Electronic music venues, Buenos Aires, Argentina (D)

Former bank Bahrein caters to all kinds of electronic music lovers with House and Techno blaring out of the speakers four nights a week, Trance event Trance xxs on Fridays and +160s, a Drum & Bass night held every Thursday. On Saturdays, the venue plays host to an international DJ, but if that doesn’t float your boat you can always opt to spend your time in the glamorous ‘Funky Room’, only open at weekends.

If Buenos Aires is the Paris of South America, then French bar La Cigale is the venue that best represents this. With an exotic blend of locals and travelers, it seems the diverse music brings an equally diverse crowd. Every night has its own vibe, with Tuesdays being the main event, when La Cigale celebrates its roots with a French-themed night - expect to hear everything from electronica to New Wave. Wednesday’s residents serve up a hefty dose of Dub, while the weekends are mainly Electro based.

Clubbers’ haven Caix is at its most buzzing on Sunday mornings when hardcore ravers, who can’t face the thought of bed just yet, continue to party on through the day at what is considered to be one of the best matinees the city has to offer. Expect to hear Tech House and Electro, see an array of faces masked by sunglasses and feel the pounding beats pulsate through your body. Possibly the best feature this venue has to offer is its outdoor terrace overlooking the river, where you can bask in the early morning rays and take a break from the incessant fist pumping.

Alsina 940, formerly Palacio Alsina, is an enormous downtown club with two levels, two VIP areas, eight bars and a four-storey screen portraying trippy visuals; a true raver’s paradise. With an array of world-class DJ’s on the line-ups, the music’s not half bad either. Saturdays are for avid dance music fans in need some hard Electronica to keep going them till the early hours, and Sunday’s ‘Club One’ is for those who survived Saturday and want to return for one last mega bash before the weekend draws to a close. One Friday a month, the famous party State is held here, which has seen artists such as Above & Beyond, Dubfire, Sasha and Carl Cox grace the decks.

A glamorous venue in a 1920’s French building, Cocoliche is considered to be one of the best underground clubs in South America. It attracts uber-cool local youths and travellers who like to party hard to Electro beats, Minimal House and Drum ‘n’ Bass. You’ll either wind up a hot sweaty mess after spending a night clubbing in the crammed basement, or decide you can’t quite hack it and just go for a few drinks in the street-level bar.

Palermo-based Levitar is the place for Electro-Minimal fans who like to start their night late and continue on through till the final hours of morning. The décor may be minimalist but the sight of highly intoxicated party-goers with their broken faces and erratic dance moves certainly adds a fair bit of colour. Local up-and-coming DJ’s play a mix of all genres to cater to the packed crowd, who alternate between the main room, pool room and smoking area that, curiously, is inside of the bar.

Unique, two-storey building, Niceto is most famous amongst dance music fans, and in fact everyone else, for Club 69, the bizzarre party where transvestite strippers, break-dancers, and banging Techno are combined every Thursday night. However, the Magic Parties, which are also held at the venue and which provide uninterrupted Trance, Techno and Progressive should not be overlooked, for they’re one of the few Electronic music nights that have managed to last in the city over time.

An Irish pub that plays Electro in a posh neighborhood may seem odd but, surprisingly, it works. Its audience is as eclectic as the venue itself, with everyone from business executives to young backpackers frequenting the place each night of the week. The Shamrock itself is one of the few places that fills up early, particularly on Thursdays, whereas the Basement Club is better between the hours of 3am and 6am, when a rotating roster of remarkably decent DJ’s focus on Electronica and Deep House.

This superclub is a ‘maze of fun’ with dance floors, terraces, outdoor VIP area and five bars. The venue, which is located on the riverside, has had its ups and downs since changing its name from Mint, but now it’s back with a vengeance and the big crowds have started to return. Friday nights are catered towards the gay crowd, whereas Saturdays attract Trance fanatics with DJ’s such as Markus Schulz, Dash Berlin and Bryan Kearney regularly on the line-up. The video projections fit perfectly with the pounding beats and the enormous hordes of partygoers will inspire you to keep dancing all night long.

Jah Bar is your classic Palermo bar, where DJ’s spin mainly Reggae and the clientele rock up in tracksuit bottoms with ample supplies of weed. Up top is a spacious terrace/smoking area, while downstairs has less of a Rasta feel and is a bit more chic with a swish bar, screen projections and Techno beats.

Located in the city centre, Vox is a modest-looking venue with two floors where you can experience a truly dark, underground side of Buenos Aires. Go on a Friday night for what will inevitably be an unforgettable night of Trance, Hard Trance and Psytrance, with some seriously nutty ravers stomping away in eye-catching attire and acid-infused visuals on all the walls.

Renowned Ibiza superclub Privilege came to Buenos Aires but managed to maintain the same Balearic feel with three enormous floors, numerous VIP areas, a panoramic view of the river and, undoubtedly its best feature, a retractable roof enabling people to dance under the stars. Another great venue for Trance lovers, Privilege hosts event Trance XL, which has previously welcomed DJ’s such as Lange, Arty and Marco V.

Liv is the perfect place to kick off your weekend in style with Friday night’s event Together, where Argentinian DJ duo Festa Bros can be heard spinning Tech House in a venue masked by deep red lighting. This is not only a great event for music, but for people-watching as well, as it’s full of young trendy Porteños that come to be seen and flaunt their moves beneath the numerous shiny disco balls hanging from the ceiling.

A favourite amongst locals and travelers, Miloca is another go-to spot for those who want to carry on the fiesta after seven in the morning. Complete with a lounge area, backyard bar and garden, this uber-cool venue is perfect to host an after, an opinion no doubt shared by all the merry revellers in their sunglasses, who continue to dance while the sun comes up.

If you’re looking for a rave on a Tuesday night, then Kika is the place to go. Whereas on all the other nights only commercial chart music can be heard, Tuesdays play host to Hype, an independent electronic music party that has been running for five years. The main styles of music are Electro, House, Dubstep, and Drum & Bass, spun by international artists including Steve Aoki, Miami Horror, Delta Heavy and DJ Yoda, who play to a mixed international crowd.

Buenos Aires’ original and most famous superclub Pacha is still a favourite amongst locals and travellers and, with the best lighting and sound production the city has to offer, it’s clear to see why. Pacha continues to fill up every weekend after midnight, where clubbers lose themselves in Techno, Trance and House until it finally closes at 8am. Big-name international DJ’s play alongside talented local artists accompanied by sensational visuals and shows in this enormous venue which overlooks the river, just like in its original home of Ibiza.

Another megadisco located in the heart of Palermo, Crobar is consistently packed, particularly on Friday nights when top international DJ’s come to play the best in House music. The venue, whose main dancefloor is surrounded by a network of balconies, walkways and tiered VIP areas, is renowned for its spacious setting along with its cutting-edge technology and cool, laid-back vibe.