In early July Shure Incorporated sponsored the 12th annual Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC), a four-day event in New York City celebrating Latin music and attracting more than 30,000 music enthusiasts and industry insiders. A supporter of the conference for three years, Shure microphones have played a major role in the festival – from concerts, broadcasts, and panels to prize packages. Highlights of this year’s conference included sets by Jarabe de Palo, Ely Guerra and Los Lobos.
Billed as the only major conference geared toward the marketing of Spanish-language alternative music, LAMC is an artist-friendly event providing access to the genre’s leading artists, label executives, journalists, managers, retailers, and programmers – in short, the most extensive gathering of Latinos in entertainment to be offered by a music conference. This year’s conference saw 1,200 entertainment professionals and industry players converge on the Roosevelt Hotel to take part in industry panels, exhibitions, press conferences, and networking.
“Our goal is to help foster artists’ careers and promote their music, raising overall awareness and appreciation for Latin music, and the amazing talent that exists in the category,” noted Tomas Cookman, Founder of LAMC, and President and Founder of Nacional Records. “As Latin music becomes increasingly more popular, and the conference continues to grow, we’re grateful for the support of Shure, a company revered and trusted by artists and professionals worldwide.”
Shure gear could be found throughout the conference, including SM58® microphones, which were used for all panel discussions and vocal performances at nearly every venue. Additionally, a combination of SM57s, excellent for instrument pickup, and Beta 52®As, engineered specifically for low frequency applications, were used on drums for performances throughout the event. To ensure crystal-clear transmission all singers at the Central Park SummerStage used the UHF-R® wireless system with an SM58 head, with the exception of singer-songwriter Guerra, who used her wired champagne-colored KSM9 vocal mic, specially designed to deliver extraordinary detail during live performances.
Other Shure endorsers taking part in the conference included the Mexican band Hello Seahorse!, winners of the La Zona award at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards Latinoamérica, and Latin GRAMMY Award-winners Choc Quib Town, which picked up the Best Alternative Song award for their hit, “De Donde Vengo Yo.” Additionally, eclectic and influential independent radio station KCRW in Santa Monica, California, sent DJ Raul Campos as its on-site correspondent. Campos used Shure mics throughout the event – from hosting concerts and panels to interviewing artists for his show.
“As always, this year’s festival featured informative panels and exciting performances by a fantastic roster of Latino artists from all over the world, ranging from industry icons to gifted newcomers,” said Terri Hartman, Director of Marketing Communications, Shure Americas. “We know that the right gear can make all the difference to performers, so we’re proud to support these talented musicians as they continue to follow their passions and further their careers in the music industry.”
Each year the LAMC selects an “Artist Discovery” winner, and this year the honor went to indie pop act Napoleon Solo from Spain. As part of its win, the band received a microphone package courtesy of Shure worth almost $4,000, including SM58s, SM57s, a Beta 52A, a Beta 98AMP/C-3PK, and Beta 181/Cs.
Source: Shure Incorporated Press Release
