The London Latin Music Festival, La Linea, returns in 2018 with a wonderful mix of music boasting everything from traditional Cuban music, Latin rumba, ska and punk from Spain, Chilean classics, genre-spanning sounds from Mexico, and future Iranian/Afro-Cuban inspired electronica.
The first acts confirmed for next year’s festival are former Buena Vista Social Club frontman Eliades Ochoa, who returns to the UK for the first time since the iconic band’s farewell tour in 2015 to make his solo debut at the Royal Albert Hall, the UK premiere of a special tribute to Latin American composers in Hollywood, Sonorama, which nods to the likes of Juan García Esquivel, Lalo Schifrin, Maria Greve, and Johnny Richards in a big brass and electronic reinvention led by Mexico-City based composer and performer Camilo Lara, and global phenomenon Mexrrissey, who will premiere their brand new show ‘La Reina is Dead’ at the Barbican.
Also on the initial bill is Chilean-French singer Ana Tijoux, who returns to London for the first time since her sold-out appearance at La Linea in 2015, diverging from her hip-hop roots to explore a more intimate sound and style through her new project Roja y Negro: canciones de amor y desamor. The festival also welcomes back London-based Iranian/Cuban quartet Ariwo, who will deliver their boundary-pushing sound that combines the raw energy of Cuban rumba with the deep melancholy of Iranian electronic music to the Village Underground, iconic Senegalese outfitOrchestra Baobab, and Catalonian supergroup La Pegatina, who will showcase their unique mix of Latin rhythms, lively urban rumba, ska and punk to audiences at the Electric Brixton.
Created by Como No in 2001 to showcase the Latin contribution to the wider musical world and to celebrate new artists, new collaborations and new projects, La Linea has built a global reputation for bringing together a host of stellar Latin artists to London every April. La Linea 2018 runs from April 20th to 30th, and tickets are available from FridayDecember 1st at www.lalineafestival.com.
Confirmed so far:
Sonorama – The Barbican | Friday 20th April
Ariwo + Soundspecies – Village Underground | Monday 23rd April
Eliades Ochoa – Royal Albert Hall | Wednesday 25th April
Ana Tijoux – The Jazz Café | Thursday 26th April
Orchestra Baobab – The Barbican | Friday 27th April
Mexrrissey – The Barbican | Sunday 29th April
La Pegatina – Electric Brixton | Monday 30th April