What Makes a Laptop a Good Choice for Music Production

When choosing a laptop for music, there’s a few things to weigh in the balance. Music production – similarly to video editing – is a labour-intensive endeavor for a laptop. No matter if you’re a hobbyist or a touring and recording professional, you want a tool that doesn’t compromise on power and performance when handling your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) or any other of your staple music production applications.

Power vs Performance vs Weight

You want a CPU that performs steadily so that there is no lag in rendering your tracks or recording music. At the same time, it’s ideal to have a laptop that doesn’t burn through the battery life in a flash during high-performance. And, when you’re handling several audio files, it’s best to have a reliable SSD hard drive on board so you can access and manage files seamlessly. Then, there’s also the issue of weight. Lugging around a heavy laptop is never ideal.  But a very lightweight laptop may imply stripping it of a lot of ports and other hardware such as a fan.

Spec Grade vs Price

When looking at the spec requirements to handle high-grade music software, it’s generally advisable not to settle for minimum requirements. You want a machine that won’t drag itself painfully when recording music or performing live.

With all this in mind, price may be a concern. While it is true that a powerful laptop that ticks all the boxes, it can easily become a considerably big financial investment, there’s stiffer competition, and some brands are setting a lower price entry point on some of their models.

With all this considered, we’ve put together a list that will help you pick the best laptop for music producers in 2022. But before that, we introduce the top brands according to processor – intel core laptops, AMD (Ryzen) laptops, and Apple laptops.

Choosing the Right Processor for Producing Music

There are three key developers for processors (CPU) that dominate the market – Intel, AMD and Apple.

Intel as Market Leader

The market leading one in terms of distribution is Intel by far. Current generation chips range from i3 to i9, and most laptops use mid-range chips – i5 and i7. The speed per chip – measured in GHz – varies from one model to another within the same category.

AMD as Top Gamer’s Powerhouse

AMD develop chips known as Ryzen, also categorized numerically just like Intel chips. These ones tend to be gamers’ go-to processors.

Apple as Top Creative Suite

Then, standing in a category of its own, we have Apple. Loved by many, less by others, Apple has been developing processors that lead the way in creative fields for years now. And when competition seemed like it was finally neck-to-neck, Apple went ahead and revealed its M1 – and soon after, the enhanced M1 Pro and M1 Max. This combined several components onto one chip, boosting efficiency and power even further.

Apple’s Pros and Cons

At first glance, it would seem that Apple is the way to go, especially considering that it’s the only viable platform to run Logic Pro on – a popular choice for recording music. But Apple has drawn up a high wall of exclusivity around its products. Due to this, third-party application compatibility suffers a lot. This is aggravated even more with the development of the M1 chip. Many third-party developers haven’t made the transition yet and are not able to offer native support. Ableton and Akai are all caught up but brands like Pro Tools are yet to make the M1 leap.

How Do You Choose?

The best way to choose a new laptop is to take into careful consideration what your setup is. If compatibility issues don’t creep up and a steep price doesn’t deter you, take a close look at Apple’s MacBook. However, if compatibility or the idea of too much inflexible exclusivity are an issue, Intel or AMD are better choices.

Our Top 5 Choices

1. Apple MacBook Pro 14″

Specs

CPU: Apple M1 Pro chip; 8-core CPU with 6 performance cores and 2 efficiency cores; 14-core

GPU: 16-core Neural Engine; 200GB/s memory bandwidth

RAM: 16GB unified memory

Storage: 512GB SSD

Display: Liquid Retina XDR

A King of a Music Production Laptop

Apple’s uninterrupted reign as a favourite laptop brand among creatives  – both pro and hobbyists – cemented its position even further when it loaded its MacBook Pro 14-inch with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips last year.

Apple’s M1 CPU and Storage Space

The new trend started a year prior with the novel M1 chip. Since then, not much has changed in terms of the laptop’s industrial look. But under the cover, it received a remarkable boost in CPU performative power and graphics speed. It comes loaded with 8 Core CPU, 8 Core GPU and 16 Core Neural Engine. And, if breaking the bank is not an issue, you can spec it out with 64GB RAM and 8TB SSD storage.

Apple’s Macbook Pro Display

The display is exemplary. Its XDR retina display’s brightness peaks at 1600 nits. It accommodates a wide array of colours. Thanks to True Tone technology, the machine automatically balances white in relation to its surroundings’ colour temperature.

