Laznia Centre for Contemporary Art

SpaceFest! – the only festival in Poland devoted to alternative, shoegaze and space rock genres – comes back. The third edition, scheduled to take place on 6 and 7 December, is just around the corner. The event has changed venues, but the formula remains the same: Klub Żak in Gdańsk will host artists, whose interests lie way beyond classically understood rock music. One can say that they have left the earthly realm and moved to space, as their music is infused with the cosmic, the vast and the boundless – space which is at the same time terrifying and fascinating. So why not reserve some time on the first weekend of December, visit SpaceFest! and experience a unique journey with the invited artists: not just in time, but – first of all – in space.

Traditionally, the concerts will be preceded by rehearsals of the Pure Phase Ensemble, a group created especially for the festival. The composition of PPE changes from year to year, with the only permanent musician being Ray Dickaty, known i.a. from his cooperation with PJ Harvey, Cornershop or Spiritualized. The special guest of this year’s PPE will be Laetitia Sadier – the charismatic lead singer of Stereolab, who is going to perform with a group of musicians from Tricity: Małgorzata Penkalla and Magdalena Gajdzica (Enchanted Hunters), Joanna Kuźma (Asia i Koty), Jarek Marciszewski, Jakub Świątek and Sławek Draczyński (Popsysze), Jakub Kozak (The Esthetics). Karol Schwarz will be responsible for sound engineering and generation of pure phase sounds. We will be able to hear the effects of their work on 6 December, and the concert is going to be recorded and released on a CD in 2014.

The second day of the festival will be headlined by the Icelandic band Dead Skeletons. Their performances are a true sonic feast: they traverse shoegaze planes, adding just the right amount of psychedelic and a stoner-rock edge. A vital part of their gigs are live visuals created by the group's leader Jón Sæmundur Audarson. Their SpaceFest! appearance will mark the end of their European tour.

The remaining foreign acts are US lo-fi/shoegaze act Weekend, German shoegaze trio Jaguwar and Trans/Human from England, who during their live shows rely not only on regular instruments, but also on everyday objects, which become generators of astonishing sounds.

The line-up is supplemented by four Polish acts. Gdynia-based Ampacity presented themselves to the SpaceFest! audience last December. Just for the record: this space rock group formed especially to play a one-off gig at our festival, but their performance met with such enthusiasm that other concert offers followed. This year, the band played e.g. at the OFF Festival in Katowice, which they took by storm. SF! 2013 will be the premiere of the vinyl edition of their album Encounter One.

The remaining Polish bands are: Niewolnicy Saturna, composed of musicians known from such acts as Ścianka, Hey, Oranżada or Cieślak i Księżniczki – Maciek Cieślak, Maciek Zabrocki and Robert Derlatka; as well as Stara Rzeka and Judy’s Funeral – winners of the SpaceFest competition for young bands.

Intervals between the concerts will be taken over by DJs: Doug Shipton from the cult British label Finders Keepers, DJ Dr Switchoff a.k.a Danil Akimov from Russia and the legendary radio DJ from Tricity Adam Czajkowski.

FESTIVAL LINE-UP

6 December 2013 | start: 19:00Hrs

Weekend (US)

Ampacity (PL)

Pure Phase Ensemble + Laetitia Sadier (UK/FR/PL)

Jaguwar (DE)

Stara Rzeka (PL)

DJ Adam Czajkowski (PL)

DJ Dr.Switchoff (RU)

7 December 2013 | start: 19:00Hrs

Dead Skeletons (IS)

Trans/Human (UK)

Niewolnicy Saturna (PL)

Judy’s Funeral (PL)

DJ Doug Shipton (Finders Keepers) (UK)

DJ Adam Czajkowski (PL)

For more information on the festival, visit www.spacefest.pl

Tickets are available at the Eventim.pl outlets (PLN 30) or before the show at Klub Żak (PLN 40). Only daily tickets remain (the limited number of 2-day passes has sold out).

SpaceFest! is organised by Nasiono Association with the support of The City of Gdansk, Laznia Centre for Contemporary Art, Klub Żak and House

Festival coordinators: Anna Szynwelska i Karol Schwarz (Nasiono) | Contact: love@spacefest.pl

Press Contact: Radosław Jachimowicz | press@spacefest.pl | +48 513 930 841

Presspack: http://spacefest.pl/press/spacefest_2013_press.zip

BIP

Municipal Institution of Culture