The following is my guide to all the wonderful events taking place during the Strøm 2011. I'll be writing about various happenings on here as well as on the official Strøm blog, so expect a lot of crossposting (and great music!). Morten from Regnsky will cover the other half of the festival on that blog, too, so there should be plenty of exciting things happening throughout the week.
I wonder how we ever get anything done. Admittedly, it’s summertime and things are pretty quiet at the moment, but look at all those events taking place all over Copenhagen at the moment. I’ve barely digested Trailerpark and Stella Polaris is hardly over before Strøm takes over. With a week of tempting events, how could you possibly get any work done?
You most likely can’t, but that’s okay. You will not hear a single judgmental word from me. After all, who can resist a lineup like this? So, in an attempt to maintain a healthy balance between work, play, music, and boring necessities like sleep, here are my recommendations for what to see at Strøm 2011. I have kept the weekdays relatively quiet, partly to avoid tempting you too badly and partly so that you can save your energy for the weekend.
Monday: Master Class - Bjørn Svin, Troels Abrahamsen & Tomas Barfod
Where? Culture Box, Kronprinsessegade 44 When? 16:00 ? 19:00
The educational content of a master class taught by some of the Danish electronic scene’s most vocal names might just be enough to justify your going out on a Monday night. For aspiring producers and budding enthusiasts alike, tips on distribution and composition from Bjørn Svin, Abrahamsen & Barfod should be both interesting and eye-opening. Oh, and while you’re there, you might as well stick around from the Strøm Opening Reception following the class.
Tuesday: Trans Metro Express: Beastie Respond, Spelling Bee (Nabo and Aslope), Hvad, Kenton Slash Demon
Where? Vestamager Station When? 19:00 ? 21:00
I don’t care what people say; Copenhagen has great public transportation. And while something like a party in the Metro sounds terribly illegal, the authorities over here are, apparently, cool with stuff like this. For once, you want a crowded train as you’re traversing the city to a soundtrack delivered by the likes of Beastie Respond and Kenton Slash Demon. Go find some photos online of last year’s Trans Metro Express and you’ll know why you want to show up.
Wednesday: Ralf Christensen: Det Elektroniske Stamtræ
Where? Copenhagen Central Library When? 17:00 ? 18:30
Yeah, it sounds awfully highbrow when Ralf Christensen, music editor of Information and host on Danish radio station P6, invites you on a trip through the history of electronic music. But considering how rarely you get to experience a coherent journey through the sprawling history of the genre, it is worth paying attention when the opportunity arises.
Thursday: All City Showcase: Om Unit, Onra & Buddy Sativa, Eloq, Danaet of Tall Prawn
Where? Christianshavns Beboerhus When? 21:00
If you missed the first Red Bull Music Academy co-sponsored showcase on Wednesday, Thursday presents yet another chance. This time, Om Unit and Onra show what All City Records have been up to with a mix of haunted electronic vibes and ridiculously groovy disco.
Friday
And then everything goes all crazy. Following the usual Strøm setup, Friday and Saturday present a combination of free-for-all events in Enghaveparken and an array of nightclub events around Copenhagen. While I am not as hooked on the lineup in Enghaveparken as I was last year, the acts coming to the city for some solid nightclub fun are simply stunning.
To kick things off, UK bass prodigy Lone, Danish power trio Jatoma, and German trio-turned-10-piece-(!)-live-ensemble Brandt Brauer Frick are all playing at Enghaveparken. With a handful of smaller Danish acts as part of the 1st Hit Wonders initiative and visuals from Dark Matters on top of that - all at the sympathetic cost of zilch - a stop at Vesterbro is an essential part of the Strøm experience.
I feel spoiled describing the remaining events, and honestly, I have no idea how to boil all of this down to something that could resemble a schedule. At Vega, the Le Social team has brought in Actress and 2562 from the UK and the Netherlands, respectively, for a night that could end up in several different places. Dubstep? House? Techno? I guess you have to show up to find out.
Things get more predictable, albeit no less exciting, if you spend the night at Dunkel. Here, one of my favorite bass music artists, Hemlock head-honcho Untold, plays as Ottoman meets Hest/Pony. He played an eclectic set at last years festival, and I’m confident he will pull off something just as interesting this year. Meanwhile at Culture Box, Belgian techno hero Peter Van Hoesen is ready to do what he does best: deliver pounding techno rhythms at a pace and level of bass that might result in your face melting mid-set. Tough call, right?
Saturday
Saturday shares the structure of Friday with some significant musical twists. At Enghaveparken, things are slightly softer and slightly more psychedelic when Pional, Space Dimension Controller, Paxton Fettel, Averos, and a whole bunch of others take the stage. That might not be where you are heading, however, since one of the festival’s biggest scoops in terms of bookings is playing right around the corner.
Although a ticket to Aphex Twin will set you back a significant amount of cash -at least compared to Enghaveparken - well… it is Aphex Twin! Come and mess yourself up as Richard David James takes over TAP1 for a show that promises to be extraordinary in every possible way.
Of course, there are still plenty of excellent music to catch should Aphex Twin not satisfy your cravings. DJ Qu, master of everything deep house and one of the most underrated artists on the scene, is playing at Dunkel for a night with Chez Savi. If that transition is too rough for you, Chris Rawles at Culture Box is probably a better fit. But again, if you’re out and about on Saturday, it’s hard to go wrong.
Sunday: Stille Strøm
Where? Ofelia Beach When? 15:00 ? 17:00
Phew, that’s a lot of music. But Strøm is not done yet. Give your ears a gentle treat and round off a week of all sorts of festivities with an afternoon curated by legendary Danish radio show Det Elektriske Barometer. If the weather behaves, a chilled out harbor-side Sunday might be just what you need.
Related posts:
