Armada Night with Alexander Popov, Mark Sixma, Alexandra Badoi, Susana, Snatt & Vix and Simon O'Shine
Hey there! I'm back live and (finally) writing you about how was the amazing Armada Night in Bucharest on October 4th with Alexander Popov, Mark Sixma, Alexandra Badoi, Susana, Snatt &Vix and Simon O'Shine. OMG!! What a line up! Right? It was the perfect line up for such an evening. It was the perfect location and timing for the romanian trance family to gather again and breathe those beautiful sounds of trance music.
We started with the usual meet and greet and let me tell you, these artists are more modest and more beautiful than I imagined. Super cool and nice, they talked with us like we were friends and just met for a beer. The question I usually adress to artists is ”Why TRANCE? How did you fall in love with trance music?” and the answers never stop to surprise me. Even if they talk about the feelings trance gives them (and this is one of the most usual answer I get), the way they talk about it gives me shivers everytime. So much passion, so much dedication to this music that these people have is simply amazing. Susana just fell in love with the armony and talked about the joy Armin Only 2008 brought to her life. Alexandra, when she heard ”In and out of love” knew that trance is the music she wanna sing and also because of her strong friendship with Snatt&Vix she's doing it now. Alexander and Mark mentioned Tiesto as a reference and the feelings they want to give to people by producing trance music.
Talking about the evolution of this music and what they think will happen in the next years, the response was ”music evolves and we need to deal with that. Mark is positive and thinks that progressive trance will have its comeback soon. Obviously, United States and the charts are like guidelines for people when it comes to music, but there are people that are trying to see also what else is outhere and discover that ”underground” trance they instantly fell in love with. We really enjoyed the meet and greet. My only regret is that Simon O'Shine couldn't come, but his set was amazing!!! He totally killed us in the morning!
Being the last one in the line up, it's tricky. People are usually leaving before the last act, and you might have an artist with just 50 people dancing in front of him. But let me tell you, even there are just 50 people on the dancefloor, they are enought to feel all the energy! Trance family is amazing on the dancefloor and not letting anything to make them feel tired or cold. They just feel the music and touch all these beautiful sounds of trance.
The other sets were amazing too! Even if some more electric than the others, we came, we raved, we loved! Snatt& Vix had one of the best warm up sets. I personally just loved it and enjoyed it to its fullest. Mark Sixma electrified us with his tracks and saved the best for last! Closing his set with Adagio for Strings and Character was just epic! ALexander Popov, though was a bit predictble. His sets was pretty similar to the one from Yekaterinburg (A State of Trance 650). But even so, the amazing romanian trance family just enjoyed it, sang and jumped on the dancefloor!
The 2 live acts with Alexandra Badoi and Susana were breathtaking. I already knew how is Alexandra on the stage (from the pre-release album party - Andrew Rayel with Find your Harmony in Chisinau - a throw back article coming soon. STAY TUNED!! ), but she amazed me again! Starting with Cold shower and ending her perfomance with Goodbye, her latest track with Andrew Rayel was the perfect choice. She transmitted a lot of energy and all her passion for trance music!
Susansa's act was so emotional, but in the same time so energetic, I just fell in love with trance music again and again. She took us in a ”travel”, in a trance travel through her tracks. We dreamed, we touched the sounds, we drove ourselves into a state of trance! The end of the set was obviously RAMelia, the unofficial TUNE of the YEAR! This strong song about RAM's wife succedeed to make us feel every word, every sound of it!
I don't have enough space in this article to tell you all about the amazing Armada Night, but let me tell you just one last thing: If you choose to stay home, instead of coming to the show, you just lost what was our State of Trance for the year! Next time, save money, plan your trip and come to party with your second family, the romanian trance family! We can't wait to meet you!
It was great to be at this event. It is great to be part of the trance family. It is great and I would never give up on it. I would never give up on HAPPINESS! TRANCE ON!
More pictures here.
P.S. For tracklists check out this article from our friend Kristofer (urban.ro).
P.P.S. My english is not perfect. So be gentle when you find a mistake.
P.P.P.S Trancers.ro is an upcoming project for all the trancers outhere! You can show your support on our Facebook page! Thank you!
ARMADA NIGHT WITH ALY AND FILA, CHRISTINA NOVELLI, SNATT & VIX AND ELLIE WHITE – A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
Last week, on Friday – 25th of April 2014, the Romanian Trance familly gathered for Armada Night with Aly and Fila, Christina Novelli, Snatt & Vix and Ellie White. A night to remember as most of us would say. A night where we all brethed the same music, touched the most amazing sounds!
