[Tango-L] Why are you dancing tango if they are not playing tango?

[Vince Bagusauskas]

Only a few bands I have heard in Australia come anywhere near to the typical 
Golden Age band sound.  Doubt any ever will as who can afford the have *any* 
type of big band play these days.

I would like to pay a little more and hear at the very least a bandoneon 
player in a band as it gives authenticity to the music.  But in Australia 
there are very few players and only one band (in Melbourne, a family affair 
from South American extraction) that has one.

Also, seems like many comments have already stated, the local bands I have 
heard, play for themselves, rather than for the dancers who enjoy the sounds 
of the Golden Age.  Some bands, because of their various combination of 
unique instruments  (try having an electric guitar, organ or harp in your 
band), vocal  style and arrangements are difficult to interpret and thus 
dance too.  Music that we are familiar with, having heard a hundred times 
before hand, the leader knows what is coming ahead how to hit the right 
accents and I followers appreciate that from comments I get.  Try doing that 
to some weird Piazolla piece (for example) and the leaders job has just 
become so much more difficult than it already is.

When music is not danceable in the traditional sense (you may insert nuevo 
here if you like) or the singer is just plain off key (which happened to me 
here recently), then it time to go to the bar or have a toilet break and not 
delude oneself that you are listening to tango music "tipica".

So what do others think?  Do you go to any band than plays tango or do you 
have standards?

Vince
In Melbourne