Abracadabra

"Abracadabra" is a magical incantation that today concludes the magical passes of stage illusionists. In everyday context, the word "abracadabra" means nonsense or absurdity. It is also used to describe complex information for which humanitarian skills are insufficient. This mysterious word, which came from ancient Jews and Greeks, is also known as a formula of special knowledge capable of magically transforming reality with its potential power. Any of the interpretations, the organizers believe, has the right to exist in the experiments of the Abracadabra festival, which is entirely dedicated to the universal pre-linguistic way of communication - Music. Under its banner in April 2007, Russian and foreign artists, whose work does not fit into conventional canon, will showcase their art. "Experiment" and "Experience" are the most important categories for them, and the search is valued more than fame or profit. Apart from scattered galleries and promotional groups, no one in Moscow had previously attempted to systematize these directions of music and art on the scale that Abracadabra aims for. In 2007, it will be held for the second time – the first festival in 2004 successfully took place at the Wings of the Soviets Palace of Culture and gathered about 2000 people without any advertising. Since then, the ideological outline of Abracadabra has become clearer, delineating a division into two main directions – music and media art, and the participant list has grown from 10 to more than 30 artists. The music program – curated by American composer and Berkeley University lecturer Keith Fullerton Whitman (also known as Hrvatski) – is presented by performances of Daddy G (one of the creators of Massive Attack) and DJ Queen Bee (tour DJ of Massive Attack); absolutely cult in the advanced music scene is the Venetian Snares project by Canadian Aaron Funk, nicknamed the "godson of Aphex Twin"; O.M.F.O. - Our Man From Odessa, German Popov, who moved to the Netherlands in 1989 and ceased to be "one of ours," but became "one of theirs" for Senior Coconut and Borat (the soundtrack to the the movie features O.M.F.O.'s melody); electronic harpist Zeena Parkins and drummer Ikue Mori, who have worked with John Zorn, Arto Lindsay, and Björk; and energetic Ceephax Andy Jenkinson, the biological brother of Tom Jenkinson (Squarepusher). Other performers at the festival will include Pole, Boom Bip, Tucker, Zavoloka, S Peres, Solar X, and about a dozen Moscow DJs and musicians. The video segment of Abracadabra is managed by Vadim Epstein (VJ EPS). Abracadabra will kick off on Thursday, April 19, with a concert in the Great Hall of the "35 mm" cinema. Here, Cyclo – a duo featuring digital minimalism legend and founder of the Raster-Noton label, the German Carsten Nicolai (performing under the pseudonym Alva Noto) and Japanese media artist Ryoji Ikeda will perform. Also, for the first time, the Russian academic ensemble Studio of New Music will perform electronic classics (Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Boards Of Canada), rearranged into symphonic music, works of 20th-century avant-garde composers, and contemporary Russian composers. On Friday and Saturday, Abracadabra will continue at VDNH – the festival's main venue. The big stage will be set up in Pavilion No. 20 "Chemical Industry"; the small stage will occupy the halls of the adjacent Pavilion No. 26 "Transport" – a majestic building created in the style of Stalinist Empire. The headliners for Friday are Venetian Snares, Pole, O.M.F.O., and Ceephax, while the main event of Saturday will be the performance of Daddy G. April 19, Thursday, starting at 20:00 Great Hall of CDP (35 mm), concert in 2 parts, ensemble "Studio of New Music" - works by Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Boards of Canada, Edgar Varese, as well as Ryoji Ikeda + Carsten Nicolai – Cyclo, pre-sale price 500 rubles, on the day of the event 600 rubles. April 20, Friday, from 22:00 to 06:00 VDNH, pavilions No. 20, No. 26, music: Venetian Snares, Ceephax, Pole, O.M.F.O, Solar X, Mujuice, Gromov, Kim & Buran, Math Geek, Flammable Beats, video: Amoeba, EPS, Eno, Zden, Toxa, db, Addams, audio-visual installations: Andrey Smirnov (Theremin Center), pre-sale price 700 rubles, on the day of the event 800 rubles. April 21, Saturday, from 16:00 to 21:00 Great Hall of CDP (35 mm), music: Laptop Orchestra of Andrey Smirnov, Fusedmarc, Keith Fullerton Whitman, Ikue Mori and Zeena Parkins, pre-sale price 400 rubles, on the day of the event 500 rubles. April 21, Saturday, from 22:00 to 06:00 VDNH, pavilions No. 20, No. 26, music: Daddy G, Boom Bip, Queen B, 2H Company+EU, S Peres, Amoeba, Zavoloka, Atarix, Easy Changes, video: Zden, Antishanti, Higgy, Anastaziya, Nikita Tsymbal, Intektra, Snowflake, Apel, audio-visual installations: Andrey Smirnov (Theremin Center), pre-sale price 700 rubles, on the day of the event 800 rubles. The program may be subject to additions and changes. Official website of Abracadabra