Apple’s Macbook Pro Camera and Mic

As expected from a top pick among music producers, the MacBook Pro’s audio interface and in-built speakers are the best you can find on the market. The HD camera is capable of serious noise reduction, and this, along with its high-grade mics, will give you the best video calls.

Apple Macbook Pro Peripherals

A MagSafe charger that replenishes the battery – capable of excellent battery life – an SD card slot, an HDMI port and three Thunderbolt 4 ports just make this choice laptop an even sweeter deal.

Apple’s Macbook Pro Software Compatibility

One more vital reason that places Apple’s platforms squarely on the podium is that the hardware plays extremely well with its home-designed software. Whether we’re talking about its own macOS or other programs developed in-house, these last few years have seen Apple reduce performance issues to a negligible minimum, while tweaking access and user-interface. Die-hard fans are not the only ones to be pleased; newcomers making the transition from other operating systems will sync in no time.

2. MacBook Air M2

Specs

CPU: Apple M2 chip; 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores; 8-core

GPU: 16-core Neural Engine; 100GB/s memory bandwidth

RAM: 8GB unified memory

Storage: 256GB SSD

Display: LED-backlit display with IPS technology

Lightweight Younger Brother of the King

Apple occupies the second place as well with its second iteration of the MacBook Air introduced earlier this year – loaded with an M2 chip. This compact laptop weighs in at a negligible 1.24 kg, and it’s in its slimmest form ever – only 11.3mm deep. A more economical alternative to the Macbook Pro, and one of the all-round best value laptop choices.

Apple’s Macbook Air vs Its Bigger Brother

Realistically speaking, it falls somewhat short of its bigger brother’s high-grade music mixing and mastering capabilities. But it can still handle all music applications and software with remarkable ease. So, for a music production platform, it still cuts it by a wide mile. What’s more, it’s equipped with four speakers capable of Spatial Audio, and music playback is crisp and clear.

Macbook Air Peripherals and Battery

Other perks include a battery that gives you up to 18 hours of performance – not bad compared to MacBook Pro’s 20 hours. It also comes with 2 Thunderbolt USB 4 ports.

Stripping Down and Testing the Macbook Air

There’s been a lot of talk about MacBook Air’s lack of a fan. Heating up was a potential issue skeptics brought up. But a few tests using benchmark music projects as listed on logicprohelp.com showed that the Air only increased slightly in temperature. This adds a notable advantage for music makers. Working with a laptop that doesn’t have fans means a quieter environment to work in when using mics.

3. Dell XPS 15 OLED

Specs

CPU: Intel Core i7-12700H

GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti.

RAM: 16GB

Storage: 512GB SSD

Display: 15.6-inch OLED touchscreen

Dell’s 15-inch iteration to the XPS range is one of the top choices for music producers who favour Windows OS-powered devices. It’s not just glitz and glamour due to its appealing looks – it harnesses some considerable processing power. Unless you go for a high-grade gaming laptop, it’s the closest you’ll get in terms of quality, performance and power to a MacBook Pro without signing up for Apple exclusivity. It can handle creative workloads remarkably well.

Intel Alder Lake Processor

It packs the new 12th generation Intel Alder Lake processors, RTX 3050 Ti GPU, and an all-round faster RAM than many contemporary competitors, many of which have higher specs. Dell has pulled off the impressive feat of fitting their relatively powerful GPU within a ¾ inch chassis. The concern here is cooling. This is something Dell had to forego, along with a reduced number of ports, so as to keep everything compact.

Dell’s XPS Display

Despite being very thin and lightweight, it comes equipped with one of the sharpest displays currently available on a laptop. It’s capable of up to 500 nits of brightness. The keyboard is lined with carbon fibre palm rests – making it as comfortable to use as it looks classy – and a total of four speakers.

Dell’s XPS Battery Life

While it doesn’t have the extremely long battery life Apple’s MacBook has, it can give you up to 12 hours of life, which is a lot for the power-hungry Alder Lake processor.

Dell’s Price

While slightly more economical than the MacBook, it’s price entry point is not quite friendly anyway. if you take it an extra mile and upgrade the hard drive and other specs (maximum  specs vary according to your region), the price bar rises fast.

4. Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition

Specs

CPU: 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10875H processor, 8 Cores / 16 Threads, 2.3 GHz / 5.1 GHz (Base / Max Turbo), 16 MB Cache

GPU: NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design (16GB GDDR6 VRAM)

RAM: 32GB

Storage: 1TB SSD

Display: 4K OLED, Touch, 100% DCI-P3

Razer Blade’s Processing Power

Gaming laptops have been long hailed as some of the best power platforms for music production. And Razer is held in the highest regard within that niche. The Blade 15 Studio edition spares no punches with its 8-core 10th generation i7 processor, 1TB of PCIe NVMe storage, and 32GB of DDR4-2933MHz RAM.

Razer Blade’s Peripherals and Innovative Functionality

This slim monster has a processing speed clocking in at 5.1GHz Max Turbo and a stunning 4K OLED touchscreen. It also utilizes Wi-Fi 6 and Thunderbolt 3. And, one of the most innovative features is its liquid cooling system, which keeps temperature under control even when you’re placing the machine under performative duress.

Razer Blade’s Unforgiving Price

So, why doesn’t such a beast of a laptop score higher on our list? The answer is simple – the price. This machine comes with a price tag hovering on either side of 4K USD/EUR. If you thought that the MacBook Pro’s entry price was steep, think again.

A Gaming Powerhouse as Laptop for Music Production

That said, if you’re as passionate about music production as you are about gaming, make no mistake – Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition (along with a handful of other Razer laptops) is the money shot. And if you happen to be a music producer who makes music for games, even more so.

5. Microsoft Surface Pro 8

Specs

CPU: Quad-core 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7 Processor OR i7-1185G7 Processor

GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics (i5, i7)

RAM: 8GB

Storage: 128GB SSD

Display: 13” PixelSense Flow Display (with 10-point multi-touch)

Microsoft Surface 2-in-1 Magic

Microsoft’s 8th surface laptop is the latest entry in its series that has gained a lot of traction among creatives over the years. One of the main reasons for this is that it’s often quoted as, hands down, the best 2-in-1 laptop out there. It’s versatile, light (less than 2 pounds), and powerful.

Surface Pro Power and Performance

Whether you choose the 13- or 15-inch surface laptop flavour, you’ll have a 120Hz touchscreen and the power of an Intel Evo Platform Core i7 CPU at your finger (our touch pen) tips. The battery gives you up to 16 hours of life – one of the best in the field. You can choose to have it come with 8, 16 or 32GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of SSD storage. This last option is worth the stretch if you want all your music files saved locally. More on hardware as the Surface 8 Pro also comes loaded with Wi-Fi 6, USB-C and Thunderbolt 4 ports

Surface Pro’s Seamless Integration with Microsoft OS

There’s also a seamless integration between the surface laptop hardware and Windows 11 OS, making your music production sessions smoother. At the same time, as tends to be the case with integrated systems, the power in performance is limited when compared to other contenders built from discrete parts. That said, this machine packs enough power to handle some of the most demanding creative endeavours.

Surface Pro’s Multipurpose Advantage

And, there’s no denying that the Surface Slim Pen and the detachable Signature Keyboard give you the comfort of sketching out your ideas in one mode whenever they pop in your head. Then, convert it to laptop mode, and you’re ready to flesh those ideas out on your favourite music production bundle such as Reason+. And with the surface laptop battery life having been extended to 16 hours, this platform won’t let you down when you’re in the middle of your creative flow.

FAQ

• What laptops are best for making music?

  If your setup allows it and you don’t mind 3rd party software exclusivity, Apple’s MacBook Pro continues to top most lists as the music production laptop of choice.

   

• Which laptop processors are the most common for music production 2022?

Intel, AMD and Apple processors (CPU) are the most popular three choices in 2022.

• What laptop do most producers use to run Digital Audio Workstation software (DAW)?

  When choosing a laptop for your Digital Audio Workstations (DAW), Apple is the only that handles Logic Pro. Reason, Ableton and Akai give you the choice of any processor since they offer native support in all cases. At this time, Pro Tools does not function on Apple’s M1 chip.

• Are gaming laptops good for music production?

Absolutely. The sheer performance and power laptops such as the Razer Blade series offers are optimized to handle heavy creative workloads as well. The only deterring factor for some is that they tend to come with a high entry price point.

The post Best Laptops for Music Production in 2022 appeared first on Electronic Music.

Yes, this year audience members will have the rare opportunity to experience the world-famous disc jockey Mills and the internationally-acclaimed RTS Symphony Orchestra performing together. It promises to be a unique musical mashup of both electronic music and symphony music.

 
The event organizers have spent the past six months in preparation. In a statement to the press, they offered some details. They said:
 
“After . . . last year’s . . . Lovefest [Experience] which was [attended] by more than 70,000 people from all over the world, we knew that we [had] to find a way to repay all our devoted fans who have been growing . . . with us [over] the last ten years. That is how the idea of this special music event was created . . . Lovefest Experience is [more than] just a fusion of different musical genres, but [also] a unique audio-visual experience.”
 
For readers not up on all their audio artists, Jeff Mills is a disc jockey based out of Detroit, Michigan. His signature sound is a blend of electronic dance music (EDM) and techno. He is also the founder of the musical movement known as the “Underground Resistance”.
 

In a prior interview, Mills told the press that the focus of his performances is experimenting with various ideas in hopes of making each appearance different. Some online sources believe one of his more memorable performances to be on in which he put all his equipment directly onto the floor and pushed platters while he sat on the floor. This will be his second Lovefest performance.
 

 
His fans expect another noteworthy performance, especially with the RTS Symphony Orchestra. The RTS Symphony Orchestra is one of the biggest acts in Serbia today. For this performance, they will be conducted by Serbia’s hometown hero the maestro Bojan Suđić. The highlight of the concert is said to be a performance of Light from the Outside World.
 
Tickets for Lovefest Experience in Belgrade, Serbia are presently priced as follows:
 
General Admission tickets: 22 EUR
Fan Pit tickets: 33 EUR
VIP tickets: 66 EUR
VIP Gold tickets: 132 EUR
 

 
As this goes to press, tickets are still available online. Additional service charges may apply. Ticket purchase limits, age restrictions, and other details are also available online on the official ShopLovefest website.
 

The post Jeff Mills & RTS Symphony Orchestra Are A Real ‘Lovefest’ appeared first on Electronic Music.

With concerts and showcases at multiple venues day and night, Sonar has become one of the world’s largest and most influential festivals showcasing electronic and advanced music. This year boasts some amazing talent. Here are some of the highlights.

Richie Hawtin

Richie Hawtin has been a revered name in techno since he co-founded his own label with fellow Canadian DJ, John Acquaviva, in 1989. Hawtin has developed a sound that has become synonymous with the city of Detroit, home of electronic dance music.

Jean-Michel Jarre

Jean-Michel Jarre has been elevating the electronic music scene since the mid 1970’s, but his influence and creativity continue to be relevant today. With the recent release of his second collaborative album of the Electronica series, Jarre still has a lot of musical messages to send into the world. He is currently working with the British virtual band, Gorillaz.

Laurent Garnier

Laurent Garnier has been pushing the sound envelope for thirty years, beginning in Paris as a teen, and then to the rest of the world. Garnier has created his own unique blend of Detroit techno with disco, touches of jazz and ethnic inspired beats.

Booka Shade

This duo, consisting of Walter Merziger and Arno Kammermeier, are veterans of the electronic music scene. Booka Shade skyrocketed from fame to international stardom after their 2005 Sonar Festival appearance.

Ben Klock

Considered to be one of the top 10 world’s best DJ’s, Ben Klock has unique take on his craft. Capitalizing on a diverse track selection, Klock has the ability to alter his sound to adapt the environment around him, pulling listeners into his world instead of him playing to theirs.

Kerri Chandler

Kerri Chandler has become an inspirational leader in the world of electronic music. Heavily influenced by his New Jersey jazz roots, Kerri refuses to compromise on his soulful blend of innovation and traditional American urban sounds.

Paco Osuna

Paco has been influencing the electronic music scene for over twenty years, developing his own unique and recognizable style. Paco blends pure techno sounds with dark beats earning him the Spanish awards of Best Artist, Best Techno DJ and DJ of the year.

This year’s festival will feature so many amazing artists that it’s impossible to showcase them all here, but there are a few more that have to be mentioned. Icons like Fatboy Slim, New Order, Skepta, John Grant, Kenny Dope, Santigold, BadBadNotGood, Nicola Curz, ANOHNI and the list goes on.

Every year the Sonar Festival takes over Barcelona and fills the streets with festival goers. Because of it’s success, Sonar branded events have popped up around the world from Tokyo to Los Angeles.

If you can’t make it to Sonar, rest easy, as the Sonar Festival has been blazing the trail for live streaming concerts for years. For example, last year, Culturebox live streamed more than 35 of the Sonar 2015 concerts. To see this year’s concerts visit the Sonar Media Page.

You can also check out the Culturebox website for more information during the festival.
 
Don’t forget to like the Sonar Festival page on Facebook, Instagram (@sonarfestival) and Twitter (@sonarfestival) so you can be part of the music revolution.

The post Be Ready For Sonar 2016 appeared first on Electronic Music.

This documentary tells the story about a popular flea market in Zagreb. Documentary crew visited the market on a sunny Sunday and found many intriguing locals there. By stopping and chatting with people on the way, the narrator will guide you through specific ambient of this flea market. Another side of the market shows the social dimension of this popular place, giving you a glimpse into the lives of the stall holders, selling their used or new personal belongings just to make ends meet. Showing the perspective, that for many “normal life” is not always an easy life in Croatia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2x0MIUXfAo

Director: Slaven Petrić
Writers: Marija Capan Mare, Slaven Petrić
Director of photography: Ranko Tintor Fiko
Photographs: Ranko Tintor Fiko, Marija Capan Mare
Music: composer Slaven Petrić, performing by Marija Capan Mare (vocal), Slaven Petrić (instruments and vocal), Darko Mihaljević (electric solo guitar “Soul of the City”)
Camera: Ranko Tintor Fiko, Slaven Petrić
Producer and technical assistant: Igor Kolarić
Assistant producer: Nada Kačar
Editor: Slaven Petrić
Production: Studio Laniste, Zagreb, 2015.
Watch it on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GN5MF9XjG4

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David Bowie on the Set of Just a Gigolo in Berlin, February 1978. Photograph: Alain Dejean/Sygma/Corbis

Bowie was the original shape-shifter, constantly reinventing himself and his music throughout his life. Because society’s rigid norms, he did much more than push the boundaries of reality, but used the creative license his music allowed to continually morph his image, his art and his music and stretch the boundaries for LGBT youth and others that emulated and connected with him. Indeed, in an article from 1996 in the UK Telegraph, David was able to say, “I have done just about everything that it’s possible to do”.

1971: Pop star David Bowie with wife Angie and three week old son Zowie. He is modelling an Oxford Bags dress, Turkish cotton shirt and a felt hat.

Bowie’s influence is everywhere: from art to theater and music, Bowie helped spur irrevocable changes. Guitarist Johnny Marr of the English rock band, The Smiths, said of Bowie that “There are musicians who are influenced by him that don’t even realize it”.

 
American singer-songwriter and DJ, Moby, takes it a step further: “Without David Bowie, popular music as we know it pretty much wouldn’t exist.” Half of a storied friendship for the ages, Moby also tweeted after Bowie’s death was announced, “we lost the best musician of the 20th century and i lost a friend. goodbye, David. I will always love you.”
 

Bowie & Moby

 
Though not wholly political, Bowie had a huge influence on the world stage. His song “Heroes” was written during the time he lived with Iggy Pop in Berlin, witnessing news coverage of shootings and drownings of those trying to escape to the West. His performance during the Concert for Berlin in 1987 led the youth on the East German side of the wall to chant, “The wall must go!” inflaming guards and leading to beatings which underscored the inhumanity. A week later, Ronald Reagan visited and gave a speech at the Brandenburg gate, including this famous line, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” The rest is history.
 

David Bowie: “Heroes” live in Berlin 1987

 
News of Bowie’s death has brought condolences from around the world, Electro house musician Steve Aoki tweeted, “Ground control to Major Tom…#RIPDavidBowie.”
 

 
Perfect Stranger about the legendary musician: “R.I.P David, your music was ( and still is ) a great influence and inspiration.”, “The stars look very different today”.

Annie Lennox wrote on Facebook:

Madonna posted a photo of them together on Twitter, accompanied by “Hot Tramp I love you So!”

Tributes continued to pour in all week. Skrillex took to Twitter to thank David “I was young and misunderstood. You made it okay for me to not only be myself, but to shoot for the stars and dream big. I owe you for that realization and inspiration.” Carl Craig spoke of his love for the man with his tweet, “RIP David Bowie. He has been in my life since I was a young boy. He inspired Kraftwerk so he also inspired Techno music”
 

Paul McCartney posted on his website, “His music played a very strong part in British musical history. His star will shine in the sky forever.”
 
The Pet Shop Boys thanked him by posting, “We are all Bowie’s children. He inspired us and changed our lives. Love, gratitude and respect always for him and his work.”
 

 
Perhaps one of the most unlikely of the tributes to Ziggy Stardust came from the German Foreign Office on Twitter, “Good-bye, David Bowie. You are now among #Heroes. Thank you for helping to bring down the #wall.”

 
Released on David’s 69th birthday, January 8th, only days before he passed away, his last album, “Blackstar” is headed for No. 1 on the US Billboard charts, something he had not achieved during his lifetime.
 

 

Even his death is an Act Of an Art

 
His friend and producer, Tony Visconti, took to Facebook to memorialize Bowie, “He always did what he wanted to do. And he wanted to do it his way and he wanted to do it the best way. His death was no different from his life – a work of Art. He made Blackstar for us, his parting gift. I knew for a year this was the way it would be. I wasn’t, however, prepared for it. He was an extraordinary man, full of love and life. He will always be with us. For now, it is appropriate to cry.” Indeed.
 
 
 
Image Courtesy of The Guardian & Mirror.co.uk

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If you have a knack for nightlife, then you may have partied at the King Cross nightclub Soho. This was one of the oldest clubs in all of Sydney and its closure is a shock to many fans. Social media was ablaze yesterday and today with reports circulating that the club was shutting down. Many treated the reports as rumors perhaps because this was a favorite joint for many. However, the news hit home when Andrew Lazarus the owner confirmed that indeed the club was closing down. The lock-out laws whip has now landed on the club which has been in operation for 20 years.

Lazarus said these laws were destroying an entertainment precinct with his establishment being the latest victim. When the laws came into effect, patronage to the club declined significantly and the increased cost of compliance only made a bad situation worse. Continuing operations at the club is no longer viable and closing the club was only prudent.

An iconic club

Soho began its operation over two decades ago. For eight years the club operated under the name YU, however, in 2009, the club reverted to its original name. The club had been the life of the party on several nights when they hosted international acts such as Afrojack, Felix Da Housecat, Pual Van Dyk, Hardwell,Laidback Luke,Basement Jaxx and John Digweed.

The club praised for promoting local talent

Sydney DJ Glover, also took to social media where he praised the club for promoting and supporting local talent. He went on to say that the club had provided hundreds of DJ’s the opportunity to showcase their talent. He recalls having played in the club and said the venue offered him and many others a boost in their careers. His sentiments were shared by other musicians and fans who took on to social media to express their views. Many recalled of the nights they had performed at the club while thousands of fans shared memories of their fun times at the club.

The club previously under scrutiny

This is not the first time the club is making headlines. In 2013, the club had its share of bad publicity, when the 23 year old son of Andrew Lazarus was convicted for sexually assaulting a teenager right outside the venue. He received a three year imprisonment sentence.Luke Lazarus  testified in court saying that visits to his father’s club had given him a sense of entitlement and power. The club also faced negative publicity because at the time of the rape incident, pictures of a drunken young woman lying on the floor with her legs apart were posted on the nightclub’s facebook page. This only served to fuel the public rage as hundreds took onto to social media to criticize the incident.

The laws lockout more establishments

At the beginning of the month, Oxford St Nightspot had announced that it will be closing, prior to this, other late night venues, the Backroom and Flinders in Potts, also called it a day when they closed, citing the controversial lockout laws. The new rules were enacted to help curb alcohol-fueled behavior often experienced in bars, clubs and pubs. The law covers major hotspots such as Kings Cross, Cockle Bay, Darlinghurst, Hay Market and Rocks. Since the enforcement of the laws, patrons who leave or those ejected from such premises will not be allowed to re-enter. Licensed premises are not allowed to serve alcohol after 3am while bottle shops were prohibited to sell alcohol after 10pm.

Patrons and fans of the Soho club were forced to come to terms with the fact that the curtains had fallen on this venue; however, they will carry the memories with them for a long time.

The post Last and final drinks as one of Sydney’s oldest clubs close down appeared first on Electronic Music.

Exit Festival has even won the Best Major European Festival Award in 2014. They have received attention on an international scale from media outlets including: BBC,CNN,MTV,Euronews and Guardian.

The people who operate Exit Festival run it as a non-profit organization. During the event, internationally acclaimed music artists perform at the scene. It’s the hottest event of the year in Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Serbia. The unique location offers panoramic views and spices up the atmosphere with differing gigs occurring without sound interference.

Dance Arena at Exit Festival

Known as the second largest Exit Festival stage, it can host more than 25,000 people. At the Dance Arena, the show starts in the evening and reaches to the early hours of dawn. It becomes a constant party at the Dance Arena. The Dance Arena has seen the most influential and experienced DJs in the world. This includes: Housecat,Timo Maas,Roger Sanchez,Axwell,Sven Vath,Carl Cox,Dubfire,Sander Kleinenberg ,David Morales etc.
 

For 2015, Exit Fest has announced one of the strongest lineups that they have ever had. The techno goliaths will include: Octave One,Adam Beyer,Joseph Capriati,Chris Liebing,Nicole Moudaber,Simian Mobile Disco,Tale of Us etc.
 
In addition, be certain you check out the Dance Arena’s famous sunrise on July 13th. During this time, Exit Festival moves itself to a beautiful seaside in neighboring Montenegro.

Why Attend Exit Fest 2015?

Exit Festival is known worldwide as one of the best festivals in Europe. It becomes an opportunity to party and experience live music from some of the most influential artists in the industry. Attending Exit Fest 2015 gives you the chance to experience panoramic views while enjoying some of the best music in the world. What more could you want? Travelers can experience the best of outdoor European festivals while enjoying some sightseeing. In addition, you will be making forever memories with your friends and family, and it comes at a price that is amazingly affordable!

The Lineup

Who can you expect to see at Exit Festival 2015? Some of the well-known artists you will see this year at the festival include: Bondax,Motorhead,Faithless,John Newman,Tom Odell,Breakage,Catz n’ Dogz,Clean Bandit,Hardwell,Expire,Chris Liebing,Dirtyphonics etc.

In the past, legendary artists including: Beastie Boys, Wu Tang Clan, Billy Idol, Underworld, The White Stripes, David Guetta, Korn, Faith No More and Avicii performed at Exit Festival. Musically speaking, you can expect a wide variety of artists at the festival. For example, you have strong cult classics and mainstream bestsellers performing at the festival. In addition, you have top names from the electronic music industry who will keep playing until dawn in the dance arena. However, Exit Festival cannot be confined to a single genre, and you will even find metal fans at the explosive stage. In total, there are several different stages where you can receive a musical education in the art of partying.

Accommodation in Novi Sad for Exit Fest 2015

If you want comfortable accommodation at a hotel, motel or the salas farm, we recommend booking a few months in advance. People who wait until the last minute will not find accommodation because the event has become so large, and there is a large demand for this style of accommodation. Every year, however, accommodation may also take place at the Exit Festival’s Exit camp. You can also find an offer for accommodation in the form of hostel packages. However, they are mostly twin rooms, so if you are going alone, or you are traveling with a group in an odd number, this can make it difficult.

What to Know: Location

Located at Petrovaradin Fortress, an 18th century castle on the right bank of the Danube River, you will experience some of the most picturesque landscapes in Europe. Exit Fest gives you a cosmopolitan section in the crowd, and it creates a welcoming vibe that is above all, exciting. The fortress sits on a rocky cliff, and it has been used as a military fortress since ancient times.

 
 
One of the best summer music festivals in the world, Exit Fest 2015 will be one of the hottest events in Europe. You do not want to miss out! What began as a student protest against the Milosevic regime in 2000 now promises a lively four days of dancing and partying. The Dance Arena lets you party all night and meet the friends of a lifetime. The dancing madness takes place from July 9th to July 13th but be sure to book in advance because the tickets sell fast.

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The world-renowned band, U2 recently announced dates and venues for its upcoming “iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE Tour.“ As of right now, the tour kicks off on May 14, 2015 at the BC Rogers Arena in Vancouver.

What is perhaps most surprising is that for the first time in over a decade the Irish superstar band, well known for its elaborate stadium shows with spectacular audio and visual effects, will be playing in indoor arenas.

While there are no confirmed dates in Ireland as of yet, a spokesperson has stated there will be shows scheduled for Dublin. These additional shows will most likely take place at the end of next year and will be a part of a special project on which the band is working.

According to U2 band member, the Edge, this tour will not be nearly as big as their previous tour during which they put on a total of 110 shows. Bono has said they are hoping to play more indoor venues this time around. The tour is being planned in conjunction with their album, “Songs of Innocence.” Besides Vancouver, shows will be taking place in 18 other cities hosting back-to-back shows. Some of the other cities and venues include:

• San Jose, CA SAP Center
• Phoenix, AZ US Airways Center
• Chicago, IL United Center
• Toronto, ON Air Canada Center
• Boston, MA TD Garden
• Turin, Italy Pala Alpitour
• Stockholm, Sweden Globe
• Berlin, Germany O2 World
• Barcelona, Spain Palau Sant Jordi
• Paris, France Bercy

The band will also be doing four back-to-back shows in Los Angeles, New York City and London. U2’s Innocence-Experience Tour 2015 tickets go on sale December 8th and 9th.

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Created in 1994, Sónar is a pioneering electronic music festival. The infamous “Off Sonar” or “Off Week” has been created along with this festival.

This festival is one of the reasons why thousands of festival and party goers travel up to the wonderful city of Barcelona each year.

The Off Week has been developing and growing for many years now, and it has been promoting and expanding the spirit of electronic music. The Off Week hosts all kinds of parties that you can imagine. From beach to rooftop parties. From small, intimate parties, to big events.

Every type of party imaginable is covered during the Off Week. Most of the top list artists are there to play, and most of the major labels will have a showcase there. For the love of the music and the Off Week, Off Party Barcelona has been providing the service of sharing all the events on one digital platform.

Off Party Barcelona has been been sharing all of this in different forms since 2009. With this avalanche of information, locations and parties, Off Party Barcelona is undeniably the federating platform for all these events. With its website, mobile app, and geolocation of events, Off Party Barcelona offers an easy-to-use interface which is rapidly becoming the favorite guide of all Off Sonar-goers!

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The international music and art festival Sonar celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2013 and plans are already being announced for Sonar 2014. Some of the world’s biggest artists are slated to perform at the festival in 2014, as well as new and unreleased performers. Famous names like Richie Hawtin and Massive Attack are scheduled to give cutting-edge performances and new locations have been added to the standard festival roster. Sonar 2014 doesn’t kick off until February 2014, but the anticipation and excitement are already building for this highly respected music festival.

2014 Festival Locations

There are some new locations that have been added to the Sonar tour schedule for 2014. Here is a quick rundown of the cities where the Sonar festival will be appearing in 2014.

*Reykjavik, Iceland

The first stop of the Sonar 2014 tour will be in Reykjavik, Iceland on February 13, 14 and 15.

*Stockholm, Sweden

Sonar will be appearing in Stockholm, Sweden at the same time as Sonar Reykjavik. This is a new addition to the Sonar schedule and it will take place on February 14 and 15.

*Tokyo, Japan

The next stop will be in Tokyo, Japan on April 12 and April 13. Reykjavik, Stockholm and Tokyo are all new additions to the festival schedule for 2014.

*Mexico City, Mexico

2014 will be the first year that the Sonar festival will come to Mexico City. The festival will be in Mexico on May 16 and 17.

*Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona has been host to the Sonar festival in the past and is one of the most popular destinations on the schedule. Sonar will be in Barcelona on June 12, 13 and 14.

*Cape Town, South Africa

The final destination of the Sonar 2014 tour schedule will be in beautiful Cape Town in South Africa on December 16, 2014.

2014 Artist Line-up

The Sonar Festival is famous for featuring new artists alongside legendary performers. It is common for legendary artists to debut new performances and exclusive material to Sonar audiences. Just this past year, the electronic music pioneers Devo presented a groundbreaking 3D visual show.

This year promises to deliver more of the kind of performances for which Sonar has become famous. Some of the artists on the schedule include:

*Richie Hawtin/Plastikman

World-renowned electronica DJ Richie Hawtin will be one of the biggest performers at Sonar 2014. Richie Hawtin has been one of the key performers at the Sonar festivals over the years and, as a result, has become synonymous with the spirit of the festival. In 2014, Richie will be presenting his new performance concept “Close” in the main hall of Sonar by Night. The performance will feature new material and a unique visual element that will use cameras and video screens to give the audience an up-close view of the DJ in action.

The other half of Richie’s persona, Plastikman, will be showcasing the performance concept “Objekt.” The Sonar festival will showcase the very first European performances of “Objekt”, which premiered in New York in November 2013. The performance concept is based on those New York shows at the Guggenheim Museum.

*Massive Attack

For the first time in 10 years, Massive Attack will be performing at Sonar. They will debut their exciting new show. The new performance will combine agitprop politics, visual design and new music to create an entirely unique experience.

*Bonobo

UK artist Simon Green, also known as Bonobo, will be performing at both Sonar Stockholm and Sonar Reykjavik. The famed downtempo producer will be one of the biggest performers at both events.

*Caribou

Canadian composer Caribou will also be appearing at both Sonar Stockholm and Sonar Reykjavik. Fans of the electronic dance compositions of Caribou will definitely want to be at one of the two performances for the Sonar Nordic weekend.

*Moderat

When Berlin artists Modeselektor and Apparat joined forces, the result was Moderat. They will be debuting their new album “II” at Sonar 2014.

The important thing to remember about the Sonar festival is that there is something for everyone. Not only do major artists perform but many smaller, unsigned musicians and composers showcase their talents for appreciative audiences. There are also breathtaking visual art displays and technology presentations. With a larger performance location roster than ever before, no matter where you are, attending Sonar is a real possibility.

For more information, go to www.sonar.es.

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