I am participating in a discussion on how music spaces and activists can deal with a growing commercialization and cultural gentrification. It is gonna happen in a new space in 15th district, can’t wait to see it – more info towards the end…
Harder. Better. Faster. Stronger?
Politics of Contemporary Techno & Club Culture in Vienna
A Panel Discussion hosted by LoopLab
Techno and club culture create spaces for the satisfaction of various desires as well as for escapism. It can be experienced as a state of the body, of the mind, as an attitude, a philosophy or a community. No matter the angle, it always has political implications. Or, has it? How political is techno today? And has techno – like art & music in general – an obligation to be (explicitly) political? And if so, how so?
Techno functioned as an important social movement since its inception. At the same time the commercialization of techno as a big business is still ongoing. And it is thereby (whether on purpose or not) consuming/replacing more and more less profitable/underground structures (which are struggling with displacement, repression or simply ignorance yet again).
Furthermore, all of us, as the individuals and social networks producing and/or consuming these culture/s are (more or less) a reflection of society’s current state. That fundamentally includes mechanisms of power and hierarchy. As a rule women*, queers, people of color (as well as other minorities) still have to struggle for safer spaces and equality within music scenes – techno is not an exception.
To talk about some of these issues we invited different artists, protagonists and researchers of the local techno landscape. Together we will discuss not only their motives, experiences and struggles, but also more general questions like:
What makes the scene in Vienna special or unique compared to scenes in other countries? What does political and social thinking or action mean in the context of techno, club culture or their collectives? What are the benefits of creating a certain community, underground or subculture? Who is in charge anyway? And is there such a thing as a political sound to begin with?
A panel discussion with:
Biance Ludewig (reseacher on music and subcultures, journalist)
– Gerald VDH / (DJ, producer, Meat Market)
– hausgemacht (Frederika „Fredi“ Ferková (Orga-Team Zusammen Kommen); Sandro Nicolussi aka BYDL (DJ, journalist, Tongræber – Verein elektronischer Klangkunst))
– Magdalena Augustin / Lenia (DJ, Gassen aus Zucker, reseacher on club culture)
– Lena Ka (DJ, Maschinenraum, requested)
– Die Zuckerlkettenfrau (journalist, radio FM4)
Moderation: Carina Klammer
Language will be English or German with English translation
Afterwards: Open Bar
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LoopLab is project space for experimental and electronic music by Carina Klammer (aka Rina Roar) and Jerome Trebing and part of Colab.
Co]l[lab is a public and private collective laboratory. It offers (space for) exhibitions, workshops, lectures and all sort of events – as well as it is home for different groups/projects (including an atelier area).
There is a studio for fashion and sewing, an atelier for (screen) printing and a project space for electronic & experimental music (the LoopLab).
The front room is dedicated to all sorts of public events at the interface between culture and critical thinking / practice.
co]l[ab
Schweglerstraße 46
1150 Wien
Web: colab.wien
FB & Insta: colab.1150
Barrier-free entry
