Welcome to the seventh edition of our festival for adventurous music.

Starting at 7pm tonight and ending on Sunday, 2 April, we proudly present a full weekend of forward-thinking music at iconic venues throughout The Hague’s city centre – from the historical Grote Kerk and Lutherse Kerk to pop temple Paard and the intimate Prins27. With more than 85 events, including numerous (inter)national premieres, commissioned performances, artistic collaborations, live concerts, and club nights, as well as talks, workshops, presentations and screenings, and roughly 200 critically acclaimed artists and musicians from all over the world, this year’s festival programme promises to be our most extensive, challenging and political to date.

“Times like these call for art and music that disrupts and challenges”

From its outset, Rewire has always strived to showcase innovative and emerging musical scenes, artists and genres. But we cannot ignore the reality that surrounds us. Our annual celebration of progressive sound comes at a confusing and troubling time. Our world appears more divided than ever; populism, extremism, mutual distrust, and anger are on the rise. We strongly believe that times like these call for art and music that disrupts and challenges prevailing societal tendencies. That speaks truth to power. As a music festival, we too have a responsibility. Not only can we bring people together, but through our programming we can question convention, stimulate imagination, and encourage discussion. We can provide a platform to artists who question the status quo, and are outspoken in their efforts to transform society.

With this is mind, we have invited several artists who epitomise this spirit. Take for example Moor Mother, a gifted and honest noise artist and poet who continues the legacy of African-American female musicians by giving voice to the unheard. Or New York-based artist and composer Jace Clayton, whose ode to the artistic legacy of Julius Eastman – the mercurial gay, African American composer who mixed canny minimalist innovation with head-on political provocation – lends context and nuance to the composer’s tragic saga. We’ve also invited the likes of GAIKA, a visionary voice confronting today’s racial politics, and German sound artist and poet AGF and Afghan performance artist Kubra Khademi, whose politically-charged performances grapples with womanhood, white supremacy and intersectional feminism.

→ https://www.youtube.com/embed/asYtTRfkbn8?feature=oembed

AGF and Kubra Khademi’s powerful performance is just one of many unique, collaborative expressions at Rewire 2017. We have commissioned and programmed a number of projects, many of which are premiering in The Netherlands, that upend assumptions about genre and composition. Performing in the Lutherse Kerk tonight, and present their mesmerising audio-visual performance of Holographic. On Saturday, we welcome a true pioneer in the field of electronic music in Peter Zinovieff. Partnering with one of new music’s rising stars, London-based cellist Lucy Railton, the two perform a spatially-configured work for cello and computer that articulates a bold and luminous meshing of distinctive voices. And on Sunday, we close out the festival with two sets of musical titans: Kangding Ray and Mogwai’s Barry Burns as SUMS, and the second ever live collaboration between Jeff Mills & Tony Allen.

This year’s Rewire programme not only makes way for emerging artists and genres, it also highlights and connects the very pioneers and early innovators that inspire them. Peter Zinovieff, Jeff Mills and Tony Allen naturally top this list, but they’re not the only ones. Tonight, legendary British shoegazers Slowdive return to Paard for the first time in 25 years, and on Saturday, Michael Gira and his Swans take the stage for their final show on Dutch soil in the current constellation, while Daniel Lanois treats us to the lush sonic dreamscapes of his lap and pedal steel guitars. And then on Sunday, British DIY pioneers This Heat reincarnate as This Is Not This Heat for their first ever Dutch performance.

→ https://www.youtube.com/embed/4R31AWhv02Y?feature=oembed

Following on the heels of last year’s success, our extensive talks, workshop and screenings programme is led by the second edition of their The Sound of Story. This year’s exploration of the role of sound and music in storytelling focuses entirely on video games. Presenting leading music and sound practitioners working in the indie and AAA sectors, such as No Man’s Sky’s Paul Weir and Inside’s SØS Gunver Ryberg, The Sound of Story investigates topics such as writing interactive scores, designing sound for immersive environments and working with procedural audio. It’s an exciting opportunity to learn about the creative and technical processes behind innovative sound in games.

We’ve also invited festival artists to share and reflect on their own musical journeys and processes throughout the festival weekend. This evening, Forest Swords sits down with Resident Advisor, and Jace Clayton takes us on a winding path through living music cultures. On Saturday, Peter Zinovieff talks to The Wire about his historic contributions to electronic music, and AGF, Kubra Khademi and Moor Mother join New Emergences to reflect on the power of poetry and gender in electronic music, while on Sunday, Kassel Jaeger’s François J Bonnet delves into his philosophies of sound and listening.

Rewire 2017 critically reflects on the constant stream of developments in contemporary and electronic music, while remaining firmly rooted in our sociopolitical reality. We hope to challenge you, our festival visitor and artist, to explore new sonic and societal territories. To immerse yourself in all of the festival’s adventurous sounds, thought-provoking talks, insightful workshops, and exhilarating club nights.

The artists and projects discussed here are just a few of this year’s festival highlights. You can find a complete guide to the Rewire 2017 programme, including introductions to each one of our festival artists and events in our Festival Programme Book.For exact performance times, download our Timetable or pick up a copy at any of our Festival Venues. We have tried to be as comprehensive as possible, but for last minute updates, please check the Rewire 2017 website.

We wish you an adventurous and inspiring festival weekend.
Welcome to Rewire 2017!

Sincerely,
The Rewire 2017 Team