Last month marked the fifth anniversary of MACROCOSM, the debut full-length from Colombia-based psychedelic funk trio BALTHVS, the project of guitarist Balthazar Aguirre (who’s joined by bassist Vanessa Muñoz and drummer Santiago Lizcano), who left a career in law after a life-changing rock-climbing accident to pursue a more creative existence. BALTHVS have basically been living a life on the road for several years now, spending this summer playing a mix of headlining shows, festivals, and gigs opening for Lettuce. Their currently scheduled dates take them through the US, Europe, and the UK through early December, and they’ll be in town to play two shows at The Met on October 10th and 11th amidst a run supporting My Morning Jacket. I recently got a chance to chat with Balthazar Aguirre about all of this, the special sets that BALTHVS are preparing for their dates with MMJ, and a one-time Philly band that left an especially significant impression on him over the summer.
Izzy Cihak: You just dropped a remix of “Lovin’” [off of 2024 LP Harvest] by Thievery Corporation’s Eric Hilton, which is totally great, but you also dropped a remix EP [A Remix Collection, Vol. 1] earlier this year with a ton of really cool collaborations. How is it getting to have so many great artists provide their takes on your music?
Balthazar Aguirre: It’s a great honor! Thievery provided a huge influence on us, a chill out groove through a global lens that barely existed before them. Having Eric doing the Thievery touch thing to our music is a dream come true.
Izzy: You’ve already done a lot of touring this year, between headlining shows, festival performances, dates supporting Lettuce… What have been some of the highlights of your time on the road this year?
Balthazar: A big highlight was Montreal Jazz Festival, playing main stage at sunset in front of 10,000 people was a major moment for us, very epic! Electric Forest was also wild, everyone looks otherworldly there and there’s magic in the air. Some festivals are just green lawns with stages, that place is unique.
Izzy: Do you approach shows at all differently depending on the setting? I mean, obviously theatres, nightclubs, and open-air festivals all seem to make for pretty different vibes and have their individual elements that make them cool.
Balthazar: Yes, festivals are more about our original material and playing as perfectly as possible. Our headline shows feel more relaxed, we throw in some covers, easter eggs, and we get more exploratory during our songs with jam sections. Some cities also make us feel “tighter” or “looser.” It’s great because it makes every show different.
Izzy: Has all of this time on the road (especially at the festivals) introduced you to, or reacquainted you with, any artists that you especially love?
Balthazar: Yes! I remember watching Jon Butler videos 15 years ago, and to finally see him headline at Edmonton Folk Festival was wonderful. We were also introduced to Mt. Joy, which was a delight; they are an amazing band.
Izzy: You’ve still got an absolute ton of upcoming dates, but you’ll be here on the start of your run with My Morning Jacket, when you play two nights at the opera house. What can be expected of those performances?
Balthazar: It’s going to be short 40-minute sets, so we will try to condense our experience in that time frame! The interesting thing about the My Morning Jacket shows are the multiple night runs. We’re aware how MMJ doesn’t repeat setlists, so we’ve been preparing to do the same on those nights.
Izzy: Are there any upcoming dates you’re especially excited about?
Balthazar: We’re very excited for Iceland Airwaves. It’s such a unique place on Earth, to play there feels amazing.
Izzy: You’ve been on the road more or less nonstop for a few years now. Do you have any advice for young artists looking to tour or who are still learning to make it work on the road? Is there anything you think is especially helpful for holding it all together?
Balthazar: This nonstop touring has made us very health conscious. We try to eat good, non-processed stuff, drink lots water, abstain from alcohol or any substances, and we hit the gym frequently. That certainly helps with keeping morale high and reducing our risk of getting sick. It really does work.
Izzy: You just had the fifth anniversary of your debut full-length, MACROCOSM, so I’m curious how you feel about your debut these days, half a decade on? I know you still play songs from it with some regularity.
Balthazar: A wonderful record, the songs have grown with us, and we owe it everything, it was filled with a spirit of calmness and stillness, one of the few positive things the pandemic brought about.
Izzy: What are some of your most vivid memories from that earliest period, whether related to writing/recording or playing/promoting?
Balthazar: We were at my family’s farm with Joha, being happy and enjoying life away from the noise of the world, I kinda miss those times.
Izzy: Do you consider there to be any significant differences between how you approach writing, recording, or even performing now, compared to back then?
Balthazar: Yes, the notion of time has completely changed. We used to have time to exist, now every day something is happening, that is a blessing but also a curse sometimes.
Izzy: Finally, your current tour dates take you into December, but what does 2026 hold for BALTHVS, in addition to the Jam Cruise in February? Anything you’re especially excited about?
Balthazar: We’ll take a break from touring, and focus on making music, which is really the main reason we got into this.
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