Last week I took a short trip to Colombia but never left my little Pacific Northwest community. In fact, I’ve traveled to a number of locations around the globe as a result of Bellingham’s incredible musical diversity: a Gambian Kora virtuoso, an expert Zimbabwean marimba player, Italian manouche jazz, Australian power pop, and Canadian folk.
Bogota, Colombia-based BALTHVS, as part of the continuing BellinghamExit showcase, made its Bellingham (Washington) debut on a recent Thursday night to an enthusiastic, nearly sold-out show at the Wild Buffalo House of Music and further cemented this region’s reputation for pleasing, varied musical artistry.
Formed during the Covid pandemic in 2020, BALTHVS (pronounced bôl + thus) brought together Balthazar Aguirre (guitar, vocals), Johanna Mercuriana (bass, vocals), and Santiago Lizcano (drums, vocals). Fusing various influences Aguirre says that “we wanted the music to meld with the peaceful environment surrounding us at that moment.” Indeed, BALTHVS’s music reminds one of warm sultry afternoons, lazing about while simultaneously soaking in the tropical sun’s energy.
In five short years, BALTHVS has managed to produce four full-length albums, dozens of singles and EPs, and performed around the world, including Colombia’s largest music festival, Rock al Parque, performances at SXSW (2022, 2023, 2024) in Austin, Texas, and successful tours in the USA and Europe, playing over 56 cities in 19 countries on four continents.
BALTHVS’s music is often described as a “genre-defying sound [that] blends cumbia, surf rock, funk, and Turkish musical influences” or simply “psychedelic funk.” Expecting drawn-out jams reminiscent of the Grateful Dead’s “space” improvisations, BALTHVS instead delivered straightforward, clearly defined songs, eschewing long musical jams albeit with plenty of improvisation and spontaneity. At Wild Buffalo House of Music on Feb. 27, I found myself captivated by the band’s interpretation of jazz, blues, rock, funk, and yes, surf as Balthazar, Johanna, and Santiago effortlessly combined genres throughout their perfectly paced 90-minute set.
The opening duo, Seattle-based Terror/Cactus, set the musical vibe with 40 minutes of “psychedelic electro cumbia and experimental digital folklore” as described on its website. The marriage between traditional cumbia beats and melodies with lead guitar, electronica, and driving percussion succeeded in drawing the audience to the stage and loosening the atmosphere for the headliner.
Watch BALTHVS perform “Surf Medley” live on YouTube:
BALTHVS took the stage with Balthazar lauding Bellingham for its beautiful bay to introduce “Surf Medley,” a Chantays, Dick Dale, Reverend Horton Heat cover. “Asha” and “Anouk,” from their 2024 album Harvest (Mixto Records), quickly followed, the former bathing us in its exotic Middle Eastern vibe, while the latter transported us around the world to Mexico with its Santanaesque guitar work. The tempo picked up with the driving disco-adjacent, “Sun and Moon” before slowing things down with the mellow “Sun Colored Eyes” (the two songs also from Harvest).
Continuing with an older tune, “Sunflower Jam,” from Cause and Effect (Cubensis Records, 2022) the band eased into a laid-back blues groove giving Aguirre a chance to stretch out on guitar, Mercuriana’s bass and Lizcano’s percussion settling into an easy and solid rhythmic footing. I found myself fascinated with Aguirre’s guitar playing, its tone and his attack, while marveling at how the band’s rhythm section locks into the groove of each song. At one point during BALTHVS’s 2024 KEXP performance, Aguirre seemingly spontaneously breaks into Santana’s “Gypsy Queen” (from Abraxas). Nearly a note for note recitation of Santana’s famous Black Magic Woman outro, Aguirre nonetheless makes it his own. I heard the same confidence and unique approach at the Wild Buffalo performance, his clean, precise lead guitar reminding me of Eric Johnson, one of my long-time favorite guitarists.
Stream BALTHVS’s 2024 release Harvest on Spotify:
Now firmly ensconced in the concert’s middle section, BALTHVS continued delving into its back catalog with “Light it Up,” and “Canoas,” also from Cause and Effect. Ramping up the energy in the room with “Cumbia Medley” kept the crowd dancing while the lush vocals and smooth jazz mood of “Vapor Waves” soothed us into its easy mellow vibe. “Ojos Verdes” closed out the set but the band soon returned for a lengthy encore set.
Watch BALTHVS in a live performance of “Johanna’s Dream” on KEXP via YouTube:
The first song, “Johanna’s Dream” (from BALTHVS’s 2020 debut album, MACROCOSM) found Balthazar and Johanna slowly prowling the stage, snakelike, as the song’s ethereal melody and sensual rhythm mesmerized the packed house. “In Lust” picked the energy back up in the room and led into “Eclipse Solar,” a driving funk workout that ended the show on a wonderfully satisfying high note.
For more music, video, and tour information, please visit the BALTHVS website.
Here are some more photos of BALTHVS at the Wild Buffalo House of Music on Feb. 27, 2025. All photos courtesy of and copyright Mark Caicedo (except as noted).
