🏢 State of the Art: Coachella, BIME Bogotá, Chicano Batman's New Album
Exploring the cutting edge in Latin-American music and music industry news
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity, but we’re now back and revved up to share some exciting updates with you all. Here's what's been cooking and what you can expect from this Substack in the coming months:
Coachella Catch-Up:
I’ve been a habitual viewer of the Coachella livestreams on YouTube for more than a decade now, but unfortunately I missed out on this year’s edition, as I was out enjoying some quality time with relatives. Fortunately enough it looks like Weekend 2 of the festival will be streamed live on YouTube as well, so I’ll make sure to catch some of that, and to publish remarks about the performances.
BIME Bogotá First Announcements:
BIME recently dropped some bombshell news about their upcoming showcases, and it will be stacked with emerging talent from across Latin America and Spain. Here are some excerpts from the event’s official press release, and what Billboard Magazine had to say about it:
BIME — the international music industry gathering held in Bilbao, Spain since 2013 and in Bogotá, Colombia since 2022 — returns for its third edition in the Colombian capital. The event will take place from May 8th to May 11th at various venues in the Creative District of Calle 85, such as the Universidad EAN, Sánchez Cervecería, La Patrona, Egua, Mad Radio, and 440 Music Hall. It will feature the participation of over 60 international artists and key figures from the music industry.
This year's BIME Pro will feature the presence of Spanish rock legend Enrique Bunbury, Spanish singer Lola Índigo, Mexican-American musician DannyLux, and our own Director of Content for Billboard Latin/Español, Leila Cobo, among other professionals.
The lineup, which brings together artists from across Latin America and Spain, includes Anakena and Vera Delacruz (Venezuela), Austin TV (Mexico) Milena Wharton (Peru) Cromo X and Letón Pé (Dominican Republic). Also featured on the list are Cuban singer Daymé Arozena; Cali Flow Latino, Diana Burco, and La Pardo from Colombia, plus Spanish artists like Baiuca, Barry B, Ben Yart, Ginebras, Navarra, Izaro and the producer Gorka Urbizu.
BIME has built a reputation for celebrating emerging talent and outstanding musical projects, while positioning itself at an epicenter of creativity and leisure.
Participating organizations include Sounds from Spain, the Ministry of Cultures, Arts, and Knowledges of Colombia, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the District Institute of the Arts of Bogotá (IDARTES), Global Toronto and Mundial Montréal with the support of FACTOR Canada, Spanish Cultural Action (AC/E), the National Music Institute of Uruguay (INMUS), the Music Commission of Navarra, TuneCore, and more.
To view the full program and obtain more information, you can visit the official BIME website here.
Also stay aware to this publication, as we’ll most likely be attending the event, and posting briefings about the different showcases and talks.
Chicano Batman's New Album:
I recently held a brief but substantial call with Carlos Arévalo, the lead guitarist from California sensation band Chicano Batman, about their hot new record Notebook Fantasy. I’ll be posting some insight about it this Sunday 21st on the New Music Vault.
On another note, the official MMR New Music Vault playlist will be available on the Spotify platform and here on Substack starting May 3rd.
For the time being that’s all folks. Stay tuned for more updates, playlists, and insider bullets coming your way.
Until next time, keep the rhythm alive!
Marco Pisciotti
Music enthusiast & content creator
Villa de Leyva, Colombia. April 18th, 2024.