If this topic interests you, read on and be sure to see the videos at the end of the Post.

Unless you are visiting from another planet, you most certainly have seen Cirque du Soleil either in person or on cable.  It is they who certainly changed the very definition of Cirque style productions.  Saying that, I must admit I get really annoyed at the artsy-fartsy stuff they throw at you.  I am talking about goofy (to me) music, stupid costumes of those… how can I describe them… weird people who seem to not add a thing to the show. They do not perform… they just sort of exist and make stupid faces. OK… I am culturally challenged. Give me the action! I want to see what I paid to see… the incredible acrobats, the clowns… the whole magilla.

So this weekend, I am surprising Maria Luisa by taking her out to dinner and a show… in this case the show is Le Grand Cirque currently making a run at the Palacio de Los Deportes (Sports Palace) in Heredia. I can safely say I am surprising her as she never reads my blogs and, so far as I know, neither does anyone she knows.

Much has been written about the cost of living here. Let me be the first to say that the overall price increases of the past five years have not left cultural events in their wake.  Tickets for this show, (called entradas in Spanish), run an incredible $73.00 per seat!  Add even a modest dindin for my wife and me and we are looking at a about a $200.00 night out.  Sadly… as I am married, I cannot even be assured of getting lucky. Sigh…

There are cheaper seats, of course… $38.00 if you choose to sit with the common people. the hoi polloi, or in Spanish…  la chusma***.   However, even at $38.00 a seat, that is a truly expensive evening out for the average Tico family with a couple of kids. I paid the extra tariff because as I said, I want to see and be near the action. We also do not go out all that often. *** DO NOT write to me about that comment!  It was supposed to be FUNNY! Sheesh!

Anyway… Here are some videos that may interest you.

Le Grand Cirque Promo Video

Click here to view the embedded video.

Le Grand Cirque – Strongmen in action

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Guy who plays with the Huge Cube – Neat but I do not know why!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Le Grand Cirque Video from Australia

Click here to view the embedded video.

They usually have rules about taking cameras into the show, but if possible, I’ll get some shots to add here.

I found out about this a bit late (Friday) so I did not have adequate time to get organized. The concert began at 10 AM and ran until at least 11:00 PM.  I say at least because I was not around at the end.

I had some work to do, so Maria Luisa and I did not arrive until about 4:30 which was about right as I think any earlier would have made for a really long day.

The venue was the Club Cubano (the Cuban Club) in Guachipelín de Escazú, not far from the MultiPlaza Mall. We were able to get parking about ten yards from the first stage, but that was just luck.  There appeared to be adequate parking though. There were apparently two stages.  We never went looking for the other as we were kept entertained at the first, and more important, we had good seats and out of the wind.

Now I know I am not going to receive a modicum of sympathy from those still in the Northern part of the US, but man it was COLD!  It has been very windy and the temps poolside (yeah, the stage was near the pool, was nasty… blowing non stop about 25 MPH. The temp was about 71 (cold for here) but the wind chill made it feel like 60.  I wore a coat for the first time ever since I arrived here.

Headliners were Guitar Shorty and Sonny Boy Terry, both from Houston. However, there were at least three other bands down from the US, The Road Dogs, San Diego CA,  Robbie Clark and the Live Wire Blues Band, Austin, TX, and V and the Wholly Cats, Canada (that was the only crummy band I heard!).

I guess what really amazed me, and probably shows my ignorance,  were the FIVE blues bands from Costa Rica (some links below), and I am here to tell you that the local boys were Goooood! Whudda thunk it??  Imagine Latin Blues players… but as I think about it… why not? Costa Ricans take their music very seriously and there are a ton of truly superb musicians in Costa Rica.

While I would guess the crowd consisted of about 60% North Americans, the rest were Costa Rican and from what I could see, they not only enjoyed the show, they knew their blues!

The beer flowed in rivers, but the food left something to be desired. There was supposed to be Texas BBQ, but we could never find it.  That was sad as the food we could find was overcooked chicken and some truly horrible hot dogs.  I am sure if we were serious drinkers, the food would have tasted delicious.  I remember eating some horrible food in my college days that I endorsed heartily as delicious after 8 to 10 beers.

In any case, this was a first rate show, certainly not equal to the multi-day Fests in the US, or some of Chicago’s fine blues clubs, but well worth the time and money ($25.00).  Next year, I will make a point of knowing well in advance and making better plans.

Link:

The Known Associates

Calacas Blues

The Blues Devils Band