Brian Gary performing at LaParola

We have always enjoyed live music in small intimate surroundings, but we really have rarely gone to them.  In Berkeley there were plenty of venues, but they required us getting into a car, driving to a specific destination, finding a parking place, listening to (usually expensive) music, then reversing the process to get home.  It was always enough of a hassle that we only went through it once a year or so, and sometimes not even that.

Life sure is different here in Cuenca, Ecuador! We now eat lunch out almost every day, and eat dinner out five nights a week.  There are so many good restaurants within a couple blocks radius of us, and the food is so inexpensive, that it seems like a shame to cook at home.  Many of these venues have free live music every Wednesday to Saturday too.

Tonight was a fairly typical example.  We decided to go see the new Hobbit sequel at Millenium Plaza, so walked to the theater.  Upon getting there, we discovered that they had changed the 3D viewings and only had the Spanish version showing, rather than the English (with Spanish subtitles) that was scheduled as of yesterday.  Our Spanish is not good enough to enjoy a movie yet, so we decided to walk to a bar we had passed along the way from which we had heard some pleasant singing.

We then walked to LaParola, a bar about two blocks from our condo, and walked in to hear Brian Gary performing.  He is a keyboard player / singer originating from Alameda, California in the 1970’s to 1990’s.  He has a very pleasant voice and knows pretty much every classic rock song from that era.  His set included music from the Beatles, Elvis, Eric Clapton, Billy Joel, Eagles and many others you would recognize if you grew up in that period. (The drinks at LaParola were not very good, but the dinner was excellent!)

When we got home, we began tallying the music venues we have been to in the last month.  Within a three block radius, we have heard live music at:

• la Vina (The Jazz Society plays there every weekend)
• California Kitchen
• Wunderbar
• LaParola (where we heard Brian Gary tonight)
• il Chiaro de Luna
• el Cafeteria
• Eucalyptus Cafe
• Teatro de la Cultura (where we saw the magic show, among others)

In addition, there is San Sebas (a dozen blocks away) and the symphony & opera (both about half a mile). That doesn’t even count the literally dozens of discos and karaoke bars within two or three blocks of us.  Of course, those latter tend to be filled with a much younger generation, though we will eventually get around to those too.  The churches are also filled with Christmas music this time of year, often from children’s choruses.  Those are fun to drop in on, but aren’t quite up to the level of the professional musicians we see in the evenings…

While I was writing this blog entry, Evelyn looked at what Frommer’s said about nightlife in Cuenca.  Interestingly, half the places they mention are venues we have never been to. There is still a lot left to be explored!

Moving to Cuenca has changed us from enjoying live music maybe once a year to doing so multiple times a week. Gotta love this place! ☺