FESTIVAL GUIDE 2019 - The Best Festival Experiences in Europe
Whether it’s discovering new underground acts or indulging a travel buzz, music fans demand an extraordinary experience from festivals these days. A festival no longer means piling into a field for a weekend and accepting the meagre facilities on offer. More often it’s a wallet-friendly trip to a different European country, to combine music with local culture, nightlife, sightseeing and gastronomic delights. From partying in a 17th century Balkan fortress or an Icelandic glacier, to pool parties, beach raves or lakeside gigs, there’s something here for everyone. Make a music festival your holiday of a lifetime in 2019...
SEA STAR FESTIVAL - SUPERSTAR DJs AND MEDITERRANEAN POOL PARTIES IN CROATIA
May 24-25 | seastarfestival.com
Acts Announced: Sven Vath, Nina Kraviz, IAMDDB, Illario Alicante, Enrico Sangiuliano, Petar Dundov live, Vojko V, Krankšvester, High5, Fox, DJ Jock, Lawrence Klein, Unique, Hazze, Buntai, Smoke Mardeljano
Sea Star is another coastal dance extravaganza hatched by the experts behind EXIT, so it’s no surprise that it’s been nominated in the Best Medium Sized Festival category in this year’s European Festival Awards – less than two years after its first edition (it was also nominated for Best New Festival last year). Sea Star will return this year to the idyllic Stella Maris lagoon in Umag, Croatia on May 24 and 25, with special opening and closing parties on the 23rd and 26th. With over 70 artists on six stages, from local Balkan heroes to international superstars, Sea Star is an event with high production values in a stunning Mediterranean paradise. And if you need a time-out from dancing, Umag’s historical Baroque and Renaissance buildings and winding streets are a hive of quaint bars and restaurants. Still, it won’t be long before you’re drawn back to the lagoon with that 4/4 pulse nearby… Sea Star festival takes place from May 24-25, with an opening party on May 23 and a closing party on May 26.
SECRET SOLSTICE - GLACIER RAVES AND SURREAL MIDNIGHT SUNSHINE IN ICELAND
June 21-24 | secretsolstice.is
Acts announced: Black Eyed Peas, Robert Plant and the Sensational Spaceshifters, Martin Garrix, Rita Ora, Patti Smith, Morcheeba, The Sugarhill Gang with Grandmaster Melle Mel & Scorpio, Foreign Beggars, Pussy Riot, Kerri, Chandler, MK, Mr.G, Jeremy Underground, Boy Pablo, SMASH TV, ALXJ, Ari Árelíus, Árstíðir, Ása, Auður, BenSöl, Birgir Hákon, Birnir, Captain Syrup, Carla Rose, Chris Hirose, Clint Stewart, ClubDub, Dilivius Lenni, Doctor Victor, Exos, Floni, Grúska Babúska, Hatari, Högni, Ingi Bauer, Joey Christ , Johann Stone, JóiPé & Króli , KrBear, Logi Pedro, Mike The Jacket, Monello, Nitin, Oktavdj, Pink Street Boys, Ragga Holm, Ricoshëi, Rokky, Séra Bjössi , Skaði, Sólstafir, Sprite Zero Klan, Sturla Atlas, Svala, The Vintage Caravan, Una Stef, Vibes, Vök, Vom Feisten, Warmland.
Secret Solstice is all about unique experiences – the most obvious being the fact that the sun doesn’t set for the whole 96 hours, so get used to midnight pool parties in bright sunshine. As well as an eclectic line-up of US, European and local acts, Iceland’s premiere music festival is a bucket list party in the capital Reykjavik during the magical summer solstice. The carbon-neutral festival prides itself on using Iceland’s stunning natural spaces and rugged landscape as a backdrop – while the main stage hosts many of the blockbuster acts, you can literally have an underground vibe, at exclusive raves in a glacier and a 5,000-year-old lava tunnel. Back above ground, catch DJ sets in naturally heated lagoons or at boat parties in the midnight sunshine – and marvel at glistening waterfalls, black sand beaches, caves and vast volcanic fields on special day trips. Secret Solstice is celebrating its fifth anniversary, and 2019 is set to be its biggest edition yet.
EXIT FESTIVAL - PARTY IN A 17th CENTURY FORTRESS OVERLOOKING THE DANUBE IN SERBIA
July 4-7 | exitfest.org
Acts announced:The Cure, Skepta, Amelie Lens, Boris Brejcha, Carl Cox, Charlotte De Witte, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Desiigner, Dj Snake, Greta Van Fleet, IAMDDB, Jeff Mills, Lost Frequencies, Maceo Plex, Paul Kalkbrenner, Peggy Gou, Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, Tom Walker, 65daysofstatic, Adriatique, Atheist Rap (30 Years), Bad Copy, Boston 168 Live, Dax J, Hazze, HIgh5, I Hate Models, Johannes Brecht Live, Krankšvester, Krešo Bengalka, Monika Kruse, Peter And The Test Tube Babies, Sajsi MC, Satori Live, Shdw & Obscure Shape, Sofi Tukker, Soilwork, Tarja, The Selecter, Van Gogh, VojkoV, Whitechapel, 30Zona, Akioki, Ana Rs, Arcturus, Asphalt Chant, Atlas Erotika, Bajko Felix, Bekfleš, Black Lotus, Black Serbs, Blend Mishkin, BoBadu, Bokee, Booze & Glory, Bronze, Buntai, Bush Mad Squad, Butchaa, Cake Boys, Coeus, Das Ich, Deadly Hunta, DJ/Mc Killo Killo, DJ Danjahras, DJ Laki & DJ Rokam, DJ One, DJ Spery, DJ Verso, Dfndr, Dub Duba, Dunkelbunt, Elioh, Elon, Enforcer, Entombed A.D., Fam, Global Village People, Goran Kan, Grade 2, Grimegod, Herbal Queen, I.N.D.I.G.O, Ilija Djokovic, In Da Klub, Irie Scratch & Shorty P, Ital Vision, Jahmessenjah Sound System, Joma Maja, Kk Banda DJ’s, Kaoz, Katja Rubikova, Kawiar Mangueira, Kayda May, King Calypso, Klinac, Lawrence Klein B2b Forniva, Lil Yung, Little Shuja, Luka Brasi, Marcella, Marko Vuković, Martyrium, Miloš Vujović B2b Ranchatek, Mladen Tomić B2b Siniša Tamamović, Neki, Nevena Jeremić, New Wave, October Tide, Otvoreni Prelom, Palace, Pale Origins, PLYZ, Ponor, Runy, Siberian Meat Grinder, Scandal, Shi-cu, Shuba Ranks, Sid Data, Skadam, Soft 85, Sorriso, Stas, Steppa Style, Sur Austru, Thundersteel, Tommy T., Total Chaos, Traples, Trepaj Il Krepaj, Two Pauz, Vaske, Vatra, Vitamin X, Waggles, Yung Rosh, Zguubi Dan, Zimski + Many More Soon
