Discover Music in Styria with Effi

January 7, 2015 / genre portraits, pop/rock/electronic

IT MAY BE TRUE THAT, ARMED WITH A UKULELE AND A LAPTOP, YOU COULD MAKE MUSIC PRETTY MUCH ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, BUT AN INSPIRING BACKDROP OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS, AN OASIS OF CALM LIKE THE STADTPARK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY, AND PLACES TO HAVE A DECENT COFFEE IN BETWEEN CERTAINLY SERVE TO HELP THE PROCESS. IN THIS SENSE, THE STYRIAN CAPITAL GRAZ, WHICH IS NEITHER TOO BIG NOR TOO SMALL, MIGHT BE THE PERFECT PLACE FROM WHERE TO LAUNCH A SOLO PROJECT. WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT EFFI DID.

effi
Effi (www.effimusic.com)

WHERE CAN YOU FIND EXCITING MUSIC IN GRAZ?
The high density of clubs and bars in this rather small city provides a vast choice of homegrown as well as international music. The Lendviertel, especially, is a place where people go to share ideas.

NAME A LIFE-CHANGING MUSICAL EVENT THAT YOU EXPERIENCED IN GRAZ.
Graz offers a lot of annual musical events, Springfestival being the first to spring to mind as one of the biggest festivals for electronic music in Europe, where renowned acts perform DJ sets or live shows. Another one worth mentioning is Elevate Festival, which specialises in modern music and political arts-related debates, and then there’s Murton festival, which is all about world music.

HOW PALPABLE IS THE CLOSENESS OF NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES IN THE SOUTH AS A MUSICAL INFLUENCE?
The influence of the southern neighbouring countries can be felt most acutely at the University of Music in Graz. Particularly in the jazz scene there are many projects that cross cultural borders. Music from the Balkans is probably the strongest influence there.

HAS GRAZ GOT A SPECIFIC SOUND OF ITS OWN?
Graz has no special sound. The whole range of productions is just too wide and too individually diverse to pin down. Electronica, psychedelic rock, folk pop, punk, jazz, hip hop etc. all have a home in Graz. A small two man/woman lo-fi band will belong here just as much as a big band and they keep redefining themselves.

WHICH HOTEL WOULD YOU RECOMMEND TO YOUR FELLOW MUSICIANS?
Hotel Daniel at the train station as well as Hotel Wiesler in town are perfectly suitable for musicians.

WHICH CLUBS ARE BEST TO PLAY IN?
Postgarage, the PPC, Forum Stadtpark or the Parkhouse. The Kombüse at the edge of the Stadtpark is a particularly interesting place to check out.

WHAT WOULD YOU SHOW TO FRIENDS FROM ABROAD?
Apart from the huge amounts of historic art all around, I would take them straight to the most beautiful café in Graz, the Café Schwalbennest. It doesn’t just do the best coffee and the best homemade cake, it also has the best view. Sitting on a balcony, you get a view over the Kunsthaus, the river Mur and the Murinsel.

EFFI´S TIPS IN GRAZ

WHAT ELSE THERE IS TO DISCOVER

Discover more music from Austria in:

AUSTRIAN HEARTBEATS
A CONTEMPORARY MUSIC TRAVEL GUIDE TO AUSTRIA
ahb_reisefuehrer_small
Commissioned by Austrian Music Export
Publisher: Verlag für moderne Kunst, Vienna
Contributors: Austrian Music Export and various authors, photographers and illustrators
Design: 3007, Eva Dranaz, Jochen Fill
Edition: 1st English edition, 2014
Translator: Robert Rotifer