The ninth annual adventurous music and film festival Skaņu mežs will take place in Riga on September 16 and 17. Its purpose is to encourage innovation and withstand conformity and over-commercialization in music.  This aim will be sought both by means of innovative dance music (September 16) and performances by critically acclaimed concert musicians (September 17). This years festival’s image is created by the acclaimed Norwegian artist Are Mokkelbost (www.b-o-r-g.org) aka Single Unit and member of bands KILLL, Juv, Dausteg and Arm.   Idea for the image has evolved from the confusing identity of our age and society. Needless to say that tendency also is present in music.

There will be an emphasis on the young artists from East and Central Europe as these regions have gradually fostered world class innovative musicians. Preliminary program is as follows:

September 16 engages rythm and dance music as that has some of the most interesting developments lately:
Awesome Tapes from Africa (US), Fauna (AR), Gangpol & Mit (FR), Hype Williams (UK/EE), Natalia Beridze (GE),  Elektro Guzzi (AT),  Dunian (LV), Oyaarss (LV), Mujuice  (RU), Brokenchord (LT), Raime (UK).

On September 17 there will be concerts:
Svarte Greiner (NO), Kevin Drumm (US), Skull Defekts & Tommi Keranen (SE/FI), Thomas Ankersmit (NL), Kammerflimmer Kolektieff (DE),  Angel (IS, DE, FI), Wildbirds & Peacedrums (SE).

Tickets are available for low prices. First 100 festival passes cost 10 lats, after that – 12 lats. Single-day tickets for festival cost 7 lats at pre-sales, at the box-office – 9 lats. Tickets are available at the Biļešu Serviss (Ticket Service) sales points and website – www.bilesuserviss.lv. Venue will be announced shortly.

Skaņu mežs festival is a member of the European experimental music association European Cities of Advanced Sound. It is supported by European Union program Culture 2007-2013.

This year’s festival image – Circle Face Monkey by Are Mokkelbost:

Here are some of the artists to appear at Skaņu mežs ‘2011: