Cardamomo Flamenco Madrid

I used to always imagine flamenco as this passionate dance that took place in darkened stages. During a recent trip to Spain I finally got the chance to visit a Tablao Flamenco. I was happy to see that it was everything I always imagined and even more.

— Marina Kuperman, travelingmom.com

Live music is thriving in Madrid, from classical and opera to blues, rock and jazz, but the speciality is flamenco. It may seem odd that the music of the south is so important up here, but there are two reasons for that: first, a lot of Andalusians have made their homes here, and second, any flamenco artist worth his salt wants to play the big tablaos — dinner shows — in el capital. Cardamomo is the real deal, catering to a crowd that knows its bulerias from its soleas. There are three sessions a night, at 6pm, 8pm and 10pm, and, obviously, you’ll go to the latter.

— The Times

“Estupendo show, flamenco de verdad, sin dramas ni estilos impostados, en este show los que bailan, son flamencos de verdad. El mejor bailaor masculino que he visto en años. Las chicas impresionantes. Fue tan bueno que repetí.”

— VeroM5, TripAdvisor

All the spontaneity and raw passion of flamenco where a knowledgeable crowd gathers for live performances many weeknights from around 10.30pm. It’s all about a cantaor (flamenco singer) and guitar maestro, and this evocation of flamenco’s Andalusian roots ensures that Cardamomo is where the great flamenco performers really feel at home.

— The Guardian

“Cardamomo is dark, tight, and as the clouds formed inside, and the dancing and wailing began, the rooms became filled with energy. Each of the dancers interpreted the music, as they saw fit, and you felt that you were watching the creation of a dance, every time a new dancer started…dancers entered trances, clicked, and clocked, rapped with the guitarists, all the while the singers added their inspiration to the cause. The dancers, while on this small stage, commanded the audience, and it was a treat to watch them walk off the stage with all humbleness, after being musical assassins on stage.”

— Dave R, TripAdvisor