- Bronson club has built a name for itself off the back of ten years of live concerts, and has more recently been establishing a reputation as one of the only venues in Ravenna to host electronic events (aside from Hana-bi, a club by the beach run by the same crew during the summer). Hidden inland near the city, it also hosts the annual Transmission festival, a well-curated event that will celebrate its sixth edition this year. On the cards tonight was a free live performance from French synth-head Stellar OM Source.
First up was Anna Magdalena, an artist rooted in the local stoner and shoegaze scenes. Made up of ethereal chants and piano-led ambience, her set was a pleasing soundtrack to the arrival of the night's first attendees, who, it must be said, didn’t seem very concerned with what was happening onstage. This general indifference, which may be explained by the fact that free entry tends to attract more casual listeners, made for a distracting hubbub during Incident On South Street’s performance. A supergroup featuring artists from a number of big Italian acts (Mariposa, Calibro 35, Afterhours), their performance was as brilliant as it was unusual, full of trancey saxaphone solos and quickfire drumming that payed homage to seminal freejazz bands like Lounge Lizards.
Next up was the night's headliner, Christelle Gualdi, AKA Stellar Om Source. The set highlighted Gualdi's recent shift in style, moving away from her synth-based atmospheres towards a kind of raw, analog techno. She played well, all in all, and looked comfortable as she manipulated her various devices. Unfortunately, the audience remained unenthusiastic, leaving the dance floor and the vibe a little empty. But for those that cared, the music was varied and thought-provoking. And for a venue more accustomed to hosting bands, this avant-garde event offered a welcome break from the norm.