On December 7–8, the city of Gdańsk will again be the East European hub of psychedelic sounds, celebrating guitar distortions, noise drones and other mysterious sounds created under the influence of cosmic energy: ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the eighth SpaceFest!
This year’s edition will include even more concerts, taking place, not on one, but two stages of Klub B90. The lineup includes a mouth-watering, transcontinental selection of music for fans of the heavier side of rock, new psychedelia, space-rock and shoegaze, as well as electronic and experimental music. SpaceFest is offering concert-goers a one-way ticket to discover new psych sounds and bands (without having to go to the moon).
This year’s selection of artists includes Brazil’s very own RAKTA will immerse you in their garage psychedelic music, strongly inspired by tribal rites, occultism and trance rhythms. These girls rock and don’t take no prisoners! Hailing from Cape Town, South Africa is MEDICINE BOY. This duo will enchant you with their oneiric female vocals and downtempo, unsettling, heroin-fuelled sounds, only to explode in solid, noise drones when you’re least expecting it. Italians SONIC JESUS are no strangers to guitar distortion, trance electronic beats or anything gothic. Their concerts promise a blast of pure energy. EYRE LLEW are an ambient-rock trio from Nottingham UK, who are making waves with their beautiful, ethereal sounds. If you’re fans of Sigur Rós or Mogwai, this concert is a must. THE LUCID DREAM represent the UK’s young alternative scene and do not shy away from experimenting with various genres. Their set will combine psychedelic rock with elements of acid house, dub and kosmische Musik. PIN PARK’s music is strongly inspired by German experimental electronica from the 1970s. Using original instruments from that time, they create a broad spectrum of analog sounds, generating music that is soothing, melancholy, structured based on looped, developing motifs, and punctuated with crafty details and nuances. NEST EGG, a heady trio from North Carolina (US), like to call their heavy, motoric, rock sound “mood music for nihilists”. SPOIWOcombine post-rock, shoegaze, modern classical and film music. This will be the band’s first concert in Gdańsk after a long break. This shoud be a real treat for faithful fans, as the band will be presenting some tracks from their upcoming album. Gdańsk-based trio POPSYSZE also promise to debut some new tracks. Perhaps the strongest psychedelic, space-rock representation in northern Poland, they are strongly inspired by the wild nature of the Kashubian region and ethnic music from various corners of the world. The SpaceFest! 2018 line-up is would not be complete without two winners of our competition for interesting psychedelic acts: COLUMBUS DUO from Gdańsk (noise/ drone / ambient /improv) and XDZVØNX from Wrocław (sacral noize/dark electro – a surprising mix of broken beats, Orthodox music, hip-hop and hypnotizing visuals). Mexico’s SUNSET IMAGES also merit particular attention with their pure-blooded guitar psych, peppered with elements of experimental noise and shoegaze.
As every year, one of the main highlights of the festival is PURE PHASE ENSEMBLE 8 – an international formation created specially for SpaceFest! Throughout the week before the festival, a group of 10 musicians will meet to jam at Łaźnia CCA, composing and playing material that will later be presented live at SpaceFest. PPE 8 will be curated by WILL CARRUTHERS, a legendary musician who has spent the last 30 years playing in 33 bands, including Spacemen 3, Spiritualized, SPECTRUM, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Dead Skeletons.
In past incarnations of Pure Phase Ensemble, the group was curated by Mark Gardener (Ride), Anton Newcombe (The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Laetitia Sadier (Stereolab), Ray Dickaty (Spiritualized), Steve Hewitt (Placebo), Jaime Harding (Marion), Chris Olley (Six By Seven), and Hugo Race (The Bad Seeds, The True Spirit).
Last but not least, is SpaceFest regular DR SWITCHOFF (RU), whose crazy Finders Keepers-inspired DJ sets and absurd visuals will wrap up the festival. Organized by the Nasiono Association , this event is co-funded annually by the City of Gdańsk in partnership with Łaźnia Centre for Contemporary Art, Metropolitalna Karta do Kultury, B90, Saltus Ubezpieczenia . Media patrons include Shameless Promotion PR, Drowned in Sound, Radio Gdańsk S.A., Trojmiasto.pl, Gazeta Wyborcza, Co Jest Grane24, Full Moon Magazine, and GoOut.pl.
The years go by, but one thing stays the same: SpaceFest stands for great music, zero gravity and maximum psych factor! Tickets cost between PLN 25-75 (discount for students and CARD TO CULTURE holders) and may be purchased at http://spacefest.pl/bilety or via GoOut, Soundrive Tickets, and KupBilecik.pl.
CONCERT LINE-UP
7 December 2018 | doors: 6:30 p.m.
Nest Egg (US)
Medicine Boy (ZA)
Pin Park (PL)
Sonic Jesus (IT)
Sunset Images (MX)
Rakta (BR)
Dr Switchoff (RU)
8 December 2018 | doors: 6:30 p.m.
Eyre Llew (UK)
Popsysze (PL)
The Lucid Dream (UK)
Columbus Duo (PL)
Pure Phase Ensemble ft. Will Carruthers (PL/UK)
XDZVØNX (PL)
Spoiwo (PL)
Dr Switchoff (RU)
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