El Sol Club / Live Music Venue

Sol (El Centro), Madrid –

An icon of madrileño nightlife since 1979, El Sol was at the epicenter of La Movida – the cultural upheaval that took place at the end of the Franco dictatorship and resulted in an explosion of art, film, and music.

Although El Sol (a.k.a. Sala Sol or Sun Room) forgoes the dazzling laser shows and fog machines of Madrid’s other major clubs, what it lacks in flashiness it makes up for in attitude and a fabulous rhythmic vibe.

A wide spiral staircase leads music-loving guests into an L-shaped room glowing with pinkish-red light and featuring a small corner stage reserved for the live indie, funk, and alternative bands.

As soon as the place shifts into disco mode at midnight, however, this velvet-curtained space is invaded by a casually stylish club crowd. The DJ, from his booth overlooking the scene, unleashes a seamless fusion of hip-hop, 70s funk, and electronica that keeps the diverse clientele of bohemian and mainstream partiers dancing until the wee hours.

In other words, until El Sol comes up.