For four days every summer, the 17th century Petrovaradin Fortress opens its gates for EXIT – the award-winning music festival in Serbia’s second city, Novi Sad. EXIT began in 2000 as a student protest fighting for political change, and over the years it’s grown into one of Europe’s biggest festivals, with [thousands] partying in the stunning citadel perched high on a cliff overlooking the River Danube. The positive activism remains in the air, and each year has a specific theme (it was ‘Freedom’ in 2018). EXIT has possibly the most diverse line-up of any European festival, with 20 outdoor stages that feature everything from death metal to pop, indie, reggae and techno – among cobbled paths, courtyards, grass verges, ramparts and underground tunnels. The Dance Arena is the festival’s energetic hub, with 20,000 raving in the fortress moat waiting for the awe-inspiring moment when the sun rises above the ancient walls. Many DJs say the Dance Arena is the greatest place in the world to play, and after Nina Kraviz closed EXIT 2018 with an extended set until 9am, she called it “one of the most special places on Earth”.
DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE – WHERE YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE WHEN NO ONE CAN SEE YOU
July 5 – 7 July | rabbitresort.nl
Acts Announced: Editors, Janelle Monáe, Underworld, Thom Yorke - Tomorrow's Modern Boxes, Foals, Vampire Weekend, De Staat, Balthazar, dEUS plays The Ideal Crash, Grace Jones, Robyn, The Roots, Ronnie Flex & Deuxperience, Rosalía, Skepta, AURORA, Beirut, Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles, David August, Kamasi Washington, Khruangbin, Lewis Capaldi, LP, Mahalia, Maribou State, Matt Corby, Ólafur Arnalds, Parquet Courts, RY X, Porto Parties X Desperados, Sofi Tukker, Agar Agar, Amber Arcades, Donny Benet, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, HENGE, Jordan Rakei, Low, Nona, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, slowthai, The Comet Is Coming, Altin Gün, Benny Sings, DāM-FunK (DJ-set), Ezra Collective, George FitzGerald, Jonathan Wilson, Liniker e Os Caramelows, Orpheu The Wizard, Sam Fender, Sampa The Great, Sho Madjozi, SONS, Tshegue and Many More.
Down The Rabbit Hole says adventure, confusion, surrealism and psychedelics, which has been an inspiration for (psycho) rockers, DJs, artists, designers and filmmakers ever since the rise of the pop culture in the uncurbed 1960s… Good company, so get ready to tumble! We have all the time in the world, there’s no rush. Take your time to dine in dozens of restaurants from all corners of the earth, go meditate in the forest, lie down in the green pasture, swim for a bit, strum by the campfire, discover hidden discos… Have a ball with brand-new bands or finally see that classic artist in full swing. We’re out and we’re loose! Build your own party and celebrate, enjoy what you do, all with an open mind and in a sustainable way: we’ll keep it green & clean. A trip to Down The Rabbit Hole is a perfect summer getaway! Bring your own camping gear or rent luxurious accommodations at our Rabbit Resort at Groene Heuvels - Beuningen (near Nijmegen).
OFF FESTIVAL - A VOYAGE OF UNDERGROUND DISCOVERY IN POLAND
August 2-4 | off-festival.pl
Acts Announced: Foals, Suede, Stereo Lab, Aldous Harding, The Comet Is Coming, Superorganism, Electric Wizard, The Gaslamp Killer, Loyle Carner, OM, Zespół Pieśni i Tańca „Śląsk”, Octavian, Tirzah, Lebanon Hanover, Ammar 808, Boogarins, Wczasy, Entropia, Daughters, Durand Jones & The Indications, Dezerter gra „Underground out of Poland”, Perfect Son, Lotic: Endless Power, The Body, IC3PEAK, slowthai, Black Midi, SAMA’, Jakuzi, Phum Viphurit, Emerald, Trio Jazzowe Marcina Maseckiego, Bamba Pana & Makaveli, Neneh Cherry.
OFF is a unique boutique festival that values experimentation and diversity above everything else – with founder and organiser Artur Rojek’s hands-on vision an inspiration to ambitious promoters and dreamers worldwide. OFF takes place in ‘Valley of Three Ponds’, Katowice – a beautiful green hideaway in the industrial Silesia region, with a huge choice of bars, restaurants and cultural centres to explore in the city close by. OFF ignores popular trends in favour of an expertly curated programme of esteemed artists – with the festival bringing many acts to Poland for the first time. It was created in 2006 as a way for Rojek to indulge his “dreams and passion for sharing music”, even if that means a black metal band can play next to a techno DJ, a post-punk act, avant-garde noise-rock, hip-hop, jazz, post-rock and beyond. From the greatest international underground heroes to essential forward-thinking Polish artists, OFF is an inspirational meeting of minds.
