November brings the fourth annual All My Friends Music Festival, a one-day marathon of indie shows that’s the would-be South By Southwest of Tijuana. Held outside the Casa de la Cultura, a 1930s red-brick schoolhouse atop a hill overlooking downtown, this year’s lineup boasts some 30 shoegaze, hardcore, punk, and electronic acts from both near—TJ, SD, L.A.—and far—Puerto Rico, Chile, and Estonia.
AMF fell together in 2010 when founder Argenis Garcia and his sister returned from Coachella, both broke. The logical fundraiser when most of your friends are DJs or in bands? Clear the furniture, set up a few stages, and throw a massive house party. Some 500 people showed up and stayed until dawn. The turnout inspired Garcia to make it an annual happening. He calls it a community festival that’s not only about the acts, but the family and friends who helped organize it from the get-go—hence the name. Even his mom pitched in, selling tacos at the first fest.
But more important, Garcia noticed a new generation of Tijuana bands not receiving the exposure he felt they deserved, and wanted to do something about it. AMF is a chance to showcase what’s going on in Tijuana, musically, and also be at the epicenter of independent music in Mexico and Latin America.
“It’s not only an opportunity to discover and embrace new acts,” Garcia says, “but to close cultural gaps between both cities, and work together in becoming this amazing cultural avid region.”
November 16, 5 Calle Paris y Lisboa, Colonia Altamira. All ages. amfmf.com.
