After perusing the Dance Guide pages we posted for September 17, 1944, our friend DJ Dmitry Pruss made the interesting observation that very few of the ads for live performances stated the price of entry. We're still pondering why that might be, and we'll let you know when we come up with an answer. But just so you don't lie awake wondering what the prices actually were, here's an ad from one of the most popular clubs, River Plate, offering a live appearance by The Maestro himself, Aníbal Troilo. As you can see, the prices are clearly stated. The text reads:
TODAY at 10 p.m.
CLUB ATLETICO RIVER PLATE
Extraordinary Dancing Soiree
in the salons of its Monumental Stadium
Típica: ANÍBAL TROILO
Jazz: RUDY AYALA
=> MEMBERS, $1.50 -- MALE GUESTS, $3 -- FEMALE GUESTS, $1 -- FEMALE MEMBERS, FREE
SPECIAL OMNIBUS SERVICE FROM BARRANCAS DE BELGRANO
By the way, there was a bit of price creep between 1942/43 and this year, '44. Formerly, the price for male guests had been $2 or at most $2.50. By '44, it was more often $3, although some venues held the line at $2. BCGs held the line at $1, ladies usually free.
All prices are in pesos. One 1940 pesos is the equivalent of about $3 USD today.
$1 ARG (1940) = $3 USD today - feels right, but I wonder how you came up with that?
Posted by: Michael Lavocah | 09/22/2015 at 11:00 PM
BTW we don't see different lead vs. follow admissions in the US, and I wonder if it is a cultural norm or a legal rule, and how did it evolve?
Posted by: Dmitry Pruss | 09/23/2015 at 04:29 AM
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/10/battle-of-the-prices-is-it-ever-fair-to-charge-one-sex-more/381546/
Posted by: Dmitry Pruss | 09/23/2015 at 06:46 AM
Michael, Dmitry Pruss and I worked this out when we were discussing my post about the Di Sarli gig at the Argentine Bartender's Association.
http://www.tangodecoder.com/2015/07/balance-sheet-for-a-di-sarli-fundraiser.html
Wikipedia has a an article on the historical exchange rate of the peso. It shows that one peso was worth about 25 cents US in 1946. Then we used DollarTimes.com to determine that 25 cents in 1946 was worth about $3 in today's dollars.
Posted by: Michael | 09/26/2015 at 08:31 PM
Dmitry, I suspect the difference in entry prices for men and women was an acknowledgment of the inequity in employment of the time.
Posted by: Michael | 09/26/2015 at 08:39 PM