DJ Juanito Latin Music in Liverpool

In September 1998, Chauffeurs nightclub in Liverpool closed down, meaning the end of their regular Latin nights, known as Poco Loco. Latin nights regularly close down, so what is so special about Poco Loco? Well, it was the first Latin club in Liverpool. Many, many people who dance Salsa in Liverpool have danced there (and a large proportion of those learned to dance there) and just about every current Latin club in Liverpool is run by someone who has had some association with Poco Loco at some time. However, for me personally, the thing about Poco Loco is that it is the place I first heard Latin music and the place where I learned to dance Salsa.

It all began for me with some friends, Jennie, Andy and Steve. They are the sort of people who try a new activity every week. They'd ring me from time to time to ask if we wanted to try windsurfing or horse riding or some other exotic activity. One Wednesday, we got a phone call from them saying that they'd heard about this club which had Latin American dancing and did we want to go there the next day. Well, we couldn't go with them that Thursday and I was quite relieved. I had visions of fake tans, fixed smiles and sequins. The next time we saw them though, they said what a good time they'd had and did we fancy going with them the next week. We said yes and went along, together with our preconceptions

As you can guess from the fact that I'm running these Salsa web pages, we had a really great time. The music wasn't the cheesy ballroom Latin music I was expecting, it was jazzy and rhythmic. The people weren't stuffy as I thought they'd be, but were just normal people. All in all, I had a great time and I've been dancing Salsa ever since.

At that time, Chauffeurs was a really great place to dance. Poco Loco took place in the basement of Chauffeurs, which had a really great wooden dance floor (albeit in a dingy room). It was full of dancers and always got really hot, with a great atmosphere.

Even though it has closed, the Salsa scene in Liverpool can be traced back to Poco Loco: Juanito, who DJs at Bar Buro is the original DJ from Poco Loco; All the other Latin DJs and dancers followed.

Article written in February 2001
copyright Ian Finch@uksalsa.com