Status Active Location(s) Anaklia, Georgia | Frequency Annually Years active 2015-present | |
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Genre Electronic music festival Most recent 10 August 2016 (2016-08-10) – 14 August 2016 (2016-08-14) | ||
Jim beam gem fest 2016 anaklia georgia august 2016
GEM Fest is an international electronic music festival, held annually in Anaklia, Georgia. The abbreviation GEM stands for Georgian Electronic Music Festival and plays with the real meaning of the word gem.
Contents
- Jim beam gem fest 2016 anaklia georgia august 2016
- History
- Location
- Accommodation
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- References
According to the organizers, "...We want our festival to bring together not only the most lustrous and renowned pearls from all over the world, but also a handful of uncut diamonds; we want to provide a platform for the realization of unbridled artistic potential and help to uncover the priceless gem that is hidden in every artistic talent. What we are doing can be summed up in just one phrase: ‘It’s an absolute gem!’ "
History
After the popular Ukrainian festival KaZantip temporary moved to Georgia in 2014 and failed, the Georgian part of its organizers, led by ex-head of Georgian National Tourism Administration Giorgi Sigua, decided to develop domestic product. Sigua announced the establishment of the new festival in May 2015 and the construction of necessary infrastructure started almost immediately. The promo of the new festival was based on its positive influence on tourism development and inviting big musicians to small village Anaklia at the Black Sea coast.
"This moment marks an important point in the Georgian music scene, as the world's number one DJ takes to the stage in the Black Sea resort of Anaklia". - CNN
The first GEM Fest was held from July 30 to August 7, 2015. During 9 days and nights 125 international and Georgian artists performed for 10.000 guests. The line-up listed David August, Ellen Allien, Luciano, M.A.N.D.Y., Booka Shade, Who Made Who, Dubfire, Armin van Buuren, Tale Of Us.
The second GEM Fest was held on the 10–14 August 2016 in Anaklia. The number of stages has increased up to five. The list of headliners of the festival included Paul Van Dyk, Petre Inspirescu, Mano Le Tough, Fedde Le Grand, Paul Kalkbrenner, dOP, Dub FX, GusGus. According to Giorgi Sigua, in 2016 the festival was attended by around 30.000 people, which was very welcomed by the Georgian government and personally by Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, who visited the festival area to inspect it himself.
"I think the GEM Fest has the potential to become a vital engine for regional development. An extension is planned with the aim of making it a magnet location for fun-loving youth" - Giorgi Kvirikashvili
Location
The festival takes place on the beach of Anaklia, a small town on the coast of the Black Sea, 27 km west of Zugdidi. Anaklia is just 95 km west of Kutaisi and 81 km west of Kutaisi International Airport which serves as a base for WizzAir low-cost airline and is directly connected to a number of European cities. The festival is also accessible from Batumi (140 km) and Tbilisi (350 km). During the festival, all three cities (Tbilisi, Batumi, and Kutaisi) are connected to the festival through special GEM Fest party buses and mini-buses.
Zugdidi is also conveniently connected to Kutaisi, Batumi and Tbilisi by railway.
The proximity of the festival area to the breakaway region of Abkhazia is another important issue. As a gesture of friendship free tickets were offered to those coming from that territory.
"Festival organisers, in a gesture of friendship, offer free admission to Abkhazians, the festival also hosted a number of Iranians who danced the night away with Armenians and Azeris. The organisers have high hopes for the GEM Fest, they see a rival to Ibiza, but what is really special about this festival is that it creates a free space for enjoyment in a part of the world where such events are rare" - Euronews
Accommodation
The festival-goers stay in their own tents or rent tents provided by the organizers. Many others prefer to stay at B&Bs or guesthouses in Anaklia which are within walking distance of the festival, or choose accommodation in Zugdidi which is in a 25-minute drive. There are also 3 large hotels in Anaklia, and new ones are being built.
