La Bomba de Tiempo

Monday nights there is a big party at Konex, this factory-turned-art-space in barrio Once. It is an early party. At 8 pm, this big percussion group of about 15 people descend from the top of the orange metal stairs in the center of the courtyard. This is La Bomba de Tiempo.

People love them in Buenos Aires. The group wears all red with their first names printed on the front of their shirts and their last names (apellidos) printed on the back. The place was so packed that when the wind blew, you just felt the body heat of a thousand other people. Everyone is dancing and the energy is great--attentive and friendly. At one point, the entire crowd showed respect to the group by silencing themselves and crouching or sitting to make way for an explosion of energy.

And at 10 pm promptly, the party was over, until next week.