My Life in Argentina and Beyond

Friday, December 22, 2006: Malena is the name of a very famous tango. It is from the 1940s, the Golden Age of Argentine city music. Malena is a woman who sings the tango like no other singer. She´s been around, has probably drunk more than she would care to admitor is good for her. But she has one or two virtues: She sings from the heart and her male admirers will not desert her. My mother was a very popular woman and her suitors called her Malena, though she was never known to hit the bottle. Today would have been her birthday.

Thursday, June 15, 2006: The corner of San Juan y Boedo in the barrio of Boedo. That is where the confiteria is--the famous one where Homero Manzi, one of the most famous tango songwriters and others used to hang out in the 30s and 40s. It is a very touristy corner these days--pictures of the songwriters, plus the dates of their most famous songs, like Malena, written in 1941. Malena is one of the most beautiful and haunting songs ever composed, a tribute to a woman no man can forget.

Tuesday, March 28, 2006: Callejeros, the band involved in the tragic disco fire in Buenos Aires on December 30, 2004, will start to work again. Their new show will be in the northern province of Tucuman on April 22 and, in spite of some people being against it, most of the tickets are sold out. It wasn´t Callejeros´s fault that the fire killed about 194 young people, but they were there. That´s more than good enough for whoever is against it to be loud and clear about it. 

Friday, March 3, 2006: The leader of the group U2 went to see Nestor Kirchner, the president of Argentina, while he was in Argentina for the concerts at River Plate Stadium in the barrio of Nuñez. Cristina Kirchner, who´s a powerful political political figure in her own right, got her picture taken with Bono as he talked about his hopes for a brighter future for the country.

Monday, February 27, 2006: U2 has arrived in Argentina. They got here at 4 in the morning. Everything´s ready for their concerts at River Plate Stadium on March 1 and 2. As it was to be expected, the sold out concerts were not really sold out. Now, River Plate Stadium people say they have more tickets for sale in case some people don´t want to be left out.

Friday, February 24, 2006: Some people have called the Rolling Stones, who gave their second concert last night in Buenos Aires, nonos. Yes, they are not young anymore, but I, for one can´t see them as grandfathers.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006: The Rolling Stones show last night was a total success. 70,000 people attended, some without tickets. Others partied too hard after it was all over.

Tuesday, February 21, 2006: The Stones are giving one of their two shows here in Buenos Aires tonight. The place is River Plate Stadium and outside people have been waiting in line since early morning. The neighborhood (upscale Barrio River) has been closed off to regular traffic. Mick Jagger was the last to arrive in Argentina yesterday. The other members of the band were already installed in their swanky hotel on Avenida 9 de Julio.