LOWLANDS - MUSIC, ART AND CULTURE CLASH AT THE DUTCH CAMPING PARADISE
August 16-18 | lowlands.nl
Acts Announced: Tame Impala, Twenty One Pilots, A$AP Rocky, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, The National, New Order, Royal Blood, Anne-Marie, Billie Eilish, Franz Ferdinand, Giorgio Moroder, The Good, The Bad & The Queen, James Blake, Jon Hopkins, Jorja Smith, Jungle, Lil Uzi Vert, Paul Kalkbrenner, Ronnie Flex & Deuxperience, Agoria (live), Antal, Camo & Krooked, Colin Benders, Denis Sulta, Denzel Curry, Donnie, FKJ, Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls, Helena Hauff, Honey Dijon, Hunee, IAMDDB, JOJI, Jungle by Night, Lowlands Science,Loyle Carner, Mall Grab, Marcel Dettmann, My Baby, Parcels, De Sluwe Vos Live, The Streets, Tamino, Thomas Azier, The Vaccines, Weval, Willem, Ziggy Marley, Bamba Pana & Makaveli, Black Midi, Bodega, Boy Pablo, The Chats, Clairo, Code Orange, Courtesy, Dimension, Dub Inc., Eskorzo, I Dont Know How But They Found Me, Idles, Marc Rebillet, Moonlight Benjamin, LB, Slaves, This is Lovski, Two Feet, Whitney and many more.
A Campingflight to Lowlands Paradise is the Netherlands’ most prestigious music festival that’s been a rite of passage for the Dutch since 1993. It takes place in rural Biddinghuizen – only an hour away from Amsterdam, so there’s even a chance to add in a city break either side. It’s a true music, arts and culture weekender, featuring the world’s biggest headliners on the circuit, as well as installations, theatre, comedy, film, debates and even science workshops. Each of the uniquely designed stages are covered so you can party rain or shine, and the iconic ‘Armadillo’ area is the festival’s power station, quirky bars, DJ booths and artisan restaurant areas that surpass regular festival food stalls. The Dutch are world-renowned as expert festival organisers, and Lowlands is a perfect smooth operator, from the intuitive layout to the lack of queues for bars, food and bathrooms – with the best campsite facilities of all the big European festivals. It’s a proper lost weekend too – Lowlands doesn’t do day tickets, so once you arrive on the Thursday you’re on a journey with your fellow happy campers until Sunday. This vibe was picked up by 2018 headliner Nile Rodgers, who posted: “Lowlands was fire! This was an amazing f-ing crowd! Truly insane, and that’s how we like it!”
SEA DANCE FESTIVAL - PARTY ON THE STUNNING ADRIATIC COAST IN MONTENEGRO
August 30 - Sept 1 | seadancefestival.me
Acts announced: David Guetta, Robin Schulz, Ofenbach, + Many More Coming Soon
Sea Dance in Montenegro is an extension of the EXIT family – a gold standard guarantee in the festival world. Like EXIT, Sea Dance is also an award-winner, and was voted Best Medium Sized Festival at the European Festival Awards after its first edition in 2014. The festival bottles some of the magic of EXIT’s dance stages and transports it to the alluring golden sand beach of Budva on the Adriatic coast, with narrow medieval streets just a short walk away. EXIT’s famous No Sleep Novi Sad stage is repackaged for Sea Dance, with over 100 performers shared around numerous other stages. Evan as a relatively new addition to the festival scene, Sea Dance already has reputation for securing the biggest names in electronic music. Montenegro was recently listed by Skyscanner as the number one cheap holiday destination, with mountain biking, hiking and watersports available for those with energy left after dancing all night to the world’s biggest DJs.
NO SLEEP FESTIVAL, SERBIA
21st - 25th September
Line Up: TBC
No Sleep Festival is the youngest member of the EXIT festival family with an already enviable reputation. Thanks to its 2019 festival edition it was named “Best New Festival” at the European Festival Awards in the Netherlands this January. For two years in a row, the festival was held in multiple venues and has gathered electronic music lovers from more than 40 countries all over the world in Belgrade, Serbia, who had an opportunity to hear some of the biggest electronic music artists from around the world. No Sleep Festival also features daytime parties and workshops, along with a No Sleep Conference with topics that discuss burning topics in the music and creative industry, featuring exciting and knowledgeable international and local speakers. The festival takes place at the Main Hangar in the Port of Belgrade, and other festival locations like the acclaimed city clubs such as Drugstore, 20/44, half, Mladost, Gadost, Gajba, Dot, Yugovinyl, as well as MARSH. Open Space.
AMSTERDAM DANCE EVENT - IMMERSE YOURSELF IN ELECTRONIC MUSIC CULTURE
October 16 – 20 | amsterdam-dance-event.nl
Acts to be announced soon
Amsterdam is world famous as a hub for nightlife and electronic music, and every October it becomes the centre of the electronic music universe for five days during the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE). Some 400,000 people hit the Dutch capital every year for ADE, which features more than 2,500 international artists performing in over 100 of Amsterdam’s most iconic venues including Melkweg, Gashouder, Claire, Shelter, Paradiso, the NDSM Docklands and De School. But it’s not simply a five-day rave – ADE offers an inspirational conference programme that covers all aspects of dance music culture and the industry. By day, across Amsterdam’s five main districts, there are dozens of seminars, workshops, exhibitions, artist interviews, feature and documentary screenings, DJ showcases and tech classes. Amsterdam Dance Event takes place over five days every October and is the ultimate festival for electronic music fans, who can even learn more about the culture between the parties.
CONTACT
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
ESNS 2019 celebrates European Music Industry with a bright look to the future
The thirty-third edition of ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag) was successfully wrapped up on Saturday night at Groningen's Oosterpoort with the Noorderslag festival. At the 2019 edition many anniversaries were celebrated, European talents praised and both the festival and the conference highlighted diversity and sustainability.
Taking place from 16 to 19 January in the city of Groningen, the European music platform, continued its mission to promote the circulation of European music. The conference had its home base at De Oosterpoort, hosting a place to network and discuss the latest developments in the music sector for 4.135 international professionals from 44 countries.
