la bomba de tiempo

On Monday night at about 8pm you walk up to the Konex Cultural Center, which is already throbbing from the music playing within, and get in the quick moving line behind the English speaking tourists swigging beer from a liter of Quilmes. Decline (or accept) a AR$10 pot brownie from the porteña dressed in a flowing skirt carrying a basket of her homemade desserts. Reach the ticket table and pay AR$20 to enter. Walk into a huge open area with no roof, a huge staircase sitting in the middle of the room, and crowds of people. Maneuver your way through the young hippy crowd, locals and foreigners alike, to get in line for a drink. The music is louder and more intense now that you're inside. Pay AR$15 for a huge cup (which equals 1 liter) of beer, then go to the end of the counter to pick it up. Making sure your group of friends stick together, work your way towards the stage, but not too close, or you'll get stuck in the mosh pit of sweaty dancers for the next 2 hours. Get your first glimpse of La Bomba de Tiempo, a drum group made up of talented percussionists, all wearing red and all playing their hearts out, under the direction of their conductor. Unable to resist the beat, you find your feet moving to the music and quickly the rest of your body follows. Until 10pm you get lost in the sound of the drums and the energy of the crowd.

La Bomba de Tiempo (Time Bomb) consists of 17 musicians, with Santiago Vazquez leading the group, although not all play every Monday night. A unique system of hand and body signals are used to direct the group, and improvision is often used. There is always a guest artist, and it can be anyone from a singer to a guitar player to an accordianist, accompanying them. As the Konex website says:

"Cada concierto es único e impredecible ya que depende de la interacción de todos los involucrados en el ritual: los músicos, el director, el público, el lugar, la acústica, los instrumentos, el clima y el momento."

"Each concert is unique and unpredictable because it depends on the interaction of everything involved in the ritual: the musicians, the director, the crowd, the venue, the acoustics, the instruments, the weather, and the moment." 

The Konex Cultural Center is located at Sarmiento 3131. La Bomba is every Monday night from 7-10pm, AR$20 to enter.