The 30th anniversary edition of the interdisciplinary Sonic Acts Biennial has begun in Amsterdam, with this year’s event focusing on cultural practices responding to the climate emergency and global geopolitics.
Subtitled The Spell Of The Sensuous, in reference to the 1996 book by the ecologist and philosopher David Abram, this year’s Sonic Acts Biennial will spread out across concerts, club nights, exhibitions, installations, film screenings and more. The programme, which includes more than 50 events across 15 locations, is split between various Amsterdam venues, including club spaces like Garage Noord and Het HEM, and concert settings like Muziekgebouw and BIMHUIS.
While there’s a club night, featuring sets from aya, M.E.S.H. and more, set to take place at OT301 this Friday (February 9), the bulk of the programme centres around the main festival weekend of February 23 to 25 when multiple locations will host different events.
Muziekgebouw will take in performances from Kassel Jaeger, Sarah Davachi, Aho Ssan and Russell Haswell, among others, over this weekend. The venue Paradiso, meanwhile, will host the 12-hour event TRANCE on February 23. Centred around the work of Chinese contemporary artist Tianzhuo Chen, which has encompassed performance art, films and installations, it will take in sets from ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U, Dis Fig and more.
A club night at Garage Noord, scheduled for February 24, will feature sets from ZULI, BEARCAT and KABLAM, among others, while Stedelijk Amsterdam will host a symposium over the course of February 23 to 25 featuring various speakers.
Sonic Acts Biennial takes place from now until March 24, 2024. Find more information here.
