Phew! We’ve almost made it to the end of 2020 and despite all odds, we’ve been able to come together as a community and put on some absolutely banging shows, even if the audience is in another neighborhood, city, or country- and we’re back for another edition of the The Setlist.

We’ve been looking in every nook and cranny to find you some sweet local treats throughout the year and it’s amazing how much great output has come about, despite the adversity which has been prevalent during this period. It’s been great to bring back a little bit of normalcy to this very challenging time for many people.

If this is your first time landing onto our lineup of local picks, welcome! And if you’re looking to create your own multi-day festival from the comfort of your couch, you can check out some of our previous picks here.

1)Arte20| Música Expandida Online

The Instituto de Artes UNSAM have joined forces with Música Expandida Online to present Arte20, comprising a collection of the talented resident artists who during 2020 joined with their experiences, hearts and vibes to showcase their work and keep the passion alive amidst impossibly tough odds.

Previous iterations of The Setlist have featured Música Expandida Online frequently, and for good reason. They always manage to put together an amazing lineup of talented artists who explore the wider scope of noise and soundscape music.

If this is their wrap party for the year, they’ve placed a fantastic footnote bringing a perfect close to 2020.

Stand-out Set:

01.12.37 – BLAU – Lautaro Schachmann of Blau pieced together a brilliant live improv set featuring infectious grooves, from the inclusion of his trombone alongside driving rhythms which were a common theme throughout his performance.

2) Disturbio en Otra Historia

I keep coming back to Otra Historia, week by week, to check out their latest offerings in the live music department, despite never having stepped foot in the place. It makes me all the more excited to check out one of their tasty live sessions in the flesh when lockdown measures are relaxed a bit further. In this live session we bare witness to Disturbio presenting Public 66, Hardware Dreams and Lara Kuzmanic, who equally deliver some proper bouncing sets that will turn your living room into a sweaty dancefloor. Starting off strong with Public 66, we see a progression of tightly mixed techno leading into Hardware Dreams, where things become far more chaotic and industrial, in turn a perfect entree into Lara Kuzmanic’s high-octane, energetic closing set.

Stand-out Set:

00:00:00 – All of them!! – I need not say more because this session has a bit of everything for the most discerning bassheads.

3) El Circuito Online Edición #1 – Panda Rojo Espacio Cultural

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Panda Rojo Espacio Cultural is an institution dedicated to the promotion of theatre, comedy, poetry, and music in central Buenos Aires. During the last few months of quarantine, like many venues, they’ve taken a pretty big hit. So on November 20th, they ran their first ‘El Circuito Online Edición’ fundraiser, with all proceeds going to the maintenance of this important piece of CABA’s artistic pie.

This online event saw the collaboration of many different artists and thespians who came together and showed their support and gratitude to a place that holds great importance within this sphere.

You can watch the performances at your viewing leisure on the Instagram or Facebook page of Panda Rojo Espacio Cultural, and make sure to support these absolute legends here.

Stand-out Performance:

00:00:00 – Vajra – Comes out with a bluesy number with some filthy slide guitar to boot, lathered in the voice of someone who sounds like they’ve been smoking cigarettes and drinking petrol since they were a wee one.

4) Victoria Scioli: La Sala

My jaw literally dropped when Victoria Scioli and her band swayed into the first song of this show hosted by the team at La Sala, who have kindly opened their doors and created a warm space to promote musical culture in Argentina; it’s good to see more and more venues welcoming this new movement of livestream entertainment.

Although only showcasing two tracks, it’s an 8-minute romp, going from sultry smooth jazz to some fun samba that put a massive grin on my face, watching this collective vibing out and feeling the moment.

Stand-out Track:

00:05:32 – “Amor Proibido” – Some A-class samba and a quality choice to cover the late great Cartola.

5) Wara Wara – Desde el living – Ángeles Camblong

In the last month, Villa Crespo cultural space Wara Wara has been releasing nice intimate shows every Saturday at 10pm, live from their living room.

In this edition we are treated to the smooth sounds of Ángeles Camblong, best known for her work with Hermana, a project she shares with Sole Testagrossa.

For most of this compact session she performs solo, but another musician on a drum machine accompanies her towards the end. However, she is at her most powerful when left to her own devices.