Here's a topic that didn't seem to be covered to any significant extent here on the board, so I thought I'd start the thread...

I've taken up temporary residency here in BA, so I thought I'd share my experiences in BA's non-pro club scene. You get a little tired of mongering every night if you actually live here, so if you're looking to broaden your horizons, here's what I recommend:

First, coming from NYC, I can report that BA has a surprisingly well established club scene, that in many ways mirrors everything you'd find in a large/sophisticated U.S. city. They have all the same red velvet ropes, VIP lists, cool nights of the week, bouncers, VIP sections, etc. as we do in The States.

Second, some initial observations are: 1.) nothing really gets going until 2am. 2.) sometimes some of the coolest clubs are actually restaurants that turn into clubs at about 1-2am. 3.) there is a significant difference in going to a given venue on their "cool" night of the week vs. not. 4.) there is often a long line for entry after 2am, especially if it is the club's "cool" night of the week, HOWEVER: sometimes these lines can be deceptive because they are often simply a line for guys who are hoping to get in for free. Simply paying an entrance fee can sometimes easily circumvent a line. 5.) much like many bars, if you do pay an entrance fee to most clubs it will include a ticket for a free beer/water/soda. 6.) Unlike the clubs in Rio, where things seem very blurred, there seems to be a very clear delineation between the pro- and non-pro- clubs here in BA, so if you're in a non-pro club don't waste your time offering money. 7.) Despite reports to the contrary, I find the locals don't actually dress it up quite as much as reported. While in most clubs you'll want to dress a little better than the average Dallas/Detroit/San Francisco clubber, you don't need to get quite as fashionable as you would for a good NYC/London/Paris club. 8.) There isn't quite the same level of "exclusivity" as in many U.S. club scenes. Though sophisticated, it doesn't appear that BA clubs go out of their way to avoid a crowd (by not advertising, no name, no phone #, special lists, secret location, etc.) like some U.S. counterparts. It seems that you can get in pretty much anywhere if you are willing to either a.) show up a little early, b.) wait in line a little, or c.) pay to get in.

Third, "party favors". The favorites of the Argentines seem to be weed, coke, and E. In some clubs you will witness an obvious presence in this regard. In terms of acquiring it, despite multiple reports of good places to deal etc., I've found there is simply no substitute for just "knowing someone". I've found no reputable, safe, consistent public place to deal. Once you do find it, expect to pay about 20% of typical U.S./NYC street prices.

Forth, scoring. In some respects scoring with the Argentine non-pros at nightclubs can be a real challenge. The biggest problem is the language issue because 99% of the talent in the nightclubs won't speak a word of English and the loud music/darkness will make your rudimentary Spanish understanding even more difficult. However, it may be argued that your chances of success in a nightclub may actually be even better than in a quieter bar/restaurant because if you're good looking, well dressed, or can dance then the "conversation" aspect of scoring becomes significantly less important. Additionally, it is very easy to appear to be "a player" in an Argentine nightclub because 1.) drinks are (relatively) very cheap, 2.) being American is a positive social novelty in Argentina, and 3.) Argentine men generally do not buy women drinks, either because they can not afford it or it's not their cultural norm. A small bit of typical American charm or politeness appears to go a long way with the Argentine ladies.

Finally, some resources I've found helpful:
http://www.almesberger.net/fun/night.html
This is I think a German guy who's got a very helpful website in English with reviews on some of the clubs. It is frequently updated and is the best resource for figuring out what the "cool" club on a given night of the week is.
http://www.buenosaliens.com
This is in Spanish, but easy to figure out what they're talking about. It's a local club guide that is updated almost every day with relevant events. Very "clubby" and music focused.
http://www.insexted.com.ar
Again, in Spanish, local club guide. Very clubby.

Good luck!
-Khoofoo

Thanks for the good information.

Khoofoo:

Thanks. The links you provided seem to cover pretty well the electronic music scene.

I provide the following salsa links so that people interested in salsa can research the local scene:

http://www.americasalsa.com
http://www.salsasearch.com/argentina_clubs.htm
http://www.salsapower.com/cities/argentina.htm
http://cityguides.salsaweb.com/argentina/buenosaires.htm
http://www.salserosweb.com/clubs/arg.shtml
http://www.azucarsalsa.com/index.html
http://www.lasalsera.com

Hope this helps,

Andres