Salon Canning

Salon Canning in Buenos Aires closed for tango events in 2022!

Salon Canning in the Palermo neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, was basically a tango institution – a house of tango, a place with milongas happening every day of the week, with different organizers, but with one thing in common: tango.

Milonga Parakultural in Salon Canning has been one of the most famous milongas in Buenos Aires – if not the most famous one for the last 20 years. It was happening every Monday, Tuesday and Friday night, organized by the famous Omar Viola. Of course, it was my favourite Buenos Aires milonga.

I have spent countless nights dancing on that old wooden floor, and no Monday, Tuesday or Friday night without going to Salon Canning ever existed for me. I also had the honour of being a DJ on many occasions, and I loved every single time playing music in that beautiful salon.

Tango-DJ-Alenka-DJ-ing-at-Milonga-Parakultural-in-Salon-Canning-2017
DJ-ing at Milonga Parakultural in Salon Canning, Buenos Aires Argentina
Happy after a DJ-ing night at Milonga Parakultural, with Omar Viola, the organizer

I was completely horrified when I heard the news that Salon Canning was expelling the milongas one by one, starting at the end of 2022.

It started with removing the excellent tango photos taken by Guillermo Monteleone, who was almost an official Milonga Parakultural photographer for many years.

Milonga Parakultural in Salon Canning with the famous mural by Guillermo Monteleone on the back wall

It continued with removing his famous tango mural – his artwork which was a trademark of Salon Canning. As far as I know, the mural is currently being held hostage by the new owners/managers of the salon and Monteleone cannot get it back.

And, of course, it ended with closing the door of Salon Canning for all the milongas, including Milonga Parakultural.

The end of Salon Canning – photo taken by Guillermo Monteleone, the official Milonga Parakultural photographer, on the last milonga night – Friday, December 30th, 2022

I am not completely sure about the reasons: I assume that it probably has to do with new owners wanting more money.

But I think that the beautiful Salon Canning, a Buenos Aires tango institution, should remain a house of tango and not change into something completely different due to the change of management.

And I cannot imagine that the next time I will be in Buenos Aires – probably somewhere later this year, I will not be able to hop into a taxi and say to the driver: “Scalabrini Ortiz con Cabrera, por favor”, and go to my favourite tango place in Buenos Aires. Salon Marabu in downtown Buenos Aires which was kind enough to give shelter to the famous Milonga Parakultural and Omar Viola starting in January 2023 is great. Still, it definitely isn’t as great as Salon Canning.

Oh yes – one more sad thing: it will no more be possible for me and many other tangueros to walk from Salon Canning to La Viruta at 4 am early Saturday morning, moving from Milonga Parakutural to enjoy the last two hours until 6 am dancing at Horacio Godoy’s La Viruta.

With my friend Facundo Lazzari, director of La Juan D’Arienzo tango orchestra, in Salon Canning in happy times – the famous mural on the back wall
Tango DJ Alenka
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