San Miguel de Allende

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Gil y Cartas

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jphil
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5 out of 5
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1
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Gil y Cartas

  • December 11, 2005
  • Rated 5 of 5 by jphil from New York, New York
Gil y Cartas

On our first night in town, our host made reservations at Finnegan’s Pub for dinner and music. She told us that we needed to experience a gypsy jazz band that performs at Finnegan’s every Thursday through Saturday.

The reservation was a good idea because when they sat us, it was at the last table not filled yet. The restaurant does not look anything like an Irish Pub. Instead, it is decorated in a much more Mexican style with pink stucco walls. The restaurant space is quite large with a stage set up on one side. The tables are arranged to allow a small dancing area in front of the stage. We arrived after the band had begun their first set, so we were able to enjoy the music while ordering and eating.

The food at Finnegan’s is nothing to write home about. It’s Americanized Mexican food, catering mostly to the expatriate community. But we didn’t go for the food; we went for Gil y Cartas, the gypsy jazz band. For the first set, the band was comprised of a guitarist, a bassist, and a violinist. The music spanned from Spanish classical to the Beatles, all with a gypsy jazz twist. For the first set, they invited two guests onstage to perform with them: a viola player and a soprano saxophonist. This appeared to be a common occurrence at their performances.

A regular guest guitarist, Lobo, sat in with the band for the second set. In addition to being able to just enjoy the music on its own merits, the band looked like they were just having a ball up on stage, heightening the enjoyment for the entire crowd. The dance floor, which had been empty during the first set, began to fill up.

Sitting back, enjoying a ridiculously strong margarita, listening to the band, and watching the dancers was a terrific way to spend our first night in San Miguel. If you are in town on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night, you must not miss this band.

From journal A Welcome Respite in San Miguel

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