The Trastienda Club (featuring The National)
When I discovered that The National, one of my favorite bands, was playing in Buenos Aires, I immediately went to their website and bought tickets. Only after the transaction was complete, did I look up the club, and my already dangerously-high levels of giddiness went off the charts. Not only was the Trastienda Club a small venue that guaranteed a great view, it was also just around the block from our San Telmo apartment.
The Trastienda Club turned out to be everything I could have hoped for. We had seats on the upper floor with a perfect view of the stage. I couldn’t believe that The National were playing such a small club, but I was happy about it. Midway through their set, the singer told people to stand up and come towards the stage. He’d had enough with the seated, restrained atmosphere of the crowd. And it turns out that the Trastienda Club functions just as well for raucous concerts complete with stage-diving, as for more contemplative, sit-down affairs.
Trastienda basically means “back room”. The building was constructed as an industry warehouse back in the late 19th century, and converted for use as a music club in 1993. For the past 18 years, it’s been presenting top-quality rock, jazz, blues and traditional music to the eager Porteño populace.
As would be the case with any venue, our perception of Trastienda was influenced by the quality of the show we were taking in. The National absolutely brought the house down, and I can’t imagine a more awesome place to have seen them. If you’re interested in seeing a show, make sure to check out the Trastienda’s website. Tickets are always fairly priced, and you’d have a hard time finding a better place to see a show.
Balcarce 460
Location on our Buenos Aires Map
That’s amazing, since the just played Coachella on Sunday… I watched Duran Duran instead, but I could see their stage at the other end of the field.
Too bad you missed them. If you ever have a chance to see them live do it. They were awesome!
That must have been a great show. Man, I wish we would have known to go with you guys.