22-25 of August became a new period in Vladivostok music life because of the international showcase festival/conference Vladivostok Rocks. Thanks to the support of festival’s partner S7 Airlines, Primorsky Region’s capital hosted over 250 artists, music industry professionals and journalists from central Russia, Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Africa and USA. All the participants were accommodated at the Far East Federal University campus which is considered to be one of the best in Russia and in the world.
There were over 70 concerts in four days in different locations from Sports Embankment (Sportivnaya Naberezhnaya) and central square to bars and night clubs of Vladivostok. Vladivostok has never been filled with so much of different music.
Headliners of the festival were No Brain (South Korea), Ego Wrappin’ (Japan), P.K.14 (China), Julien-K (USA) and Mumiy Troll which presented a concert version of their new album “SOS Matrosu”. Thanks to the internet broadcasting done by Rostelecom, the big concert held on the 24th of August could be seen worldwide. During the gala concert more that 30 000 people felt the whole range of seaside climate starting with heavy rain and finishing with double rainbow above the main stage of the festival. Music celebration ended up with a favorite song of Vladivostok people. “Vladivostok-2000″ by Mumiy Trol has truly become an unofficial anthem of Vladivostok.
Igor Pushkaryev, Vladivostok’s head greeted everyone from the stage of V-ROX: “Vladivostok is a city of new achievements and records. We are ready to realize great and unique projects such as international festival Vladivostok Rocks. Rock is a loud sound, drive and energy! I believe that festival like this will become a good tradition. Thanks to all the participants for this feast of rock and for the attention to Vladivostok and for you positive emotions!”
V-ROX hasn’t forget about electro artists – russian and asian dj’s and producers performed in Street Bar at the Red Bull Music Academy Stage. A curator of the electro stage was a local person Sasha Kholenko, founder of how2make records indie label.
For four days there were educational events going on i.e. lectures, workshops and panel discussions. World experts were explaining to regional artists about how to make their own label, how to promote it and what is going on with music festivals around the world, what is the music critics’ task what crowdfunding is.
In the frames of V-Rox there was an exhibition in Art-etage museum and gallery held by belgian artists Leroy Brothers whose art project became a basis for the cover of the new album “SOS Matrosu” by Mumiy Troll. Vladivostok people can see top 10 art objects till the 5th of September. Paintings will be donated to Vladivostok after that.
Federal and world media made reports about Vladivostok Rocks i.e. Filter Magazine (USA), The New York Times (USA), First Chanel, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Afisha Magazine, Russkiy Reporter, Rolling Stone, Kommersant newspaper, Bloomberg TV (USA), Friday TV, Colta.ru project and Kroogi.com project etc. Active support was done by international project Russia Beyond the Headlines, Europe Plus radio, Asia to Go agency, Magagazeta and Geometria.ru. Regional press was watching V-Rox attentively – major news agencies and federal TV channels made their reports on what was going on, as well as Novaya Gazeta, Komsomolskaya Pravda, OTV, PTR and NHK (Japan) TV channels.
Ilya Lagutenko, curator and founder of V-ROX:
“Hurray! The first of V-ROX is done! We’ve come to realize that the aim was to present Vladivostok as an international center of music culture and we could work it out just fine. I want to give thanks to all the participants, city authorities and city’s head, Far Eastern Federal University, festival organizers, all of our partners and volunteers. We weren’t many but trusted to the idea of the festival and our empathy help us to feel the moment of creation. We’ve came up with a new cultural layer of Vladivostok and there are lots of interesting happenings and meetings and victories ahead. I’m almost over with my speech and i’m getting ready to V-ROX 2014!”
