Latin Alternative Music Conference

The Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) is a conference geared towards the marketing of Spanish-language alternative music, founded in 2000.^[1][2] According to LAMC, over 30,000 people have attended LAMC concerts, parties and art exhibits, at venues throughout New York City.^[2]

Latin Alternative Music Conference

Formation	2000
Founder	Tomas Cookman, Josh Norek
Type	industry conference and concert series
Location	New York City
Website	LAMC Website

History

The LAMC was founded in 2000 by Josh Norek and Tomas Cookman as a way for Latin alternative musicians to network and promote their work.^[3] Cookman originally had the idea when seeing crowded panels on Latin alternative music at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas.^[4]

Cookman envisioned a steady, incremental growth of the music's popularity, stating, "It’s not going to be exploding tomorrow and then gone nine months later ... It’s not about one song, one band, one dance move, one fashion. We don’t need our Macarena moment."^[3] The New York Times described the LAMC as "a gathering of dedicated underdogs, rallying behind music that envisions a polyglot, multicultural, border-hopping 21st-century culture ... all loosely connected by a willingness to push past divisions of genre and geography".^[5]

The LAMC celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019^[6] and its 25th anniversary in 2024.^[7]

Events

LAMC features industry panels on topics such as Marketing to Urban Latino Culture, Approaches to Retail, Print Media/Television/Radio, Advertising & Sponsorship, International Markets, Music in Film, and others.^[1] Panelists have included Gabriel Abaroa, Carlos Vives, Pitbull, Thom Russo, Raul Campos, and Johnny Marines.^[8]

The Pinker Tones, who performed at the LAMC in 2006, 2010, and 2013

LAMC also features concerts by Latin alternative artists at top New York City venues like Prospect Park, Central Park SummerStage, Bowery Ballroom, and Mercury Lounge. LAMC performers have included Ozomatli, Orishas, Julieta Venegas, The Pinker Tones, Manu Chao, Plastilina Mosh, Los Amigos Invisibles, Calle 13, Natalia Lafourcade, Nortec Collective, Babasónicos, León Larregui, and Mexrrissey.^{[2][9][10][11][12]}

LAMC features an annual "discovery" contest in search of new talent. Winners receive a chance to perform at an LAMC concert, inclusion on the LAMC compilation CD, and other prizes. Past winners include Kinky, Los Abandoned, Cuarto Poder, Pacha Massive, Carla Morrison and ILE.^[13][4]