Win a Trip to Vive Latino! Memories from Mexico City

You only have a few days left to enter KEXP’s 2016 Vive Latino flyaway and seize the opportunity to win a free trip to two for this awesome music festival in Mexico City, April 23 and 24. KEXP asked last year’s winner to share a few of her memories from Vive Latino 2015, and here’s her enthusiastic reply.

Dear KEXP

Thank you again for making our Vive Latino flyaway trip possible. My heart skipped a beat when I found out I won, and that was just the first of many memorable and exciting moments.

Flying into Mexico City, the largest metropolitan city in the Western hemisphere, was an awesome sight from above. And 70,000 of the people below attended Vive Latino festival, held in the city’s Foro Sol, an expansive and well-laid-out sports/concert venue with three main stages and eight (or more?) side stages.

As its name suggests, the festival had a focus on Latin American rock music but by the end of three days we heard artists from all over South America and other international countries.

Things that stood out about Vive Latino compared to other music festivals:

1. The high-energy, music-loving patrons! Everybody in attendance had a huge smile on their face, never stopped moving, dancing, singing, rocking out to the acts on stage. People were all very welcoming and willing to share the space to party. Needless to say, we met A LOT of new friends!
2. No-waste festival/cleanliness: Vive Latino was one of the cleanest music festivals I had ever been to. All the patrons picked up trash to recycle, and most vendors had large reusable cups you could get your beer served in. And at the end of the festival you could turn in your recyclable stack of cups for a festival prize. I was impressed.
3. Unique vendors: We were always elated when we saw the Mezcal vendor carts come near, offering Mezcal shots or Mezcal icy pops for a few pesos. How fun is that?

During our four-day visit we discovered SO MUCH new and incredible music! Bands and genres I would have never been exposed to otherwise. Nortec Collective: Bostich & Fussible on the main stage was phenomenal; they had a huge sound, and luckily we caught them based on a new local friend’s recommendation. Telefunka, Mariel Mariel, and Molotov were also some top picks.

My friend and I are specifically into electronic music and spent most of our time at a smaller wooded stage with incredible stage art/lighting, where we discovered our favorites: Sotomayor, MC Peligro, Mr. Pauer, Bufi, SLKTR, Pollyterror, Sanchez Dub & BN Loco and Subatomic Sound System.

Vive Latino was a music extravaganza I soon won’t forget! My friend and I are already saving up and considering going again this year in April. Thanks again KEXP from the bottom of our hearts!

Sincerely,

Larissa Tietjen & Jennifer Brett