If you are planning to attend a dance-festival this summer, look no further than a visit to the Anaklia sea resort for the latest installment in a hugely popular electronic music festival: Echowaves. This year, Georgia is hosting Echowaves for the second time already, and promises an even more impressive lineup, its renowned stunning setting, spectacular effects and many interesting activities.
The multi-genre festival brings quality underground music to the golden beach, offering beautiful sunsets and warm sea to swim in. Once a small village, Anaklia has been transformed into an important port city in recent years, making it one of the most colorful and vibrant places to go and attracting people from around the globe. Whether you’re a fan of house or techno, bass or experimental, electro or EDM, there’s guaranteed to be something that can give you a buzz.
This year, Echowaves will take place from August 22 – 25. The lineup is already set and tickets are on sale. For more details, check out the Echowaves Festival Facebook page.
GEORGIA TODAY talked with Head of PR and Marketing of the Echowaves Festival, Nini Rekhviashvili, about the festival, artists and preparation works.
How did Echowaves start and what makes this festival so special?
Echowaves was successfully launched in Georgia, on Anaklia beach, in August 2018, powered by ‘Exit,’ which holds the title of best festival in Europe 2014. Last year, Echowaves hosted 150 artists and more than 10,000 guests, and ultimately earned fame with its scale and positive feedback in the region as well as in Europe. It was included on the shortlist of the best festivals of 2018. This year, over four days, you can enjoy quality music in an incredible atmosphere, accompanied by amazing views of the sea and beach. Different musical stages and activities will be arranged in the area, guaranteeing an unforgettable experience to visitors.
How are preparation works going on location?
Our team is working non-stop ahead of the August opening. The area will be equipped with all the necessary facilities. In the vicinity of the festival will be a number of guest houses and hotels providing accommodation to guests. Echowaves has played a significant role in developing tourism in the Samegrelo region as well as offering citizens a festival in line with European standards and boosting interest in electronic music. The festival is highly important from an economical perspective, giving the local inhabitants the opportunity to earn additional income. Yet the festival has bigger perspectives, benefitting from a unique location on the Black Sea coast, and favorable weather conditions.
What should guests expect from Echowaves 2019?
After last year’s successful start, interest in the festival has grown, which excites us and at the same time increases our responsibility. Subsequently, the festival team is working at full capacity to exceed the expectations of the attendees. Echowaves 2019 will have a bigger scale and provide more diverse music genres to music fans and ravers. New stages will be added as well as gaming and sport spaces. But most importantly, the lineup will include internationally renewed artists that have not performed in the country before.
This year’s lineup will feature sets from well-known artists Adriatique, Ben Klock, Dj Tennis, KiNK, Musumeci, Petre Inspirescu, Red Axes, RØDHÅD, Tom Trago, Valentino Kanzyani, VRIL Live and YokoO. Georgian artists will be performing by their side. Georgia boasts a vibrant electronic music scene with a number of distinguished local artists, so it is important for us to collaborate with them so that both Georgian and foreign audiences can listen to them. Our mission is to run Echowaves 2019 at its best, to give amazing experiences and charge guests with high emotions. One of our core aims is to introduce Georgia to tourists from a different perspective and promote our country internationally. We have an ambition for the festival to establish itself as one of the top music festivals not only in the region, but as a truly global showcase.
By Lika Chigladze