Eurosonic, the European showcase festival, took place in 42 venues across the city centre of Groningen, where 342 acts showcased their music to music fans and professionals. Among them were 21 acts from the focus countries Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Noorderslag, which traditionally takes place at Groningen's Oosterpoort on the Saturday of ESNS, showcasing Dutch music with an emphasis on emerging talent. Noorderslag presents a wide variety of genres: from the authentic roots and americana at Dutch Roots, the poppy music of artists like Rondé and Nielson and the soul and r&b of RIMON and Jarreau Vandal, to the hip hop by Ares and Jacin Trill, Lewsberg’s indie and explosive punk by Ploegendienst.
European Music Awards Night
At the opening night of ESNS, Wednesday, January 16, the Music Moves Europe Talent Awards were presented for the first time at the European Music Awards Night: the European Union's new prize for popular and contemporary music. The prize celebrates and supports artists who represent the European sound of today and tomorrow. The Public Choice Awards, across six genres, were presented to Bishop Briggs (Pop, gb), Pip Blom (Rock, nl), Stelartronic (Electronic, at), Rosalía (RnB / Urban, es), Reykjavíkurdætur (Hip Hop / Rap, is) and Albin Lee Meldau (Singer-songwriter, se).
The European Music Awards Night also hosted the International Music Managers Forum (IMMF) Awards and the European Festival Awards. European festivals such as Wacken Open Air, NorthSide Festival and Rolling Stone Park were among the winners and ESNS creative director Peter Smidt received a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Peter Smidt, the founder of ESNS, retires from his European music platform after 33 years and was appointed Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau last Thursday.
Pop Media Prize and Pop Award 2018
The winner of the Popprijs of 2018 was awarded to Ronnie Flex at Noorderslag. Ronell Plasschaert had already won the Popprijs 2015 as a member of hip hop collective New Wave. The Pop Media Award went to FunX radio presenter Fernando Halman.
Conference: looking back and moving forward
The ESNS conference is regarded as one of the leading events for music professionals in Europe. With speakers like Tom Windish (Paradigm), Sharid Alles (3FM) Richard Jones (Key Music Management), Kim Bloem (MOJO), Ben Chapman (BBC) and Duncan Smith (Sony Playstation), Cindy Castillo (Mad Cool Festival), Fruzsina Szép (Lolapalooza Berlin) and Sammy Andrews (Deviate Digital). ESNS has been able to offer a varied program with a finger on the pulse of the European market.
The fiftieth anniversary of Mojo was celebrated at ESNS; former and current board members gave a unique insight into the history of the industry giant at the conference, while special memorabilia were auctioned at the Mojo Auction to support musicians and other creatives. In a keynote interview by Eric Corton, Pinkpop director Jan Smeets talked about the 50-year history of the Dutch festival.
In addition to the conference and the festival, ESNS supported initiatives from its partners in the city centre for the first time. Under the name of ESNS EXTRA and ESNS ART, showcases, parties and exhibitions were organized that were often open to people without an ESNS ticket.
Another first was the ESNS Academy, a program specially developed for students to offer young music lovers a glimpse into the (European) music industry. Participants were able to visit the festival and conference for a reduced rate.
ESNS Chart
Following the successful European Talent Exchange Program (ETEP), which promotes an exchange of European artists at international festivals, ESNS will launch the ESNS Chart this year. This list monitors the airplay of ESNS artists on radio stations outside their home country. The success of emerging European talent can be followed in the new Music Moves Europe Talent Chart. This top 100 list is based on airplay and streaming of the artists outside their home country.
ESNS 2019 in figures
ESNS was visited by 447 journalists from all over the world. As a result of the collaboration with the European Broadcasting Union, which celebrated its twenty-year partnership with ESNS this year, 36 European public broadcasters were present and broadcast the festival on public radio stations in 10 countries.
Total visitors: 42.789
Conference visitors: 4.135
Nationalities: 44
Acts: 342
Number of stages Eurosonic: 42
Number of stages Noorderslag: 10
Media: 447
EBU radio stations: 36
International festivals: 423
ETEP festivals: 130
Stream ESNS19 playlists here: http://smarturl.it/esns19
Contact
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
SVEN VÄTH, NINA KRAVIZ AND ILARIO ALICANTE FIRST ACTS CONFIRMED FOR SEA STAR FESTIVAL!
Sea Star festival promoted by the team behind globally acclaimed EXIT Festival will have its third edition from May 24 to 25, 2019 in the beautiful seaside town of Umag in Croatia. First acts confirmed for this year's edition is the artist who wrote some of the golden pages of music history and one of techno’s “founding fathers” Sven Väth, along with the absolute leader of today's electronic music, the charismatic and unique Nina Kraviz! While Papa Sven, as he is called by his die-hard fans, is seen as a frontman of European dance music and the uncrowned king of Ibiza whose Cocoon parties have been ongoing for a record-holding 20 years, in the same time no one defines the momentum better than Nina Kraviz, probably the most sought-after DJ of today and absolute headliner of the world’s biggest music festivals. Nina marked EXIT Festival in the last two years, playing the most prestigious closing slot of legendary Dance Arena with tens of thousands of people chanting her name, calling her out to many encores, as if it had been a stadium rock show in a moment not yet seen in electronic music. Alongside Nina and Sven, Sea Star welcomes Ilario Alicante, the winner of the Best Techno DJ award of 2018 at the DJ Awards on Ibiza who made a name for himself as one of the biggest stars of the festival circuit. The next day will be equally exciting on the nearby Nautilus Arena, with Beatport's best selling act in 2016, Enrico Sangiuliano, joined by talented local support such as Croatia's techno mainstay Petar Dundov, and rising stars DJ Jock, Lawrence Klein and Unique.
Sea Star festival First Acts: https://youtu.be/NpTwcivDdhc
More Sea Star festival acts will follow soon in a genre-oriented manner, with the next superstar announcement arriving in just a couple of weeks! The festival’s third edition will take place in the breathtaking Stella Maris lagoon, whose 80+ thousand visitors and numerous famous music names have already placed it among the most important festivals in the Mediterranean.
For more than 35 years, the name of Sven Väth has been synonymous with revolution and innovation in electronic music. Some dare say that it would be hard to find someone else whose life work has been more connected to the creation and promotion of an essentially underground sound, as well as its breakthrough to an audience of millions, all this without making compromises. Sven’s vision, starting from his first steps in 1982, through a huge amount of published works and the club revolution on Ibiza, as well as the progressive Cocoon Recordings, has always been the acknowledgement of the positive feeling that dance music brings. This was pointed out when Frankfurt awarded him the Goetheplakette in 2015 for the exceptional contribution to the cultural life of the city. In 2019, a special year which looks back on 20 impressive years of Cocoon Ibiza, the parties that forever modified club culture’s DNA, Papa Sven will create a unique mix at the Stella Maris lagoon with his record players, just as it’s expected at the Sea Star Festival.
There is no one quite like Nina Kraviz, with such dedication and an uncompromising attitude, but above all the courage to constantly push boundaries, curiosity to break new ground, desire to learn and lead by example the global electronic scene with countless titles, one of them being the Mixmag's DJ of the Year! Her sets break up the calm waters of the techno scene with brave musical surprises and artistic risks. This is why both fans and media see Nina as the trendsetter who spearheads the world's DJ scene, her own inimitable way. Following notable sets at the EXIT festival's closings in the past years, as well as numerous headline shows on major festivals, Nina Kraviz is coming to the magical Stella Marris lagoon in the moment when the whole world is watching her every step with enthralled attention. Her unique record label трип recently released it’s 23rd vinyl with artists on the labels including Aphex Twin, Nikita Zabelin, Marc Arcadipane, PTU and many others.
The Italian producer and DJ who is bringing his name to top of the electronic ranks, Ilario Alicante, debuted at the age of 15 and has gone from a music wunderkind to a great and respected act whose tracks have been published and played by greats such as Richie Hawtin, Dubfire or Sven Väth himself. Precicely due to tracks he released through the legendary label Cocoon, Alicante earned the Best Techno Artist award in 2018, while competing against some notable acts such as Alan Fitzpatrick, Amelie Lens, Charlotte De Witte and Nastia. After gracing the stages of festivals like Awakenings and Tomorrowland, as well as numerous Cocoon and Elrow parties, end of May will see him playing at the EXIT's sister festival in Croatia.
The third edition of the Sea Star Festival will be held at the famous Stella Maris lagoon in Umag, on May 24 and 25, with the Welcome Party on May 23 and the closing party on May 26. Tickets for Sea Star festival are available at THIS LINK. Accommodation and travel arrangements can be found at Exit’s official travel agency, ExitTrip’s OFFICIAL WEBSITE.
ADE Announce 2019 Dates
The Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), the world’s leading event for electronic music, will take place the 16th to 20th October, 2019. The organisers are expecting around 400,000 national and international visitors for the 24th edition.
Alongside the multiple conference tracks addressing the latest business, cultural and technological trends, and festival programming that showcases the diversity of electronic music and its many sub-genres, the organisers are committed to once again enhancing the daytime activities in 2019 through partnerships with cultural institutions and multi-disciplinary collaborations that engage with the broadest possible range of the creative industries.
Director Mariana Sanchotene states: “During ADE, Amsterdam will once again be the centre of the global electronic music industry and the home base for music enthusiasts. Our conference and festival activities showcase what is happening around the world, but should also be a reflection of how creative, innovative, vibrant and inclusive our hometown is.”
The Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), an initiative of Buma, has grown into the world’s largest club-based festival and conference for electronic music. The event continues to grow and develop each year, with last year’s edition featuring over 2,500 artists and 550 speakers in almost 200 venues. The five-day event attracts visitors from over 100 countries and features every conceivable aspect of electronic music culture, with dedicated conference programming and an extensive art, film, gear, live music and pop-up program spread across the city of Amsterdam.
“There are numerous topics to address, from local matters such as the rapidly changing landscape for festivals in the Netherlands and Europe, through to inclusivity and tolerance in the music industry on a global scale. We look forward to again welcoming creative minds from all over the world to connect, create, do business or just to be inspired,” added Sanchotene.
The complete conference and festival program will be announced over the coming months. For more information about ADE: https://www.amsterdam-dance-event.nl/about-ade/
Contact
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
Rising Icelandic pop star Hildur set for London gig
Don't miss your chance to see Icelandic artist Hildur, playing in London on Tuesday 15th Jan at the Paper dress vintage (in Hackney).
Hildur is a multi-talented rising pop star from Iceland. Her ambitious nature drove her from competitive sports through to band life and to an exciting solo career. She is a singer, a songwriter and a lyricist. She has a degree in Japanese and is a classically trained cellist. However, don’t expect sweet-as-sugar pop. She is not only an obvious musical talent but a women's rights and gender equality activist, who projects her message a powerful and colorful way.
Website: http://www.hihildur.com/
Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czL80l2X-L0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU0gaFuLgNo
There is also a new single coming soon and her recent track 'Picture Perfect' has hit over 530 thousand streams on Spotify.
For interviews and guestlist get in touch.
Nikki x
Iceland at ESNS 2019: From bondage pop to occultist synth punk and feminist hip hop
From Björk to Sigur Rós, múm, Kaleo and Of Monsters and Men, Iceland’s wealth of contemporary artists in a myriad of genres has had an indelible impact on the globe, with creative significance far greater than expected of a remote island country with a population of only 330,000 people. Living up to its reputation for musical innovation and radical thinking, the ESNS 2019 Iceland Music roster is sure to inspire, challenge and provoke.
“A perfect wedding of aesthetic, message and music” is how The Line of Best Fit described Hatari’s brutal nihilistic darkness that made them the most talked about band of Iceland Airwaves 2018 . And if darkness is your theme, then Une Misère’s atmospheric post hardcore will provide an intense introduction to the Icelandic blossoming underground metal scene.
Formed in 2013 after winning a poetry slam held by the city library, synth-punk Kælan Mikla create a compelling collage of 80s coldwave, goth and the occult. From darkness onto the light, where Hugar’s ethereally ambient music has already amassed a serious following with over 30 million Spotify streams and a busy European touring schedule.
