a project by Andrea Mi
in collaboration with Intooitiv
a Fabbrica Europa production
City Mix is a project configured as a journey among the "Hot Spots" of contemporary electronic creativity, in those cities which by nature and vocation are the hot spots of artistic merging and propulsive junctions on a constantly expanding map. In the ever-widening panorama of the arts and electronic mixmedial experiences, some towns more than others seem able to collect, motivate and give space to productive energies which put together research, experimentation and production quality, tracing a new outline of European culture under the sign of digital sharing and networking.
The journey can start from nowhere but Florence, in whose undergrowth new energies and project creations spring up, well able to win a place on the ever more crowded European scene, moving through far-sighted Holland with its avant-garde cities such as Amsterdam and Rotterdam, stopping in Cologne, German epicentre of the culture club, and finishing in a night of "full immersion" in the new nightlife of London.
As part of the project there will be also the installation Iceberg by Ciboideale, especially conceived for the Leopolda Station square: an ephemeral work that will be visible only the opening day (May 3rd), a video projection on an ice block that will slowly thaw.
The programme will also be enriched by the sonorizations of URBANsoundWORK, a project by Radio Papesse that involves radio producers, musicians and sound researchers.
CITYMIX > AMSTERDAM
In the international map of the electronic and digital arts the Netherlands and Amsterdam have a relevant position. Amsterdam is one of the most important city at European level thanks to its unique range of events. In the last years The Amsterdam Dance Event is become the biggest club festival in the world, with no less than 300 djs and artists who perform in exceptional performances and label nights in 30 clubs, and with spaces dedicated to the new media and media arts. Very important are also events such like the Sensation White and Sensation Black (which tranform the Ajax football stadium in a vast danceclub with 35.000 visitors, all dressed in white or black) and the Dance Valley.
Concerning the most innovative digital languages, festivals and showcases like Sonic Acts have become important encounter's occasions for the best and most innovative Dutch and international artists. Last but not least, Amsterdam is also the city of legendary music temples like the Melkweg and the Paradiso which include in their programmes the most popular and innovative music.
TOM TRAGO (Kindres Spirits, Amsterdam) _ live
Tom Trago comes from a hip-hop background and slowly developing his style into an eclectic mix of hip-hop to techno. While holding down residencies in Amsterdam and Paris, he just cooled down from gigs at Platic People in London and Wasserwerk in Switzerland.
His first outing as a producer in 2006 'Live With the BBQ' is a kind of b-boy styled variant of house, at times bringing to mind Carl Craig or early material from Recloose.
Next to all this, he did a project on Kindred Spirits called "Fluor Green" in which he is putting Amsterdam on the map for dirty instrumental beats. All in the spirit of promoting new and innovative electronic music, Tom set up 08bar in 2005 together with some Amsterdam friends, 0Bar wants to stimulate talent, and promote electronic music in Holland, and beyond. Besides organising parties, 08bar also puts out records. The records contain a compilation of the best tracks that are submitted @ the 08Bar parties, with exclusive tracks from some producers that already have albums out, as well as some really talented bedroom-producers nobody knew about yet.
His sets are exciting sound journeys among disco legacies, funk spirit and techno softness.
PARRA SOUNDSYSTEM (Rush Hour, Amsterdam) _ mixed media live + action painting
The project of this eclectic collective of artists borns in 2006 from an idea of the visual artist Parra who, for the opening party of an exhibition in Paris, gathers the mc and singer Lyrical Tie, the dj and producer Wix (resident dj at the Paradise) and the musician Tom Trago. From this moment on the group organizes a series of events, called Baguette Frappant , already known around the world.
Designer, photographers, directors, djs and producers fuse their talent in performances which mix new graphic signs, action painting, design and electronic beats.
The event is also part of the programme of the 2nd edition of Olandiamo?, festival of Dutch arts and creativity, organized by the Dutch University Institute for Art History in Florence (NIKI) and the Cultural Office of the Netherlands Embassy in Rome, on the occasion of the 50 years of the activity of the Institute.
www.myspace.com/citymixfestival
