Lubolos, Murgas, Parodistas...oh my!!!

A couple of nights ago I finally went to see a show at Teatro Verano. It was the final night of the first round of the competition for carnival groups (Lubolos, Murgas, Parodistas, Humoristas, Revistas).

I was excited to go, since C1080 was performing, and they opened the show. This is essentially music theatre with candombe drums and characters.

Each group performing in the candombe category, called Lubolos, has to perform certain styles. This first one is called Afro:

The guy in the fedora is Waldemar "Cachila" Silva. A candombe legend.

 Tambores accompanying the dance of the Mama Vieja

(Old Mother) and the Gramillero (Medicine Man).

The escobero, broomsman.

 In addition to C1080, there were two murga groups, and one parodista ensemble. Unfortunately I didn't take any pics of the parodistas, but I hope to catch a show during the second round of the competition, and will do my best to get better shots.

Murgas are amazing choruses, lavishly dressed, and accompanied by a snare drum, bass drum, and cymbals. Their lyrics are usually political or social commentary/satire, but with these amazing vocal harmonies. I barely understood anything lyrically, but it's such amazing groove. They're also just fun to watch.

La murga Momolandia.



Percussion for Momolandia. Cymbal players have all the fun!

La murga Diablos Verdes.

Just learned today that I'm headed to Salto and Artigas (in the north of Uruguay) this weekend with Mundo Afro. The future holds geothermal pools, candombe drumming, and I believe asado. Will update next week.

Las Llamadas: Más Fotos

These are photos taken by Megan Strom, a fellow Fulbrighter that joined me for the two nights of the Llamadas. Some are similar to those in previous posts, but she also caught some things that I missed while filming the drumming groups, or had some that just turned out better.

Enjoy. Disfrute.

First Night/Primer Noche

Why do we do Candombe? because the tambor (drum) tells us we are heirs of
a popular free expression where music and dance come together, where social
class, race, and religion do not exist; and their roots of origen are the
neighborhoods Sur and Palermo. Gracias, barrios Sur y Palermo for making
us heirs to the origen of Candombe. -Las Cuerdas de Ejido

Beginning with the lady standing on the left, these are my connections
at Mundo Afro. The large man talking to the kids on the right is Uruguayan
music star Ruben Rada.

Megan was impressed with the beard. Turns out he was
a drummer with La Fuerza, which played the second night.

Second Night/Segunda Noche

The Nigeria flag sequence: the idea is to scroll rapidly through these next 16 pics, so click on a photo, and as quickly as you're able, use the right arrow to scroll through until green flags no longer appear.

End Nigeria flag sequence.