The Latin UK Awards (LUKAS) Gala & After Party Concert

Phantom of the Opera lead Gerónimo Rauch and West Ham footballer Enner Valencia,
Voted UK's Most Popular Latinos

“The hottest event in the Latin diary” Flamenco star, Carlos Acosta

Britain's most popular Latin personalities from the worlds of music, sports, dance, art, business and television come together on Wednesday May 13th for the 4th Latin UK Awards Gala (LUKAS) 2015, to be held at Camden Town’s celebrated KOKO venue.

Celebrating under one roof the best of Britain's diverse and dynamic Latin cultures in a spectacular Gala Ceremony and Live Concert After Party headed up by 70’s Venezuelan Fellowship Award winner, Jorge Spiteri & his Latin Funk Allstars.

Winners Phantom of the Opera lead Gerónimo Rauch and West Ham footballer Enner Valencia collect their awards in front of their peers including Chelsea’s Juan Cuadrado, Fulham’s Hugo Rodallega, and Arsenal goal keeper, David Ospina.

Celebrating with them also are ex-World Cup winners and Spurs legends Osvaldo Ardiles and Ricky Villa, former Spanish international star, Gaizka Mendietta and BBC One’s The Apprentice’s Felipe Baquero.

One of 70’s West London’s more flamboyant musicians, Spiteri who produced two albums Amor ‎ and Negocios Son Negocios ‎on major UK labels EMI & Polydor Records, which are hailed as seminal works of Latin disco funk and rock and hugely influential to the Latin American pop bands that followed. Spiteri recorded with Traffic’s Chris Wood and Tyrone Downie (Bob Marley & The Wailers) as well as rubbing shoulders with legends like Stevie Wonder and Jimi Hendrix, and he returns to KOKO, the very venue where he broke his unique Latin Rock fusion when it was known as the Music Machine/Camden Palace. The Godfather of Latin Funk, Jorge Spiteri is set to light up KOKO’s famous stage at the After Party Concert with his new Latin All Stars featuring Karl Vanden Boscche (Blur), Tony Remy (Annie Lennox), Steve Lewinson (Amy Winehouse), Pete Lewinson (George Michael), Urban Soul Orchestra (Take That) and Roberto Pla.

Argentine Gerónimo Rauch, better known as the lead in the West End show “The Phantom of the Opera" is the overwhelming winner of Vocalist of the Year whilst West Ham’s Ecuadorian Enner Valencia wins Sports Personality of the Year. Buenos Aires star Rauch began his career as winner of Argentina’s Pop Idol, becoming a megastar as a member of the country’s biggest ever boy band, Mambrú. Rauch has gone on to play three of the biggest male roles in musical theatre – Phantom, Valjean and Jesus.
Gerónimo Rauch singing.

After his success at last year’s World Cup, West Ham United forward Enner Valencia has been a high impact player in the first part of this season, contributing to the fantastic run that took the East London team to fourth place in the Premier League.
Hosted for third consecutive year by Spain's most popular TV presenter Boris Izaguirre, Venezuelan comedian George Harris, and dancer Yanet Fuentes, the LUKAS Gala Ceremony attracts an A list cast of Award presenters and winners. Last year’s Gala featured Human rights activist, Bianca Jagger, Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera, Flamenco’s Carlos Acosta as well as designer Vivienne Westwood, Pink Floyd’s Dave Gilmour and Luis Suarez.

Air Europa LUKAS (Latin UK awards) is the annual awards ceremony that recognises the contributions of one million Latin American, Spanish and Portuguese residents to British life.

Winning a 2015 LUKAS Award is renowned Venezuelan pianist Clara Rodríguez, who collects Classical Act of the Year. Born in Caracas and London resident since she was 17, Rodríguez, enthuses “ It’s a great celebration of the passion among Brits for the Latin culture and I’m delighted to win this prestigious award.” London’s Colombians sweep up 5 of the 10 music awards with Vibraphonist Dorance Lorza winning Musician of the Year.

Winners to be announced on the evening of the LUKAS Gala Ceremony include Visual Artist Of 2015, whose work will be displayed at Rich Mix between May 2nd-3rd and Personality and Entrepreneur of 2015, with BBC’s The Apprentice Felipe Baquero a finalist.

LUKAS Winners 2015 (Already Announced)
Vocalist of the Year - Gerónimo Rauch (Argentina)
Sports Personality of the Year - Enner Valencia (Ecuador)
International Sports Personality of the Year - James Rodriguez (Ecuador)
Fellowship Award Winner 2015: Jorge Spiteri (Venezuelan rock latin pioneer)
Musician of the Year, - Dorance Lorza (Colombia)
Classical Act of the Year - Clara Rodríguez (Venezuelan pianist)
Urban Act Of The Year - Mike Kalle (Rapper)
International Artist Of The Year - Juan Luis Guerra and Romeo Santos (Two mega artists representing Dominican Republic)
Tropical Act Of The Year -Robin del Castillo (Cali born singer)
Alternative Act Of The Year - Fernando’s Kitchen (with its great fusion of Flamenco, African and Latin styles - Spanish show)
Tropical DJ Of The Year - Fernando KBson
Crossover DJ Of The Year - DJ Luigi Sanchez

Last year, Argentine Spurs legend Osvaldo “Ossie” Ardiles received a LUKAS Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to British Sport. "We’ve come such a long way since me and Ricky (Villa) first came. Our cultures have given a huge amount to British society, if you think about sports, music and food its incredible the progress we have made here and this is a wonderful way of celebrating it," said Ossie, “It’s a beautiful ceremony and great to get together and celebrate the contribution that Latin Americans and Spaniards have made to the UK.”

Valencia won his award with overwhelming support from the UK’s burgeoning Colombian and Ecuadorian communities. The 25-year-old Ecuadorian striker arrived at West Ham following a successful World Cup, in which he scored three goals in Ecuador’s first two group games. Valencia joined West Ham from the Mexican side Pachuca, where he was the league’s leading goal scorer.

“The fans are spectacular in England. The supporters in South America sing more - they are always singing - but the West Ham fans are a bit South American. There’s always one song here, another there, they are always singing,” said Valencia.

Chilean Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal) is runner up for Latin Sports Personality of the Year
As International Sports Personality of the Year Colombian & Real Madrid star James Rodríguez pips Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo to win the LUKAS this year.

***Ossie and Ricky are signing shirts at La Patagonia Restaurant, opposite KOKO from 5.30pm***