This New Argentinian Indie Festival Looks Awesome And You Should Totally Go

With Lollapalooza expanding further into South America with an Argentinian edition in 2014 it signaled that Buenos Aires’ festival market was booming.

The Argentines are no strangers to large-scale music events. Both Quilmes Rock and Pepsi Music Festival built their livelihoods on bringing huge international acts to the country. Lollapalooza of course would be no different.

But with an increasingly crowded festival market is this really the best time to be starting up a new Argentinian festival?

If Music Wins was going to be just another large music festival the answer would be no. But this event promises to be an important point of difference for Buenos Aires’ music scene.

While the lineup still has plenty of big names, as you’ll see below, the focus is on quality not quantity. Headlined by our own homegrown talent, both Tame Impala and Pond will appear. While Four Tet and Metronomy are set to get audiences dancing the likes of Mogwai, Real Estate and Beirut all have credible reputations for putting on incredible live shows.

While the lineup is certainly tailored for a more niche audience compared to its counterparts Music Wins is set to be a music festival, which puts the music ahead of mere profits.

To prove their credentials the promoters in la Folks developed their trade with a series of shows that included the likes of Tame Impala, The xx, Kurt Vile, Thurston Moore and Mac DeMarco to name a few.

Held in Mandarine Park over two days with three stages the event is capped at just 7000 punters.

It’s no surprise that the organisers have gone with a simple name and a straightforward mission statement of being “authentic”.

They’re music fans after all and it looks like Buenos Aires is about to be hit by a music festival, the likes of which it hasn’t seen before.

Read on discover our quick 5 step guide to the event.

1. Book Ahead Before It’s Too Late

The good news is flying to Buenos Aires doesn’t take quite as long as the much frequented international festival destinations in Europe and North America. The bad news is that flights to South America can be quite expensive. But if you’ve got the cash, why not? Tickets to the event are pretty cheap too. It’s about $1100 Argentine Pesos, which works out to be around $140 AUD.

Get in quick before it’s too late and get your tickets here!

2. How To Get There

The train system in Buenos Aires can be a little confusing if you’ve got limited Spanish knowledge and while catching public transport some of the way might be easier it will probably be easier to catch a cab to Estadio Mandarine Park. Just write down the address and the name of the venue and you should be fine. For future reference the address is Av. Costanera Norte y Av. Sarmiento.

3. Where Should I Stay In Buenos Aires?

Hosteling International Buenos Aires is just a short walk from the Obelisco and is central to many of the city’s other attractions. However it’s generally busy most of the time so book ahead as soon as possible. Other highly rated hostels worth checking out include Viejo Tlemo, Sabatico Travelers Hostel, BA Soho Rooms and Milhouse Avenue. If you’d prefer to pay more for a hotel the usual names in Four Seasons and the like should see you covered.

4. But What If I Don’t Speak Spanish?

Take a few lessons then? Ok, so that may not be that practical depending on your situation, but getting around South America without Spanish isn’t an impossible task. It’s certainly daunting though and if you don’t brush up on the basics you might find yourself having a hard time. The locals will appreciate it if you try too. Just write down common phrases, use your body language and you should be fine.

5. You Can’t Miss Buenos Aires’ Music Scene While You’re In Town

With a bunch of great record stores, music venues and local bands the Argentine capital is one the best places to experience live music in. It doesn’t hurt that the South Americans know how to experience a nightlife either. Prepare yourself for a few late nights though, the party doesn’t get started until at least midnight. We prepared a guide a little while back full of tips to get the best out of your stay in Buenos Aires, check it out below.