Is it blistering hot and uncomfortably humid in Manhattan yet?
Then that must mean only one thing, LAMC, is right around the corner.
Boasting the moniker of “the only major entertainment conference celebrating and supporting genres of Latin music that are left of center,” the Latin Alternative Music Conference returns to Nueva York for its 17th installment.
It is a conference, like any and all music conference one might attend. You have industry panels in the mornings and midday. And then when night falls, you get concerts by up and coming bands, acoustic showcases by fan favorites, and intimate branded shows that would otherwise not happen in classic venues around New York.
But what sets LAMC apart from say, SXSW’s SXAméricas or even the newly formed Epicentro in Costa Rica, is it’s inherent focus on appealing specifically to the young, bicultural, millennial Latinos in the U.S.
A group that in the grand scheme of things is still poorly understood by the same marketers, advertisers, and brands looking to appeal to them.
So for a week LAMC brings together folks in the music industry to craft a dialogue about this demographic in the context of the music business and peripheral endeavors.
And in return, New York gets an influx of Latin American bands performing free concerts in outdoor venues around town. I think it is win/win.
The conference runs from July 6th – 9th and KCRW is once again the official radio sponsor. As in years past, host Raul Campos, will be in NYC hosting showcases and moderating panels at the conference. In addition, this year the station will also send out Ariana Morgenstern as well as myself to see if we can’t get a better understanding of what this bicultural, Latino, demographic is listening to.
Leading up to the start of the conference, we will be profiling some of the bands on the rise, participating at LAMC, whose music best appeals to the KCRW audience. You can also expect daily recaps as well as exclusive interviews & videos during the conference.
Bands Officially Participating at LAMC:
Agudos Clef | Avionica | Buscabulla | Camila Luna | Carla Morrison | Estelares | Grenda | Hurray for the Riff Raff | iLe | Izal | Joe Crepúsculo | John Grvy | Kokoshca | La Dame Blanche | Las Robertas | Leon Larregui | Los Cafres | Mexrrissey | Miranda! | Polock | Rodrigo Amarante | Santi Mostaffa | Sexy Zebras | The Chamanas | Vaya Futuro |