Latin America’s largest music industry gathering
Well, next week I am off Guadalajara for FIMPROgdl 2026, the huge Latin American Music Industry conference hosted by the University of Guadalajara, (for perspective, UdeG has 280,000 students, two music schools, and its music/video/drama school complex, the Santander Center, has a 1000-seat concert hall, a 400-seat smaller music venue, and a 200-seat playhouse, plus a plaza that can hold two full-scale rock stages, and 5000 people).
That is where I will be.
The conference lasts for 4 days. The first three days are divided between morning meetings between bands and artists and industry executives, the afternoons are showcases, and the evenings are bus tours of clubs in the Districo Americo (Guadalajara’s entertainment district – similar to Hollywood, only larger). Since the sponsors include tequila brewers and beer distributors…well, you can imagine ( I have never paid for a drink, and there have been a lot of drinks).
Two things I love most about FIMPRO are the structure that puts artists in front of industry executives, which includes the likes of the President of Spotify, the Music Director for Disney, and heads and staff of the major radio networks in Latin America. Bands and artists can sign up for 10 min “speed meetings” with industry leaders, promoters, labels, and agents of their choice.
The other thing I love is, of course, the music. Over 600 bands and artists apply to be in the FIMPRO showcases, and 30-50 are chosen. The application process looks for new bands and rising talent from Latin America (which includes Spain, Canada, and occasionally the US). The chosen bands and artists are formally introduced to the music media – people like me – and industry reps, like concert promoters, label presidents, A&Rs, etc. At night, it is a rolling party, with the chosen bands playing at local clubs and the attendees bused from club to club to see them.
Bands that are not chosen come anyway, book themselves into local clubs, and promote themselves at FIMPRO so they get a chance at the execs.
The fourth day of FIMPRO is open to the public (the first 3 days of FIMPRO are industry-only, like NAMM) and is given over to PortAmerica, a Spanish organization that produces food and music events in Europe and Latin America. It features the top chefs in Guadalajara and Madrid and famous indigenous chefs, who serve their specialties from a purpose-built walk-up restaurant, and national level concert on two full-scale stages, headlined by Lila Downs and 7 other chart toppers from Latin America and Spain. No greasy hamburgers and stale fries here – only the best gourmet food in the city, and it’s cheap; A plate costs around $7 or $8. The beer and tequila are not free, but very reasonable (and there are samples!) About 5000 people attend, including FIMPRO pass holders who are free; public tickets are about $35.
Mexicans know how to party, even when they are working.
My favorite part of FIMPRO is the showcases of new bands and artists. Some of the bands making the cut this year are :
María Centeno (Gdl, MEX), Bachata Mexican Combo (MEX),Latvian Pé (DO), Without Algorithms,Nara Pinheiro (BR), Nirl Cano (MX), Aka Figueroa (MX), @Nat (MX), Emiliano Ortiz (MX), The Mountain Inside (MX), Eleva, Hispanic (MX), LosPetitFellas (CO), LOBEL (AR), HONEY (EC). Most of them are on Spotify or Bandcamp, so check them out.
The FIMPRO team is another of my favorite parts of the conference Because it is hosted by a university music school, many of the decision makers are students or recent graduates, giving the event a very young cast. Things work well, but the staff is open to creativity and innovation in the music selected and presented. Several bands were chosen because not only is their music good, but they also defy genre categorization. will announce more on Wednesday as we file in.
I will report next week (sorry, I am usually too engaged to live-blog, but maybe…). If you want to check out where I will be, go to https://fimgdl.udg.mx/index. If you don’t read Spanish, set your computer to translate to English. It is all there.
