OK, OK, there are music festival titans going strong all in our ears right now: Coachella and SxSW, but neither keeps it truer to indie rock than Festival NRMAL in Monterrey, Mexico. NRMAL is in its third year, with a 70-plus musical lineup from around the world, including Baja acts María y José (Tijuana), Maniquí Lazer (Mexicali), Vampire Slayer, Calafia Puta (Tijuana) and San Pedro el Cortez (Tijuana).
Festival NRMAL was created to enhance Mexico’s cultural scene by supporting some of the most innovative and emerging Hispanic acts -- alongside premiere indie acts from around the world -- to help diminish the distance between global independent music scenes. The festival is recognized as being ahead of the curve in Latin American music promotions and as the most important music festivals in Northern Mexico -- just ask rave chic/Canadian artist Grimes and Monterrey's 3BALLMTY, both of whom performed last year at NRMAL. Both artists are now being featured in Coachella's 2013 mammoth lineup.
Besides the four days of indie music galore, visual arts will act as an integrated sibling at the festival with art galleries curated by conceptual artists Jaime Martínez, Roberto Lange (Helado Negro) and the Freak City L.A. collective. A Mexican festival isn't a festival without food and tequila, so they promise a gastronomic experience at NRMAL’s food court, and calorie burning at the skateboard and BMX ramps.
Global indie acts also performing include Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti (USA), Twin Shadow (DOM), Sky Ferreira (USA), Mykki Blanco (USA), Banda de Turistas (ARG), Nguzunguzu (USA), DIIV (USA), Protistas (CL), Las Robertas (CR), Trash Talk (USA), King Tuff (USA) and Fear of Men (UK). FADER describes NRMAL as "something to look forward to and push toward all year; it’s a way of showing the world that in Monterrey, culture is important and alive"
Tickets for this festival are available through TicketFly at $25 US, granting access to weeklong events and the festival. For details regarding USA/MTY round-trip flights/bus service, hotel reservations and border crossing/visa information, please e-mail hola@nrmal.net.
Festival NRMAL is March 6-10 in Monterrey, Mexico.
Dita Quiñones is a multimedia journalist born in Tijuana with a passion for Latin alternative and hip-hop music news. In addition to SoundDiego, she contributes to Latina, FOX News Latino, Poder, VidaVibrante, and HipHopDx. She is also the founder of the infamous music and politrix blog GN$F! Follow Dita on Twitter.
