A two-day electronic music event labelled as an ‘anti-festival’ is coming to the Scottish Highlands for the first time this year.
Coming to the resort town of Aviemore on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September, Passenger Presents Adventures in Aviemore will host a wealth of electronic and dance artists from all over the world across three venues
Around 500 people are expected each day with the event partnering with local establishments including the Old Bridge Inn, Macdonald Aviemore Resort, and local nightclub The Vault.
There will be an outdoor open-air stage and an indoor stage plus bars, food trucks, and the usual well-known restaurants and cafes in the area, which are set to benefit from an added influx of visitors.
However, as part of the inaugural event, organisers are looking to get audiences connected with the wider area of the Scottish Highlands and say Aviemore is the perfect place to do it.
Lead organiser and DJ, Daniel Sharkey, known as Sharkey’s Machine, said they are keen to avoid the event being labelled as a festival due to the uncertain nature of them going ahead.
However, he has instead called it an anti-festival and hopes bringing the event to the Cairngorm National Park Area will create something that has never been seen before.
He said: “Festivals seem to be cancelling almost as quickly as they are being published. I have witnessed so many events cancelled recently, and I took the opportunity to create something different in a resort town, where tourism normally thrives in winter due to skiing and snowboarding.
“However, there will be a 100% festival feeling in the town and very boutique festival vibes that weekend at our open-air stage and indoor stages and micro clubbing events at nighttime, however, Passenger - Adventures in Aviemore is in many ways, the Anti-Festival.
“Passenger is a brand with a focused mission: to encourage people to enjoy both music and outdoor exploration.
“Our goal is to inspire individuals from diverse backgrounds to connect music with nature by promoting access to natural spaces and advocating for responsible outdoor recreation.
“We do this by integrating music, art, and culture into the outdoor experience, aiming to ignite a sense of adventure and appreciation for the world around us, all in the name of inclusivity.
“We hope people travel from far and wide and even beyond Scotland to appreciate all things that this beautiful town has to offer.”
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As part of the event located next to the scenic surroundings of Aviemore and the banks of the River Spey, ticket holders will be able to attend events throughout the day and into the early hours of the morning at their leisure.
“The highland area's natural beauty, charm and mystique will definitely add to the charisma of this small-town takeover,” Daniel added.
The open-air stage will be located at the Old Bridge Inn, with the venue also hosting an indoor stage, and fans can then take the party to local nightclub The Vault for ‘microclubbing’ events lasting long into the night
Artists performing will be travelling from France, Germany, Spain and from further afield, and Daniel hopes it can attract people from those areas to come and enjoy the event.
He added: “Expect to see hall of fame of underground electronic music artists from around the world alongside some of the best up-and-coming electronic music artists in Scotland.
“We have artists performing and travelling to the highlands from the Basque country, Bordeaux in France, Frankfurt Germany, Dublin, Belgium, Barcelona and lots more.
“There is a real international feel to the programme of music that people will experience, and I took great pleasure in curating this whole line-up myself. It's not just underground electronic music either, we have dub, ska, reggae artists, lovers of Italo disco performing, and a fantastic band playing some gritty covers. There is something here for everyone.
“With the partnerships we have with the Old Bridge Inn, The Macdonald Hotel and The Vault alongside some other local vendors and businesses we surely hope the town benefits significantly.”
Tickets for Passenger Presents Adventures in Aviemore are now on sale.
The full weekend line-up includes:
Saturday
- Funk D'Void
- (Soma)
- Fabrice Lig aka Soul Designer
- (Planet E)
- Robert Drewek
- (Rawax)
- Ian O'Donovan
- (Bedrock)
- Yeti Mind Tricks
- (Further, Amsterdam)
- Sharkey's Machine
- (Passenger)
Sunday
- Terry Francis
- (Fabric)
- Domenic Cappello
- (Sub Club)
- DJ Q
- (Filter)
- Darren
- (808 State)
- Sir Raymond Mang
- (R&S Records)
- Xavier from Bordeaux
- ( Wunderboat )
- Andy Piacentini
- ( Passenger )
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