Waterfront raves, garden jazz, and Petrograd side vinyl—how this weekend sounds.
On Friday evening, the bass from the K-30 stage will vibrate so hard it might be felt on the opposite bank of the Neva. This weekend isn't about subtle shades. The city has split into two camps: some are building stages for massive raves right by the water, while others hide in academic gardens and vinyl basements.
We would suggest not sticking to just one vibe, but playing on contrasts. After deafening hip-hop at the Marine Facade, listening to jazz among the trees of the Sheremetev Palace feels especially good. (Though, if the weather permits, you can stretch this route over all three days, smoothly slowing down by Sunday).
In this guide, we've gathered the weekend's main centers of gravity. From the massive five-year anniversary of Roots United to intimate sets by Russian electronic pioneers. Let's turn up the volume.
Starting with dense sound and the smell of bonfires on the embankments.
A sudden historical pause in the middle of Friday's rush. Reenactors are setting up camps ranging from Peter the Great's era to the 1940s, so instead of techno, you'll hear clashing sabers and crackling campfires.
The Russian Grill Fest team is bringing tons of meat and smoke to the embankment. We are especially drawn to the barbecue championship—a perfect backdrop for a heavy dinner to live music before the night marathon.
The weekend's main electronic blockbuster kicks off on a grand scale. The Roots United team is celebrating their project's fifth anniversary, meaning the port cranes will be illuminated again, and the bass will make the concrete vibrate.
An alternative to concrete and port cranes is an escape to the trees. The city bustle gives way to tranquility here, which sounds like a great plan for those tired of hard rhythms.
The factory walls of Factory 3 will welcome those who need uncompromising bass. The dance floor will shake until morning, so prepare for a heavy physical workout.
If you plan to conquer the entire festival, Friday is the time for combat reconnaissance. Musical boundaries are deliberately erased here, so everyone can find their rhythm among the industrial landscapes.
Machty is preparing its own answer to the big raves—slightly more local, but no less powerful in its charge. A great excuse to drop by Sevkabel if you want to dance among your own crowd.
The temperature rises: from morning book discussions to fifteen thousand people on the square at night.
While stadiums roar at large venues, an absolute legend is playing at a cafe on the Petrograd side. Lena Popova has been spinning vinyl for over thirty years, and her sets are always about flawless taste without unnecessary fuss.
A morning detox after Friday's dancing. A book fair will unfold in the film studio's public garden—you can quietly flip through new releases and listen to literary discussions while the city is just waking up.
The festival's second night promises to be the climax of the weekend. Five stages, showcases from Gorkovskaya Metro Station, and the signature Roots United scale—we would go here for the main visual and sonic impact.
Saturday's loudest spot. Fifteen thousand people will gather under the open sky to jump to hip-hop headliners—a scale that Vasilievsky Island doesn't see often.
A massive hybrid of science, sports, and music on the bay shore. An open-air admissions committee sounds ironic, but career counseling with a sea breeze is perhaps the best way to think about the future.
Time to slow down. Sunday is dedicated to jazz, brass bands, and proper afterparties.
A classic Petersburg ritual for those who stay downtown past midnight. The drawn Dvortsovy Bridge set to the Anthem to the Great City is a tourist spectacle, but no less impressive for it.
Exactly at noon, live music pours from the open window of the Capella. A short but elegant concert right onto Palace Square—a perfect start for an unhurried Sunday route.
The cultural quarter sharply shifts its profile from barbecue to Asian aesthetics. From traditional samulnori drums to modern K-POP—a great chance to see two sides of one culture in a couple of hours.
Brass bands among the old trees of Vasilievsky Island. This is the exact academic quietness your ears need after two days of electronic bass.
The Sheremetev Garden turns into the city's main jazz venue. Ten projects over the weekend play everything from classics to avant-garde, so a blanket on the lawn will come in very handy here.
Survivors of two nights of raving gather for the final chord. Bringing in Brit Kamaal Williams under the alias Henry Wu is a serious statement, worth canceling your Monday morning plans for.
If you have a wristband from the previous days, entry is free. The organizers ask not to film the event on your phone—a rare request nowadays that only makes the party more valuable.
The formal closing of the festival smoothly transitions into that very afterparty. Saint City Lovers, Hoopa, and secret guests put a period on this July's most massive musical marathon.
