After the dust had settled on the afternoon’s context programme offerings – including a conversation with Tianzhuo Chen ahead of today’s Asian Dope Boys performance (18:00–02:00 at Amare Studio) – and as visitors started to filter out of the film programme screenings at Filmhuis Den Haag, the evening programme kicked off in full with Chunky Move. The contemporary dance company delivered on their promise of an otherworldly, cyberpunk performance with U>N>I>T>E>D. Performed twice yesterday in Amare's Danstheater, this anarchic yet graceful convergence of meat and metal was a spectacle of mechanical movement and riotous rhythm.

In Amare’s Concertzaal, Tortoise brought a cosmic free-jazz spirit to the stage, performing their unique strain of experimental rock, inflected by ambient, kraut rock, noise, electronics, and indie rock influences. Afterwards, Jim O’Rourke & Eiko Ishibashi gave an intimate performance at Amare’s Danstheater brimming with texture-driven conversation and harmonic interplay.

Shortly thereafter, picking up the experimental sonics of Tortoise and slabbering on some extra layers of crusty distortion, Sam Slater & guests brought Lunng to the Concertzaal – where Maria W. Horn’s otherworldly voice swarmed the speakers as Andrew Bernstein’s saxophone wailed in unison with Hillary Jeffrey’s trombone. The last two members of the all-star guest line-up (who came together for one night only), Lucy Railton (on cello) and Petra Hermanova (on autoharp), formed a harmonic baseline for Slater and his collaborators to build a cinematic soundworld of harmony and dissonance upon.

What could one even say to do justice to last night's closing concert at Amare’s Concertzaal? Thank you to Oneohtrix Point Never and Freekatet for another life-affirming show of unparalleled visuals and sounds. The artist's recent album Tranquilizer was brought to life in an unforgettable way, but far from having a tranquilising effect, the show offered a perfect revitalising crescendo to the festival's Friday evening.

Earlier that day at Grote Kerk, two legends of experimental music performed special live shows: Moritz von Oswald & The Hague Vocal Ensemble performed 'Silencio,’ before Scottish composer and musician Drew McDowall (Coil, Psychic TV) and Pedro Maia presented a live AV show based upon McDowall's latest studio album. Meanwhile, across various locations throughout the day, visitors were treated to the poetic jazz of JJJJJerome Ellis at Lutherse Kerk, the fragile yet powerful noise of Natasha Pirard at Korzo Zaal, and the bombastic bars of La Rat at The Grey Space in the Middle’s Basement. Elsewhere, Mayssa Jallad, with her trio, wove her intricate song-stories from Beirut’s hidden histories (catch her on Sunday in a world premiere collaboration with Civilistjävel!), Valentina Magaletti & YPY left every drummer in the audience with an ambiguous feeling of both elation and envy, and as Saturday night turned into early Sunday, Raül Refree & Niño de Elche performed a suitably angelic set at Lutherse Kerk – catch them again this evening at 19:45.

PAARD’s programme yesterday was simply unmissable. From the infectious and woozy pop of Smerz, to the energetic bars of Armand Hammer, and the ferocious percussive power of Nihiloxica, the evening was kinetic and unabashedly boisterous. As Kode9 and Deena Abdelwahed traded turns on the decks for their first ever b2b to close out PAARD I, PAARD II was heating up in its own way, with the Shapednoise & Sevi Iko Dømochevsky’s wild Absurd Matter Continuum AV show, which paved the way for Nazar’s sci-fi drenched “rough” Kuduro. Rewire hopes you are prepared for another unforgettable day at the festival.

Photos by Alex Heuvink, Alicia Karsonopoero, Baroeg Mulder, Camille Blake, Charlotte van der Gaag, Esmée de Vette, Jan Rijk, Laura van der Spek, Parcifal Werkman, and Pieter Kers, Sabine van Nistelrooij