Between 14 and 18 September the capital of Argentina held another edition of BAFIM – Buenos Aires Feria Internacional de la Musica. After the cancellation of 2010, the fair came this year in a new format, focusing on generating business. There was no more spaces for stands, neither the shows took place inside the exhibit space. The organization focused on the event at a place called MusicNet, where producers from 20 countries marked their meetings by an online system. Brazil has had significant participation, with 60 subscribers, according to organizers of the fair, and was, after Argentina, the country with the largest presence at the event. BM&A was there.

The gigs took place in venues around the city of Buenos Aires. Brazil scored with a presence in Brazilian Night at Club Niceto on September 15. The idea came after the trip that the BM&A has made Buenos Aires in June, while MICA – Mercado de Indústrias Culturales Argentina.  Through a selection made in partnership with the organization of Niceto, Toque no Brasil and BM&A, five artists were chosen to present that night: Tiê, Tulipa Ruiz, Lucas Santtana, Do Amor and DJ Patrick Tor4.

“Well I’m suspect to talk about Tulipa Ruiz, I love her voice, her band is one of the best and the songs are pure poetry. Although short, Tulipa made a great show, as usual, “said Gustavo Benjão, from Rio de Janeiro´s band Do Amor, which came on the stage soon after. “We went on stage at a crowded Niceto (again!). The Argentine public is special, they can be perfectly polite and attentive, and at the same time extremely excited. It seems normal but is actually difficult to find. We did a show like that… 220 volts! The reception was once again very good and we see that every trip to Argentina (there are five in the history of Do Amor) people are familiar with our music and keep up our momentum switched”, said the musician.

His Do Amor partner, Gabriel Mayall – the Bubu, praised the organization of the event: “times were respected, good backline, good technical infrastructure and good tecnitians! Still not enough all the shows were broadcast on web in high-quality video legitimizing the inter-connectivity between the cities of the Mercosul and the world. We just have to thank everyone involved. “

The night also featured the partnership of Sonoamerica label – a strong promoter of Brazilian music in Argentina – and the Brazilian Embassy in Argentina. With the venue full for almost all night, the show was a great success.

BM&A prepared a digital disc that was released to participants at the fair, which featured band of Brazilians in that night. The disk can be accessed here. We were also invited by Club Brazil Radio Program, at 106.7 FM Milenium. The conversation with BM&A aired on September 17.

DJ Patrick Tor4, frim Bahia, Brasil, who attended the event for the first time, also sent his impressions about BAFIM: “the event is different than the others I’m used to like Brazil Music Fair, Popkomm (Berlin) and Womex. In those, there is a large flow of business people and is easy to lose opportunities. BAFIM works the other way and you need to understand it to operate contacts. It is possible to know all the participants in and out of Buenos Aires”.

We understand that BAFIM is in a reformulation process, after the changes in the last two years. The model that was presented – with a focus on MusicNet and shows inside the venues, very similar to the structure of the Canadian Music Week fair – is quite interesting. However, the number of subscription has been further reduced and we expect the organization to maintain the work that has been making to expand the BAFIM in order to become a benchmark in Latin America. BM&A will work on it.