Reggaeton in Philadelphia

I just wanted to drop a quick post here, since Thursday seems to be reggaeton night here in Philadelphia. I had originally intended to post this yesterday as a preview of the night ahead, but decided to hold off on it when I realized that I wasn't totally sure what events were going down in Philly last night. There will be some mp3s up later today, probably from Ivy Queen or Don Omar, so have no fear.

The main event last night, which I have attended each time since its inception a few months ago, is Esta Bien at Silk City. This is the monthly put on by the G-13 Sound crew, a Philly crew dedicated to the music of reggaeton, hip hop and dancehall. I cannot recommend this night more, as it is a great opportunity to hear the music and see how dancebable and exciting it is in a live setting. G-13 dropped a few reggae and hip hop tracks last night while I was there, but they are so focused on reggaeton. I give them huge props for sticking to their guns, as this music never struck me as diverse or varied enough to make a whole night out of it. They have proven me wrong, as the crowd last night was the biggest and most energetic I have seen. Unfortunately, these guys have no web site or presence online, making it impossible to give more info on them. I hope to remedy this in the next few weeks, as I would love to get permission to upload the wonderful mix they gave out on the opening night of this monthy. More to come on them, and I will obviously give a heads up next month about Esta Bien.

The confusion last night stemmed from a listing in the Philadelphia City Paper about a weekly, Mucho Mas Thursdays, at the Wax Bar in Old City featuring many of the same DJs. I assume that this did not happen last night, and instead will become a weekly starting next Thursday. I hope to come up with more info on this, as it sounds like another nice night.

Finally, Fluid Nightclub has a monthly jawn devoted to reggaeton, called Reggaeton Xplosion, but it seems to have moved to the second Thursday of the month. This one features DJ Juno, and is supposed to feature live acts, all brought to you by Section 8. I have not checked this night out yet, but hope to make it next month and I will let you know what's going down there. Here is a flier for the opening night, and go here to check out Libertad Records site, which is the label behind this night and a great source for Latin American music.

Okay, I am not sure that this has been at all helpful. Sorry for the weak info, but there is not much shit on the Internets about these nights yet. Reggaeton seems to just be bubbling up in the clubs of Philly, so I hope that Pound for Pound can be one of the first to report on these developments. If you know of any reggaeton events in Philadelphia, please holler at your bol.

On a similar note, I would love for Pound for Pound to be a source for what's going on in Philly and other cities, a place to hear about cool shows, exhibits, readings, etc. So, for any DJs, artists, writers, creative people doing big things, send along news of upcoming events or projects. I am always willing to try to get the word out about creative people in Philly (or any city), bringing energy, ideas and passion to the urban environment. Holla at your bol at the email on the right-hand side.