Placencia is popping once again! I mean, by Placencia standards. We’re back to our pre-pandemic “bustle” which by many other comparisons is still fairly laidback but it’s “high” season and vacationers are here, things are happening. Just look at my Calendar of Peninsula Events and you’ll see that something is going on any night of the week: fundraisers, bar games, and LOADS of live music. The usual suspects of local talent make a round robin of the peninsula’s establishments but Cha Chi’s is bringing a bit of diversity to the same old scene. They’re providing an arena for the regular guys to stretch their repertoire and they’re retaining bigger name acts from outside the immediate area. Cha Chi’s is probably the best venue around for performances and if you haven’t been, then now is the time to go check it out (they’re celebrating their 6th anniversary!).
We went to Cha Chi’s twice last week to scope out the music scene. Friday night was fun with friends for “grunge night” with Matt and Ed. These guys are regular performers around the village bars and typically play a lot of classic rock and some newer pop songs so it was cool to go see them do something new and niche. On Saturday we went to see Sweet Pain, a band from Dangriga that is well known for their Punta and Paranda music. They threw a few reggae songs in the first set while they were warming up but their second set was strictly the rapid rhythm and infectious drum beats that define the Garifuna music. They had the crowd going and the girls dancing, what a good time!
Cha Chi’s provides a certain atmosphere for musicians that many other venues in the village do not. The bands are the entertainment not just the backdrop. They have lighting and a proper soundboard (imagine that!) that set the stage for performances as a focal point for your evening as opposed to background noise at a bar. You can enjoy the show from a table, a barstool with a back, or the dance floor if you’re so inclined! A full menu of apps and entrees are available in addition to the pizzas they’re most know for. Follow them on Facebook or, of course, keep apprized of my events calendar and catch an upcoming show.