Starting her music career as one half of a jazz duo, Bríet found overnight fame following the release of her debut 2018 single “In Too Deep” that brought together mainstream pop, R&B and electronic influences in a fresh and unmistakably authentic way. Another rising pop star and winner of the Icelandic Music Award for Pop Song 2017, Hildur, is also a classically trained cellist, lyricist and a gender equality activist.
Alongside these 6 emerging acts, Icelandic music will be represented at this year’s Music Moves Europe Talent Awards by one of the most powerful and politically charged voices from the land of fire and ice. Reykjavíkurdætur are champions of female empowerment. They rap in their native tongue but their radical feminist message transcends linguistic and cultural boundaries winning them fans and critical acclaim across Europe and North America.
Iceland Music showcases at ESNS 2019
Wednesday January 16
Reykjavíkurdætur: MMETA De Oosterport
Time TBC
Une Misère : Huize Maas (main)
22:15 - 23:00
Thursday January 17
Bríet : Simplon (UP)
21:30-22:15
Kælan Mikla : Der Aa Theater
23:00 - 23:45
Reykjavíkurdætur: Eurosonic Air
23:15 - 00:00
Hildur : Praedinius Gymnasium
23:35 - 00:15
Hatari : Stadsschouwburg
00:15 - 01:00
Friday, January 18
Hugar : Nieuwe Kerk
23:00 - 23:40
More about The Artists
Bríet
19-years-old, Bríet Elfar, aka BRÍET, burst onto the national pop scene in early 2018. Her self-released single “In Too Deep” racked up hundreds of thousands of Spotify streams and the follow up EP 22.03.99 ensured her inclusion on many ones-to-watch lists. Her songs are perfect little R&B-infused pop gems about love and relationships.
Website: https://palmi666.wixsite.com/brietepk
Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjKRYiM1vWg
Hatari
Exciting, unnerving and thought-provoking: HATARI treads a thin line between politically charged performance art, politics and music. The Icelandic multimedia performance project 'unveils the relentless scam that is everyday life'. The band was perfectly described by Consequence of Sound as “part David Lynch nightmare, part goth dress-up party and part industrial love letter". And HATARI has the music to match its explosive performances in the form of a powerful blast of bondage-pop, techno-punk and industrial-goth.
Website: https://hatari.is/
Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsTl6K7VCsE
Hildur
Hildur is a multi-talented rising pop star from Iceland. Her ambitious nature drove her from competitive sports through to band life and to an exciting solo career. She is a singer, a songwriter and a lyricist. She has a degree in Japanese and is a classically trained cellist. However, don’t expect sweet-as-sugar pop. She is not only an obvious musical talent but a women's rights and gender equality activist, who projects her message a powerful and colourful way.
Website: http://www.hihildur.com/
Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czL80l2X-L0
Hugar
Bergur Þórisson and Pétur Jónsson are two friends from the sleepy township of Seltjarnarnes. Pétur pursued a degree in Architecture. Bergur’s trombone-playing won him a place at the prestigious Julliard School, which he turned down to form Hugar. Alongside Hugar, Bergur lends his many talents to other local musical luminaries, working on projects for the likes of Ólafur Arnalds, Björk and Sigur Rós.
Website: https://hugar.is/
Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_59PUqHkLsY
Kælan Mikla
Kælan Mikla is an Icelandic synth-punk trio from Reykjavik, who’s music an eccentric concoction of avant-punk poetry and drifting, dreamy dark wave. Their debut album came out on Fabrika Records in July 2016, followed up with second record Mánadans in 2018. In the autumn of 2018 Toronto-based Artoffact Records released their third album “Nótt Eftir Nótt”
Website: http://kaelanmikla.wixsite.com/kaelanmikla
Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4Tl2dtvw30
Reykjavikurdætur
Reykjavíkurdætur (Icelandic word meaning "daughters of Reykjavík") is an all-feminist all-female hip hop clan started by Blær Jóhannsdóttir and Kolfinna Nikulásdóttir. After connecting with other women interested in rapping, they began participating in recurring public female rap nights in Reykjavik. Since their formation in 2013, they’ve been rapping about everything from politics to anal sex and even told the Icelandic Prime Minister to "suck my pussy" live on TV.
Website: http://www.rvkdtr.is/
Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGz2p92Qvl8&feature=youtu.be
Une Misère
A group of artists from various hardcore bands, inspired by Iceland’s darkest and most bleak aspects, joined forces to create Une Misère, a collective with a sound that pushes boundaries and cuts deep. The band has been rapidly gaining momentum since their came together in 2017 and released mixtape 070717 with remixes from prominent Icelandic electronic artists. Playing Roadburn marked a critical point: they totally destroyed the prestigious festival with three fierce shows called ‘Witness the misery.’
Website: https://www.unemisere.com/
Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bpXdhJXNN8
More information about Iceland Music here: https://icelandmusic.is/
Download more info on the artists and photos here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1etj5xv0tq46oiy/AADop_mAdx0ycNJ0xgs9C6xka?dl=0
Contact
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
Nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
The Return of the King: Carl Cox is Coming Back to EXIT with a Special 3 hour Set!
One of the greatest DJs of all time, and for many the very symbol of this profession, the great Carl Cox, has answered the call of fans and confirmed his return to the legendary Dance Arena at EXIT Festival next summer! Thanks to him, the energy will start high from the opening day on July 4, which he will close with a special three-hour set, lasting until the early morning hours!
This will also mark the ten-year anniversary of his famous closing set in 2009, easily one of the greatest parties in the history of electronic music. “One of the best experiences for sure is when I played at EXIT festival”, Carl confirmed and added: “You have to play you, your soul, you have to play who you are, and that's what's really special about EXIT!”
Although his connection to EXIT is strong and lasting, he hasn't played at the EXIT's Dance Arena in years, due to his decision to reduce the number of shows as much as possible. This makes each of his appearances in front of the audience an exclusive and one of the experiences that should not be missed: “Everyone in the EXIT Team are very excited to have Carl next year!”, stated the festival founder Dušan Kovačević and added: “Ever since he decided to reduce the number of his shows and perform only on special occasions, the question was whether he would ever return. The emotional invitation we sent out together with the fans has confirmed that Carl also wants to be back at EXIT to write down some of the best pages in the history books of our beloved Dance Arena.”