We had an amazing night, full of great tracks and we definitely weren’t afraid of 138! Fila, from Aly and Fila had a perfect set! And perfect is a small word for this. I personally enjoyed every minute of it and couldn’t stand. I was dancing all around and feeling the music! I saw people dreaming. I saw people crying of happiness. We all, forgot about real life outside the tent event. We forgot about problems. We forgot about pain. We lost ourselves into a fan-tas-tic set. We lost ourselves into the God’s music.
Snatt & Vix, the romanian trance DJs had the first set, a really good warm up set. It really prepared us for the upcoming sets of Christina and Fila. It took us in this ”preparing journey” for what it seemed to be the greatest trance event from Romania for 2014. They promote this genre everytime they have the chance and for that the romanian trance family is gratefull. After two smaller events with Arctic Moon and Johan Gielen, they exceeded every expectation with Armada Night! They had a few songs at the end of their set with Ellie White too. Ellie is a romanian vocalist that fell in love with this music and has some colaborations with Snatt and Vix.
The second set of the night was the one of Christina Novelli. I must say she really surprised me. She had a good set. Even if it was more electro than I expected, it was nice to see her perfoming on the stage. Not every trancer there enjoyed it, but it was something else than we were used to hear from her. The first half of the set made me feel like I was at Ultra Music Festival, full of this big room music. Not a huge fan, but I don’t hate it either. The second half was a bit more like the ”Christina we use to know”: a set with more vocals and a bit more trancy. And it was nice to sing along my friends on this. It felt good. We were preparing for Filas uplifting vocals and we were aware that at the end of the night we might lose our voices. Even though Christina’s set was no longer than an hour, it was a nice energic set.
The third one was Fila. This man is like God for all uplifters from the trance family. Some of us had the chance to talk with him at the Meet and Greet before the event, and let me tell you he is an amazing man! We were a bit nervous, but once he entered the room we felt such a joy and relaxation we finally meet the man that is producing and promoting such great music. There were questions about what he uses when producing, about what he prepared for the night, but it was nice to find out that TRANCE music means to him HAPPINESS. And I guess he’s not the only one that feels that way. He finds inspiration when he’s happy. He’s happy when he’s in front of the crowd. He’s happy when he listens to trance. He’s happy when he discovers a new artist. He’s happy to promote and help him get better. Fila is a great guy, and it was great to have a beer with him and talk about all of this.
It was great to be at this event. It is great to be part of the trance family. It is great and I would never give up on it. I would never give up on HAPPINESS!
More pictures here.
P.S. You can find the tracklists here or other feedback here.
P.P.S. My english is not perfect. So be gentle when you find a mistake. Thank you!
P.P.P.S Trancers.ro is an upcoming project for all the trancers outhere! You can show your support on our Facebook page! Thank you!
Punked cu New World Punx la Bucuresti!
De mult spun ca am sa incep sa scriu si aici. De mult planuiesc articolul de inceput. Si totusi cuvintele au refuzat sa curga. Dar, acum am gasit ocazia perfecta. Tocmai ce am participat alaturi de o parte din trancerii ieseni la New World Punx – Markus Schulz si Ferry Corsten, sambata 7 septembrie la Bucuresti. Asa ca voi scrie despre cum a fost si cat de fericiti sau nefericiti eram la final.
Chiar daca cei doi sunt niste DJ nemaipomenti, pana la finalul acestui articol veti intelege si de ce unii eram cam nemultumiti.
Totul a inceput cu o adunare in fata garii la 5,30 dimineata. Da. Cititi bine. Am plecat dis de dimineata spre Capitala cu ganduri de distractie! Nici nu am plecat bine din Iasi, ca deja ne faceam planuri despre cum va fi ziua noastra pana la eveniment si cum ne vom lipi in primul rand de ceilalti tranceri prezenti acolo. Am ajuns destul de obositi in Bucuresti, dar toata oboseala spre mai multa energie. Am profitat de timpul pana la eveniment sa mai colindam pe strazile Bucurestiului si sa ne bucuram aer cu iz de capitala. Au fost o parte care au plecat si mai tarziu din Iasi, fie cu trenul, fie cu masina, dar deja stabiliseram sa ne vedem pentru un warm mititel inainte de eveniment, undeva pe o terasa. Zis si facut. La 8,30 ne asezam linistit si comandam care cafea pentru energie, care blonde pentru bucurie. In mai putin de jumatate de ora am ajuns de la 6 oameni la 10, 15 si tot asa. Ne-am intalnit si cu o parte a comunitatii trance din Bucuresti, am socializat si am dezbatut care mai de care subiecte din universul trance. De la A State of Trance 600, Sofia, unde ne-am cunoscut pentru prima data pana la evenimente din timpul verii, de la ei sau de la noi. Muzica trance ne-a adus impreuna, muzica trance e cea care ne va tine impreuna.
