The Lowdown on Buenos Aires’ Candlelight Concerts

What’s the deal with these perennially-publicised concerts?

I’ve been curious about Candlelight Concerts for a while now. You see them advertised everywhere, promising a moody, romantic setting, glowing candles, and orchestral reworkings of familiar artists. As such, I kept wondering if they were genuinely worth checking out, or just very effective social media fodder with jazzed-up promotional videos.

When I spotted a good date, it was the right excuse for a surprise night out (and early Christmas present when you’re 20 years in and needing ideas) for the better half. It also doubled as a musical wind-down after a gig run that went from our son’s first-ever at Imagine Dragons to the polished pop prowess of Dua Lipa and the emotional return of Britpop and rock legends Oasis — a run that came with a brief, unexpected moment of family fame, too.

The Event

At their core, Candlelight Concerts take well-known music — ABBA, Queen, film scores, Christmas carols, the whole crowd-pleasing collection — and give it a classical makeover (if it doesn’t already have one). Out go the amps and pyrotechnics of stadium gigs, and in come pianists, string quartets, and classical ensembles. I guess the goal isn’t to rattle your ribcage, but to make familiar songs feel more intimate, and with a hint of theatrical flair. Sounds good so far.

As the name suggests, the venue was decked out with thousands of candles – 9,000 we were reliably informed by the young staff. They are actually LED replicas (perhaps for safety), but they did a grand job of creating a dramatic and romantic ambiance. Cynics might call it music for ‘I listen to everything’ people, while others will see it as a clever middle ground where recognizable, international artists meet talented, local musicians.

The Theme

Our musical focus for the evening was British songstress Adele. She’s not a staple of my playlists, but the missus is a fan, she’s never played Buenos Aires, and her Las Vegas residency was always in the ‘nice idea’ category. I also inexplicably know the lyrics to the majority of her tracks. This then seemed like a perfectly respectable compromise.

About a 12-song set (roughly one hour) of Adele’s biggest hits was performed flawlessly by Cuarteto Velse. This is a professional quartet from La Plata made up of two violinists, a violist, and a cellist. It was a polished performance, and after looking them up, I can see that they’ve been regulars at these concerts for a while, and thus have perfected their repertoires.

The Venue

Our concert was at Teatro Margarita Xirgu (Chacabuco 875), in San Telmo. It’s part of the Casal de Catalunya cultural center, and one of those historic Buenos Aires theaters that’s eye-catching without being intimidating. Deep red velvet seats face the stage, framed by ornate balconies, while a painted ceiling and warm, golden lighting give off a quiet grandeur. The seated capacity is only 480, and sightlines seemed to be good from all areas. All in all, the setting was faultless, the acoustics outstanding, and the candles did indeed create the right amount of romance.

There’s a restaurant and small bar inside the theater, and it would’ve been nice if the bar had been open for pre-event drinks. However, a small kiosk does have snacks, sodas, and even cans of Stella Artois. Perhaps not your typical theater tipple, but we did hear the occasional hiss and pop of cans opening during the show. Fortunately, most who purchased Pringles and popcorn refrained from munching on them mid-song.

The Tickets

For this show, ticket prices ranged from $37,000 to $71,000, which (give or take a few thousand pesos) is about the standard for these concerts. I booked in Planta Baja Zone A ($51,000), which was the middle-front zone of the floor seating. I’d considered booking a palco (box), but as seats are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis within each zone, I didn’t want to risk having to lean over someone’s shoulder all night.

As it turned out, we arrived 30 minutes before the start (doors open 45 minutes prior) and ended up sitting in the third row from the stage, with uninterrupted views of the band. The Zona Premium ($71,000) of the floor area only had two rows of seats, so wasn’t really worth almost 40% more. With the speakers facing directly at the floor, I’d say the sound quality would’ve been marginally better here than if sitting in the side boxes or the upper tier.

The Verdict

Was it worth it? Yes, in fact, it was better than expected, and very possibly something we’d look into going to again. It’s not cheap cheap, but also not outrageous, so falls in the treat rather than splurge category. You’re paying for live musicians, a striking setting, and a format that’s a little different from the usual Buenos Aires night out. Also refreshing was the theater’s repeated request for guests not to take photos or videos until the band gave the okay. This meant an entire hour of music without a phone screen held up to your face.

The Prelude

To heighten the surprise, I booked a table at Grapín (Bolivar 938) before heading to the theater, which is conveniently just two blocks away. Opened about a year ago, it’s the latest venture from the team behind neighborhood stalwarts El Banco Rojo and Puerta Roja. It’s set inside a 1900s casona and feels as much a neighborhood hangout as it does a trendy cocktail and wine bar. An airy marble bar anchors the space, where we chose to sit, surrounded by cozy tables and a leafy patio.

On offer is a 100% vegetarian and vegan menu, with dishes like bruchettes, fresh pastas, mushroom milanesas, and lasagna. We ordered a cheese plate (three national cheeses drizzled in honey and served with polenta bread), croquetas (corn and cheese, sundried tomato pesto, and basil oil), and burrata to start, followed by the mushroom lasagne. It was washed down with a Negroni, Old Fashioned, Penicillin, and Rodocrosita (gin, rosehip and lemon verbena cordial, and sparkling wine).

The bill for four plates and four cocktails came to $125,000, which, considering the quality of the food, drink, and setting, was perfectly reasonable. We also arrived in time for the daily happy hour, which has a 25% discount on cocktails, wine by the glass, and a selection of small plates.

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