The return of this true DJ legend to EXIT came about after a joint effort between the festival organizers and the numerous fans. Soon after he won the annual poll where the fans voted him their no.1 wish for the Dance Arena lineup, EXIT published a video in which they invite “King Carl” to return to the fortress. The fans joined right in, sharing the video with the #CarlCoxEXIT hashtag, inviting the living legend to return in front of the “most hard-core audience”, as he called them in one of his numerous interviews about EXIT Festival. The popular DJ answered right away that he will indeed perform at officially the Best Major European Festival. In one of the interviews, Carl Cox said that EXIT is bound to get “two or three more of those in the future” after the first title won in 2013. and the prophecy indeed came true earlier this year.
Carl, come back: https://youtu.be/44Y2Gl5wdgE
Carl Cox has been one of the most wanted DJs in the world for decades and after 15 seasons of his legendary “Revolution” parties on Ibiza, he left the Space club in 2016 as the person who made it into one of the greatest clubs in the world, after which he was crowned the unofficial king of this unique island. Apart from this, until 2017 he had his Global Radio Show which had up to 17 million listeners a week in 35 countries, after 16 years on the air.
With each EXIT ticket fans get the beach festivals as a gift!
With the holidays inbound, EXIT announced the holiday offer, where purchasing the EXIT Festival ticket also gets you the tickets for two more beach festivals in the Adriatic, as a gift! Sea Star Festival is the first one that opens the summer season at the beautiful Croatian coast on the weekend of May 24-25, as well as Sea Dance Festival to close it at the end of August in Montenegro! You only need to confirm your arrival to Sea Star and/or Sea Dance by registering for complimentary tickets from 1st to 28th February at Exitfest.org. The offer is also valid for all who have already bought the tickets for EXIT 2019.
Tickets
EXIT tickets can be found at exitfest.org, and for those who wish to bundle them with accomodation and local transfer, there are also packages from €135. Default accommodation is the festival camp that is also on the sand beach, but in Novi Sad, next to river Danube, while hotels can be booked through EXIT's official tourist agency at exittrip.org.
EXIT Festival will be held 4-7 July 2019 at Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad, Serbia and the first acts have already been announced, including The Cure, Carl Cox, Greta Van Fleet, Dimitri Vegas&Like Mike, Phil Anselmo&The Illegals, Sofi Tukker, Tarja, The Selecter, Peter and the Test Tube Babies and many more yet to be announced early next year.
Contact
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
Festival PR | Music PR | Event PR
ESNS announces schedules for 2019 edition
Music Moves Europe Talent Award winners Albin Lee Meldau, AVEC, Bishop Briggs, Lxandra and Reykjavíkurdætur added to ESNS line-up.
ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag) has published the schedules for its 2019 edition. Next to the previously announced Music Moves Europe Talent Award winners blackwave. (be) and Pip Blom (nl) more winners will join the Eurosonic line-up; Albin Lee Meldau (se), AVEC (at), Bishop Briggs (gb), Lxandra (fi) and Reykjavíkurdætur (is) have also been added to the Eurosonic schedules. All stage times are available at the ESNS website, esns.nl and the apps for iOS and Android.
Media partners of ESNS have sent their recommendations for the upcoming festival, which includes EUT (nl) and Mavi Phoenix (at) as the most listed artists. All media recommendations are available via esns.nl/recommended.
In the meantime, the ESNS 2019 conference is taking shape, with the final confirmations expected soon. At the ESNS website you can also find the conference programme with all confirmed keynote speakers and panels, as well as the delegate database.
The ESNS conference with around 150 panels will be held in and around de Oosterpoort. The festival, with showcases by around 350 acts from Europe, takes place in the city of Groningen, the Netherlands, from January 16 - 19, 2019.
Tickets & registrations
Tickets for the festival and registrations for the ESNS conference are currently available via esns.nl.
About ESNS
ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag) is the key exchange for emerging European music talent, with a proven track record of helping to break new acts on the international music scene. With its first ever dual-country focus on the Czech Republic and Slovakia, ESNS stages more than 350 showcases alongside offering a full conference programme of around 150 panels and keynotes, alongside multiple networking opportunities and award ceremonies. The event attracts more than 4,000 conference delegates from all sections of the entertainment industry, including representatives of over 400 festivals.
Contact
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
7 reasons to go to Eurosonic!
For four days every January, the small Dutch city of Groningen becomes the centre of the European music scene with Eurosonic – the festival that has its 33rd edition in 2019.
Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) is like Europe’s version of SXSW, while still retaining the discovery vibe of the early days of the Austin festival. ESNS is Europe’s biggest showcase of rising acts – with festival bookers, labels, media and other industry figures bingeing on new bands by night and networking by day.
There is a heavy industry presence, but Eurosonic is by no means a chin-stroking music executive love-in – some 40,000 ‘real’ punters attend the festival every year, running between dozens of venues trying to catch the next big thing.
Here are seven reasons to visit Groningen for Eurosonic
Discover your new favourite band...
Each country featured at Eurosonic sends its most promising acts to the showcase every January, so even if much of the programme is a mystery, you’re a dead cert to find a future favourite act. Also, Eurosonic gets the head start on all other festivals through the year, with many veterans saying half the summer line-ups start to take shape in Groningen in January – with bookers, managers and artists meeting up and hammering out deals. But even if you’re not an industry head, Eurosonic is a chance to see the festival headliners of the future in a club in the Netherlands, before they take it out to the fields. Hundreds of acts have used Eurosonic as a springboard to way bigger things, but a few standouts include The Libertines, Franz Ferdinand, Robyn, The xx, Calvin Harris, Stormzy and Dua Lipa.