Vine momentul evenimentului si ne indreptam si noi incet spre locatie. Eram entuziasmati deja, de cand am auzit probele de sunet dinainte. Ne indreptam spre evenimentul verii. Sau cel putin asa il clasificam noi. Snatt and Vix s-au ocupat de warm up. Personal, nu am fost prea incantata. Dar multi dintre cei prezenti l-au apreciat si chiar au spus ca a fost mai bun decat main-ul. Chiar daca asa trebuia sa fie ca set de warm up, bpm ul cu care eram obisnuita din partea lor, nu era cel ce m-a intampinat la eveniment. A fost un set bun si atat. Nu as putea spune ca m-a impresionat, sau sa il compar cu ceva. Ma bucur totusi ca multi din cei prezenti acolo s-au simtit bine. Asta era si scopul celor doi dj si al organizatorilor.
Vine momentul intrarii punkerilor pe scena. Vine momentul in care Markus Schulz si Ferry Corsten isi fac binecunoscuta intrare pe scena, moment ce creeaza euforie printre cei prezenti. Nu era om prezent la eveniment sa nu fi strigat Warriors!!!, cand i-au vazut pe cei doi. Ei bine, si cu asta a inceput nebunia. Nebunia e si ea buna, sau ”nebuna”, iar asta veti intelege in cateva cuvinte. Toti stim ca cei doi sunt sau cel putin au fost DJ de trance si multi dintre cei prezenti la eveniment se asteptau sa auda mai multe piese trance, se asteptau sa atinga sunetele prin intermediul bucuriei ce o declanseaza. Desi, i-am auzit ca intreg, un intreg ce nu e 100% trance, noi totusi am sperat. Am sperat sa declansam moleculele sa sara la auzul notelor ce ne ridica de fiecare data. Fiind si promovat ca eveniment trance, mai toate sperantele ni s-au indreptat in acest sens.
Cu toate acestea, am ramas dezamagiti cand majoritatea pieselor erau in stilul Mainstage. Chiar daca saream alături de mulțime, sufletul era cu gândul tot la trance și upliftingul de care aveam atâta nevoie mare parte dintre cei care eram prezenti acolo. Totusi, am incercat sa ne simtitm bine. Am cantat impreuna, am sarit impreuna, ne-am bucurat impreuna.
Bune au fost momentele in care am cantat, in care am socializat si in care ne-am bucurat de putinele piese trance alaturi de ceilalti membri ai comunitatii. Momentele in care am cunoscut si mai multi iubitori de muzica atat din tara, cat si din afara. Granitele evenimentului nu s-au oprit pana nu au ajuns si in Olanda.
Per total, a fost o experienta placuta, dar totusi putin obositoare. Dupa 14 ore pe tren, multe ore nedormite, si mai bine de 6 ore de eveniment am ramas cu amintirile, cu pozele si cu dorinta arzatoare de un nou Trancemission! Abia asteptam sa ne unim pentru o seara sub aceleasi sunete, ”furnizate” de catre DJ-ii comunitatii noastre: Steven White, Dany Dazano si SS. Ne pregatim usor usor pentru un nou an de muzica trance, un nou an de Trance IS* Tribute!
TranceMission #4 @ Palace Cafe IASI
Cu ocazia editiei a patra a Trance Mission am revenit in Palace Cafe oarecum nostalgic dupa petrecerile organizate aici in urma cu aproape 5 ani. Line-up-ul suferise ceva modificari, in sensul in care subsemnatului i se dadea felia de warmup + b2b cu main dj-ul deja consacrat alTranceIS*Tribute, Dany Dazano.
Plecasem de acasa fara prea mari sperante, intelegand faptul ca lumea se strange ceva mai tarziu de 22:00 (de ce sa nu recunosc, si eu faceam la fel). Un pic imi pierdusem din incredere pe parcurs, pauza de un an isi spunea cuvantul si mai era si evidenta nepotrivire a profilului meu ceva mai uplifting si feelingos care graviteaza in jurul valorii 138. Ma mai scotea din stare faptul ca stransesem de'a lungul timpului ceva piese numai bune pentru un warmup si in sfarsit aveam ocazia sa le aud la volum mai ridicat.
Petrecerea pe ansamblu insa mi s-a parut cred cea mai reusita din toate la care am fost in ultimul timp. De ce ? Locatia cred ca si-a spus cuvantul (bar de capacitate mijlocie, plin, preturi mai mult decat ok pentru zona in care ne aflam), atmosfera fiind intretinuta cu succes de catre consumatorii de trance de cea mai buna calitate.
