- This year, 4GB coincided with a tense moment in Georgia, taking place one week after special police forces raided Bassiani and Café Gallery. I had watched the police throw dancers out of those clubs, and saw how many camouflaged special police forces stood around Dinamo Arena, which houses Bassiani in its basement. I encountered one of the organizers of 4GB at the protests that followed, and asked if the festival would still happen. "Definitely," he said, "even if Michael Mayer has to play at Rustaveli"—Rustaveli Avenue being the site of the protests.
In Tbilisi, raving has been so wrapped up in politics that we miss just simple dancing. In this atmosphere, 4GB was like therapy. The festival is devoted to Giorgi Bakanidze, practically the first person to cultivate a techno scene in Georgia. After his death in a car accident, his friends organized the festival as a memorial. The first edition was held on his birthday in 2010 in a small concert hall. The lineup was composed mainly of Bakanidze's friends, plus the Kompakt cofounder Mayer. Every year, 4GB increases in size, but two things remain unchanged: the atmosphere of love at the festival, and Mayer.
Last year 4GB found a location that, I think, will never change. Once a secret place in the USSR known as the Institute Of Space Constructions, it perfectly suits the music and mood of the festival. The venue has room for three stages, and 20,000 people in total. This year, the programme was split over two weekends. The first played host to international stars like Ricardo Villalobos, Robag Wruhme and DJ Koze. On the second, Red Bull Music took over the main stage with a lineup of much heavier techno: Tobias., Legowelt, Boston 168, Shlømo and Scuba. The main stage finished with a perfect back-to-back, as residents from two of Tbilisi's biggest clubs, Boyd Schidt from KHIDI and Zitto from Bassiani, played together for the first time while dawn broke over the dancers.
The first day of the second weekend was co-hosted by Berlin Atonal, with audiovisual sets from Emptyset and Roly Porter with MFO, as well as DJ sets from Surgeon, Skee Mask and Veronica Vasicka—sounds that suited the atmosphere, unusual as they were for 4GB. It was particularly remarkable that there were two Georgian projects in this program: Bakur Metreveli and Sandro Kozmanishvili's Octachoron, and Irakli Shonia with his new project ESI.
The last day of the festival coincided with Georgian Independence Day, as well as strong storms, though the weather had no effect on attendance. As always, the festival ended with a marathon set from Mayer. It was over by Sunday evening, but elsewhere, another rave had just started: Bassiani's reopening, which was being broadcasted by Boiler Room. Once again, 4GB proved itself a valuable part of the scene that's made our small country of Georgia all the more attractive. We'll be happy to see you at the Institute Of Space Constructions next year.
Photo credit /
Alexander Bagration-Davidoff - Daytime shots
Tornike Shengelia (Helloblog) - All others
Last year 4GB found a location that, I think, will never change. Once a secret place in the USSR known as the Institute Of Space Constructions, it perfectly suits the music and mood of the festival. The venue has room for three stages, and 20,000 people in total. This year, the programme was split over two weekends. The first played host to international stars like Ricardo Villalobos, Robag Wruhme and DJ Koze. On the second, Red Bull Music took over the main stage with a lineup of much heavier techno: Tobias., Legowelt, Boston 168, Shlømo and Scuba. The main stage finished with a perfect back-to-back, as residents from two of Tbilisi's biggest clubs, Boyd Schidt from KHIDI and Zitto from Bassiani, played together for the first time while dawn broke over the dancers. The first day of the second weekend was co-hosted by Berlin Atonal, with audiovisual sets from Emptyset and Roly Porter with MFO, as well as DJ sets from Surgeon, Skee Mask and Veronica Vasicka—sounds that suited the atmosphere, unusual as they were for 4GB. It was particularly remarkable that there were two Georgian projects in this program: Bakur Metreveli and Sandro Kozmanishvili's Octachoron, and Irakli Shonia with his new project ESI.
The last day of the festival coincided with Georgian Independence Day, as well as strong storms, though the weather had no effect on attendance. As always, the festival ended with a marathon set from Mayer. It was over by Sunday evening, but elsewhere, another rave had just started: Bassiani's reopening, which was being broadcasted by Boiler Room. Once again, 4GB proved itself a valuable part of the scene that's made our small country of Georgia all the more attractive. We'll be happy to see you at the Institute Of Space Constructions next year. Photo credit / Alexander Bagration-Davidoff - Daytime shots Tornike Shengelia (Helloblog) - All others