2015
Headliners (alphabetically):
Armin van Buuren, Booka Shade, David August, Dubfire, Ellen Allien, Luciano, M.A.N.D.Y., Petre Inspirescu, Rhadoo, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, Tale of Us, Tiefschwarz, WhoMadeWho, W&W
Artists (alphabetically):
Alex Picone, Andre Crom, Andrey Pushkarev, Anna Hanna, Anrilov, Anushka, B Voice, Bacho, Bero, Camea, Cobert, Dali, DJ T, Easy Changes, Evol Waves, Fernando Costantini, Fleyta, Gacha, Gacha & Kaiji Frequences, Gio Shengelia, Gorje Hewek, Greenbeam & Leon, HVL, Ian Pooley, Jan Krueger, Julian Perez, Kancheli, Kolford, Lasha, Livio & Roby, Maayan Nidam, Nakadia, Nakashidze, Nastia, Newa, Nikakoi and Natalie Tba Beridze, Nika J, Nuera, Oimactta, Olga Korol, Praslea, Radio Slave, Robosonic, Roustam, Sammy Dee, Smailov, Sofia Rodina, Tete Noise, The Forest, Timur Basha, Tomma, Vako K, Vako T, Vincent, Vova KLK, Vlada
2016
Headliners (alphabetically):
Agoria, Anja Schneider, Boris Brejcha, Fedde Le Grand, GusGus, Paul Kalkbrenner, Paul Van Dyk, Stephan Bodzin
Artists (alphabetically):
Abelle, Adelina, Alex Klim & Falkon, Bacho, Baikal, Barac, BEKA, Binh, Boyd Schidt, Breathdub, Casual Affair, Cestlek, Cobert, Cosmic Gate, CSGRV, Dali, Dasha Redkina, dOP, Dub FX, Efim Kerbut, Endorphins, Ericsson, Evol Waves, Fernando Costantini, Flaminia, Fumiya Tanaka, Gabbi Lopez, Gabunia, Gacha Bakradze, George effe, Goga G, Giraffage, Gramophonedzie, Himan, Jorjick, Julia Govor, K.atou, Korean, Lasha Chapel, Lasha Craft, Lasha Guruli, Lilith., Lupus, Mano Le Tough, DJ Mavix, Mia Lucci, Mike Steva, Mind Static, M0narch, Narek Simonian, Nika J, DJ Nikifor, Noxiron & F Noise, Nuera, Nuno Dos Santos, Olga Korol, Øliver, Onur Özer, Ossa di Mare, Pasha, Peer Kusiv, Petre Inspirescu, Pleiades, Rati, Richard Jay, RotKraft, Rybakit, Sander Zhukov, Se Is, Serjo, Sikha, Slow Magic, Smailov, Sofia Rodina, Stab9, Stimmhalt, Super Flu, Swanky Tunes, Tapefeed, Tade, TeTe Noise, The Forest, The Drifter, DJ Tennis, Timur Basha, tINI, Tomma, Trotsky, Vako K, Vako T
Newcomers (alphabetically):
Acke, Germain, Johny Welder, Offbeat/nite, Machaidze, Niko, Rathie, Salome, Salom3, Shargiyya, Tabu, Tetechi, Toka
2017
From the 14th of July till 14 August 2017.
As of March 2017, only 15% of the 2017's lineup has been announced.
Lineup (alphabetically):
Alexkid, Andrea Ferlin, Andrey Pushkarev, Anushka Arma, Bacho, Baikal, Barac, Bella Sarris, Boris Brejcha, Carlo Lio, Cassegrain & Tin Man, Cezar, Cobert, DaSSana, De Wachtkamer, Dennis Ferrer, DJ Nikifor, dOP, Doubting Thomas, Dubfire, Fernando Costantini, Gescu, Gio Shengelia, Gramophonedzie, GusGus, Herodot, Honey Dijon, Hubble, Hunter/Game, Inland, Joachim Pastor, Julia Govor, Kollektiv Turmstrasse, Locked Groove, Mano Le Tough, Marc Romboy, Martin Buttrich, Mattheis, Mia Lucci, N’to, Nuno Dos Santos, Oliver Deutschmann, Peter Schumann, Petre Inspirescu, Ponura, Praslea, Priku, Raresh, Raz Ohara, Rhadoo, Robag Wruhme, Roger Sanchez, Roustam, Sander Van Doorn, Sofia Rodina, Solomun, Stereoclip, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, Super Flu, The Drifter, tINI, Tomma, Topper, Vova KLK, Wolf + Lamb, Worakls