Despre warmupul meu nu prea sunt multe de spus, spre finalul sau s-a strans lume indeajuns incat sa se sara si sa se bata din palme. Lucrurile interesante inca nu incepusera inca...
La 0:00, Dany baga Giuseppe Ottaviani /w Ferry Corsten - Magenta si totul o ia razna. Pe langa faptul ca eu consider (atentie, urmeaza un cliseu) piesa asta ca fiind un soi de TuneOfTheYear so far... Exceptand mici probleme tehnice aparute chiar la tranzitia warmup-main, care se pare ca au fost de bun augur, baiatul asta, pentru care am un respect deosebit pentru tot ceea ce face pentru comunitatea locala, a reusit sa faca un set minunat, foarte bine construit si suficient de balansat incat sa energizeze pe toata lumea in asa hal incat la 2:30 cand am reintrat in paine mi-a fost foarte usor sa sustin inca o mini-sesiune upliftoaso-ciocanoasa, culminand cu o piesa care nu mai are nevoie de nici un comentariu : William Orbit - Adagio for strings (Tiesto rmx).
In concluzie, a iesit un party excelent, asteptam cu nerabdare viitoarele petreceri! Multumim tuturor membrilor TranceIS*Tribute, InOras.ro, lui Mihai de la Palace Cafe pentru disponibilitate si amabilitate si in primul rand tuturor celor prezenti : din cauza voastra se petrec aceste lucruri minunate la Iasi !
TranceMission #2
Se implinea un an de la ultima petrecere trance (accidentala) la care participasem in Iasi, pe undeva prin defunctul Brain, care, intr-adevar iesise demential dar care prevestea un gol si mai mare pentru autorul acestor randuri in anul care avea sa vina...pana acum 3 zile ! Atunci am dat de afisul celor de la Trance IS* Tributelipit intr-un colt de cabina telefonica undeva prin statia de autobuz la T17...si de acolo toate lucrurile si-au luat restart.
Trebuie sa recunosc ca am fost sceptic la inceput...era cam prea frumos sa fie adevarat ca dupa aproximativ 8 ani derulati cu repezitorul de la prima petrecere trance din Iasi (The Cube pentru cine isi mai aduce aminte, cu Sonic Vibe si subsemnatul pe flyere), un grup sa se revolte fata de electro-deep-beach-house-ul omniprezent in "cluburile de fitze" din Iasi si sa se apuce de la 0 de un proiect trance. Imi inchipuiam, trebuie sa recunosc, ca voi da peste niste "copii" crescuti doar cu Omnia si Jochen Miller, care vor aborda situatia intr-un mod relativ arogant-superior-elitist. Ei bine, surpriza a fost de proportii !
Din prima, de cum am ajuns in FaceOff am fost surprins de calitatea sunetului. Nu era tare (Steven White abia incepuse warm-up-ul) dar se auzea clar. In plus, tranzitiile intre piese erau bune si constructia set-ului m-a surprins prin armonie. Era deci o primire cum nu se poate mai buna, poate exceptand luminile rosii care, din cauza ca reuseau sa imi rupa ochii, au avut un aport pozitiv (ca sa ma feresc de ele m-am ridicat si am inceput sa ma batzai in stilul meu pe care altii l-ar numi "dans" :) ). Piese noi, vocaluri calde, ce sa mai, era mai mult decat bine.
Ceva mai tarziu, cu ajutorul a doua dragutze d-re (Ioana si Carmen) din garda veche in ale trance-ului local, am intrat in contact cu organizatorii care, spre surpinderea mea, nu erau sub nici o forma asa cum mi i-am inchipuit eu. Oameni super calzi, super de treaba, super la toate capitolele...experimentam un flashback cu prima petrecere din decembrie '05 cand i-am cunoscut pe viitorii mei de atunci prieteni...
Set-ul de main a fost foarte hotarat, incisiv, fara a fi insa brutal. S-a simtit ca Dany Dazano stie muzica (nu degeaba este si producer,va invit pe contul lui de Soundcloud), s-a vazut ca stie ce e un set bine construit si s-a simtit mai ales prin euforia manifestata de lumea prezenta.
Am facut schimb de contacte, la ora la care scriu articolul m-am intalnit deja cu "una din rotitele care fac ceasul sa mearga" (Rares, tu stii la ce ma refer :) ) si speram intr-o colaborare viitoare. Pana una alta, va invit sa vedeti cateva dintre pozele care s-au facut la petrecere, repet, o petrecere foarte reusita si de a carui brand (TranceMission) vom mai auzi cu siguranta pe viitor.