One thing Uruguay is not known for is its nightlife. Overall, Montevideo is a very mellow city, but if you know where to look, you can find good spots for entertainment, including live music. One such place is Via Bar.
We were introduced to Via Bar by some good friends of ours, Ken and Jan. Shortly after moving to Montevideo, Ken joined up with a local Blues band, the Pablo Traberzo Trio. Pablo is an amazing guitarist… Brian says he’d put him up there with Jimmy Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn. However, no one knows who he is because he’s from Uruguay.
Ken is a well-known harmonica player that has played with all the Blues greats, and both him and Jan have awesome voices. Brian had seen them a couple of times prior (I was always too tired). This past Friday night was my first time at Via Bar. And, I’m sad to say it will be our last time seeing the same show since Jan and Ken just moved to Vilcabamba, Ecuador this morning (we’ll miss you!).
We had front row seats for the show, which meant loud music, but we got to see everything up close and personal. The show was great and we had a lot of fun. It was only the second time we’ve had a babysitter since moving to Montevideo in May.
Although Ken and Jan are gone, the Pablo Traberzo Trio will still be playing at Via Bar every Friday night. If you’re looking for live music in Montevideo, we highly recommend you go check them out. For a small taste of the type of live music you’ll get, check out this YouTube video:
Via Bar is a small, but lively place. They have a full bar and they serve “bar food.” The live music show with the Pablo Traberzo Trio sells out almost every Friday night, so make sure you reserve a table ahead of time.
Via Bar is located at Luis Alberto de Herrera 2751 esquina Monte Caseros. Their phone number is (598 2) 487.9630.
Via Bar:
Ken and Jan on stage:
Pablo the guitarist:
Moyi the bassist:
Martin the drummer:
