By Maire Rowland
The hipsters of Tirana are less visible than on the graffiti streaked streets of other Balkan cities such as Belgrade or Pristina, but they exist. A Saturday night in Komuna e Parisit’s Tulla Cultural Center presents a collection of stylish misfits, Albanian and international. Bearded men, checked shirts, interesting piercings and green hair, this Tirana feels like Berlin.
What has drawn these creative and unusual creatures out into the night? From conversing with locals it seems like these sort of crowded parties of the left-of-centre are relatively new to Tirana. The last year has seen a rise in the number of events and the amount of alternative young people gracing the Tirana night with their skinny skinny jeans, bowler hats and lensless spectacles. The biggest pull factor seems to be the music. Electronic music has begun invading the speakers of these hip and happening joints and the cool kids like its groove.
Electronic music events have been become more frequent in Tirana, with almost every weekend boasting packed clubs with music continuing into the small hours. Venues like PepperOn, Converse Bar, Tulla and Urgjencà« have become hubs for the electronic music fans to gather and enjoy uninterrupted head swaying to some hypnotic rhythms.
The seed has been sown and it is beginning to spread. Summer Day in Tirana saw the municipality team up with T-Mobile to organise a party in Bloku that pumped hip-hop and electro onto the streets of the capital. Electronic music is no longer confined to the determined raver in dark night clubs, its appeal is widening, its popularity is growing.
Although night club trends appear to become popular all of a sudden and out of nowhere, this is rarely the case. Instead the attraction of a particular scene is cultivated by persistent event promoters, careful advertising and the rise of local musical acts or DJs.
In Tirana, homegrown music promoters are reaping the rewards for their consistent event organising and their successful social media campaigns. Promoters like Electronic Music Tirana, create hype and interest around their events by creating Facebook events complete with unique, eye-catching minimalist logos. These are created to stimulate interest, be talked about and shared,
Local artists and Balkan based DJs are at the forefront of the electronic music movement. The beauty of this genre is that it requires minimum logistical co-ordination for its artists. The venue, the speakers and the lights create the desired vibe and all the artist have to do is carry a laptop or a bring along a mixing desk. To be a good DJ requires talent but little money for equipment and transport, for Balkan youths who want to create original music and play multiple gigs in different locations, this is surely a part of its appeal.
On April 30, a two day electronic music festival First Wave will take place in the city’s beloved artificial lake. This is an opportunity for everyone from the casual music fan, to the hardcore nightclubber to feel the vibes produced by local, regional and international electronic acts while enjoying the beautiful surroundings. Events like these that are free, in public spaces and well organised are inclusive for all. They offer a chance to convert others to the charms of electronic music while giving a platform to local acts. The Tirana electronic scene is generating a buzz, embrace it.
