Two weeks ago we headed to Essen, Germany, to be part of a new edition of Stone Techno Festival. This would be our first time at this event, after having heard very good opinions from many profiles with wide experience in festivals all over the world who highlighted the quality of this project, not only of the lineup but all elements involved, starting with its unbeatable location, the UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein in Essen. The festival takes place in a unique environment that the organisers treat with the utmost respect while claiming the legacy of the region.
From July 12th to 14th, Stone Techno Festival opened its doors to welcome the thousands of followers of this event who, year after year, come eagerly to enjoy the project that has established itself on the international scene not only for contemporary electronic music but also for future-oriented progress. In fact, one of the first things that catches our attention when we arrive at the venue—which is one of the most mind-blowing, post-industrial sceneries we’ve ever seen—is the variety of languages and accents we hear among the attendees. There is no doubt that the festival, which this year has once again surpassed itself since the feast started a day earlier and covered two-night events as well, is a magnet of attraction for visitors to this region.
We said it at the beginning: quality promised to be one of the main strengths of this festival. Shortly after starting to enjoy the experience, as we tour its four stages—Kokerei, Werks-Schwimmbad, Eisbahn, and Salzlager—we realise that everything is indeed taken care of in detail. It is not a mainstream festival; its ultimate objective is not to attract the maximum number of people, sell as many drinks as possible, or have the DJs with the most followers on Instagram. Its concept goes much further and does not put its identity at risk to get more profit. First and foremost for the festival is the immersive musical experience and its integration with this wonderful environment.
This identity is also apparent in their communications and also on their website, where they define the festival as “a multidisciplinary project with a musical, cultural, political, scientific, and social approach.” While many festivals are paying more and more attention to how the experience is shown on social media, the impact a video of a DJ set gets on TikTok, or how many photos visitors share on their profiles, projects like this stay true to themselves and continue to offer pure experiences for music lovers.
Of course it is important to communicate how the experience is and reach new people, but this can be done in many different ways. Stone Techno Festival is an example of promotion through its channels consistently, sending a clear and direct message that involves artists, visitors, and, of course, its unique location. The festival posts short videos in which DJs who have lived the experience share their impressions and tell us how they felt performing in such a special venue, along with short clips that show us the atmosphere created by its community. Honest communication without much artifice, through which they prove what their main strengths are.
If we look at the lineup for its 2024 edition, we realise how quality is present in all the decisions made by the organisation. Here we find very consolidated profiles in the global electronic music scene, with large communities of followers around the world. All of them have something in common: they have not been influenced by trends and have created an identity and a personal style highly recognisable. From DJ Nobu to Job Jobse, who offered a set to remember full of good energy, all the artists who took the stage seemed to feel very comfortable. It might be the effect of working on a project that is not governed by “more is more.”
When it comes to the stages, artists were totally integrated with the crowd, generating an experience in which roles blurred and we all shared a very special moment. Following the Boiler Room style, the attendees surrounded the DJs, interacting with them while giving it their all on the dance floor. The Narciss B2B Berlintrack Servant set was undoubtedly one of the best moments of the last edition of Stone Techno, and the atmosphere they created was unbeatable.
A special mention should be made for the Amsterdam-based DJ and producer Young Marco and Kameliia, among many others who performed on the four stages from Friday to Sunday. We spoke with Kameliia https://metalmagazine.eu/post/kameliia a few days before the festival started, and she told us she was very happy to be part of the lineup for this very special project. “I’m super, super excited, as this is my very first outdoor festival, and from what I have seen in pictures, the venue looks like nothing else I have seen.” We must also highlight the visuals that were projected in the artists' performances, essential to offering a multisensory experience.
Having 5,000 visitors each day, half of them international, the festival also included a learning experience for those who would like to know about the UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein, the historical location on which Stone Techno has been built. A dedicated team around geologist Dr. Achim Reisdorf, the scientific head of the project, displayed minerals and educated guests—on behalf of and in the tradition of the raw material that has formed a whole region: stones. It would be great if other festivals took note and followed this example, as many of them alter the natural environments to celebrate macro events without thinking about the consequences of their impact.
And we bring good news! Stone Techno Festival has just announced the dates for its next edition next year. It will be from July 11th to 13th, 2025, and tickets are on sale on their website.