The conference means it’s more than a series of gigs
As Europe’s most prestigious showcase festival, Eurosonic attracts the biggest industry names, from labels heads and agents to managers, festival bookers, media companies, marketing executives and PR firms. Over the four days at the Oosterport hub, delegates can attend talks, panel discussions, songwriting workshops and lectures on a huge range of topics. Topics up for discussion in 2019 include innovation in ticket technology, conservation in the culture industry, festival innovation, the future of social media and music magazines, game soundtracks and many more.
Key speakers this year include veteran manager Richard Jones, who has worked with Bjork, PJ Harvey, Spice Girls and Pixies, while the BBC’s Ben Chapman will present the UK broadcaster’s new integrated BBC Sounds media platform.
And even outside the official events, during the festival, every side room, table or edge of a couch has some hook-up going on between delegates.
The conference programme also includes the European Festival Awards — a chance to look back on the innovators who have helped shape the year in live music.
The range of venues is staggering...
With hundreds of bands playing hundreds of gigs over four days, expect performances in a wide range of places, from historic venues to pop-up spaces. As well as iconic rock and pop venues like Vera, there’s been a chance in the past to watch intimate performances in tiny pubs, basement clubs, radio studios, grand theatres, pool halls, an outdoor market, conference halls and a 17th century church.
Groningen is a party city all year round – it just doubles down at Eurosonic...
Groningen is a student town, and over a quarter of its 200,000 citizens go to college. The average age for the whole city is 35, and you’re never more than a few steps away from a pub, venue or coffee shop, and there’s no official closing time. The Dutch will also party no matter the weather – On the second day of Eurosonic 2018, Dutch authorities issued a code red storm warning, with hundreds of flights cancelled and all public transport suspended. Still, venues were packed, and it was comically reassuring to see punters sprinting around in the hail, snow and wind trying to find underground venues on Google Maps.
The Noorderslag Dutch takeover...
Groningen’s huge conference centre De Oosterport acts as the festival hub, and for the first three days it’s a hive of networking, panel discussions, lectures, debates and industry meetings. However, on the Saturday, organisers decide there’s been enough talking and the industry heads are cleared out to make way for the festival-within-a-festival Noorderslag – an all-Dutch music showcase.
The spectacular event runs from the evening to the early hours, with a huge atrium stage and gigs happenings in 10 conference halls where deals have been sealed in the previous few days.
Explore a vibrant graphic art culture...
One of the main festival hubs is Vera – Groningen’s most famous club, that has hosted iconic acts on the rise, such as Joy Division, Slayer, Nick Cave, the Cure and even U2. Vera also functions as a graphic design and art collective, with striking one-off gig posters in the windows and limited edition collector’s item posters hanging in the halls as a permanent exhibition. You can also marvel at thousands of flyers, stickers and comic book art plastered to the walls.
If this whets your visual art appetite, the GRID Grafisch museum is an amazing place for a time-out from the festival. GRID is a museum devoted to the history of graphic design, printing and bookbinding. It runs regular exhibitions, but as an added bonus the resident craftsman and historian Peter Meijer will give you a guided tour of the permanent collection of vintage printing machines.
Go crate-digging...
As a city with such a rich musical legacy, Groningen has an amazing selection of record shops to visit during some festival down-time. The White Stripes got their big break when John Peel heard their album De Stijl in the cult record shop Platenworm, then brought it home and rinsed it on the radio. Platenworm is sadly now closed (but trading on discogs), but plenty of other vinyl emporiums will be supporting ESNS bands as well as showcasing their impeccably-curated collections. Standout record shops include Plato, with its historic shop-front, Magic Buzz for psychedelia, punk and garage rock, De Jongens van Hemmes for all your electronic music needs and the rare collectors’ items at Headline. Just a few to get you started...
For more info check the website: https://esns.nl/
Contact
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
ESNS completes line-up with final confirmations
After previously announcing 290 emerging acts ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag) adds another eight acts for Eurosonic and twelve acts for Noorderslag completing the line-up for ESNS 2019.
The following acts are set to play a showcase in Groningen; Douwe Bob (nl), Inge van Calkar (nl), Jebroer 4 Life (nl), Jett Rebel (nl), Juicy (be), Jungle By Night (nl), Michelle David & The Gospel Sessions (nl) and Æ Mak (ie) will play Eurosonic. In addition to yesterday’s confirmations of Jason Waterfalls (nl) and Benjamin Herman's Bughouse (nl) through radio stations NPO 3FM and NPO Soul & Jazz for Noorderslag, Amy Root (nl), Ares (nl), Dave Budha (nl), FATA BOOM (nl), For I Am King (nl), Idaly (nl), Jacin Trill (nl), Judy Blank (nl), Kubilay Kaya (nl), Quessswho (nl), Sam Feldt Live (nl) and Ten Times A Million (nl) will also be showcasing at de Oosterpoort for Noorderslag in January.
This year ESNS will also host its first ever dual-country focus on the Czech Republic and Slovakia, with confirmed acts from Czech Republic: Bohemian Cristal Instrument, Circus Brothers, Floex & Tom Hodge, Lazer Viking, Lenny, Manon Meurt, Mydy Rabycad, Pipes And Pints, Thom Artway and Zabelov Group. Slovakia brings the following acts to Groningen: Autumnist, B-complex, Katarína Máliková & Ensemble, Möbius, Nvmeri, Our Stories, The Ills, Thisnis and Tittingur.
The festival, with showcases by around 350 acts from Europe, takes place in the city of Groningen, the Netherlands, from January 16 - 19, 2019.
See the full line up here: https://esns.nl/line-up/
TICKETS AND REGISTRATIONS
Tickets for the festival and registrations for the ESNS conference are currently available via esns.nl. The deadline to register for the late rate is on December 7.
ESNS
ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag) is the key exchange for emerging European music talent, with a proven track record of helping to break new acts on the international music scene. With its first ever dual-country focus on the Czech Republic and Slovakia, ESNS stages more than 350 showcases alongside offering a full conference programme of around 150 panels and keynotes, alongside multiple networking opportunities and award ceremonies. The event attracts more than 4,000 conference delegates from all sections of the entertainment industry, including representatives of over 400 festivals.
Contact
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk