Every year, the Waves Vienna festival attracts 15,000 music fans from around the world to Vienna to discover up-and-coming bands in the clubs around the Gürtel, the beltway at the western border of the city’s center. The festival, happening for the 14th time this year from September 5 – 7, also includes a music business conference with presentations and panel discussions on a variety of topics.
The festival has an impressive track record for discovering new national and international talent – in the last 13 years, the lineup has included such prominent names as Bibiza, Bilderbuch, Cari Cari, Charli XCX, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Salò, Soap&Skin, and Sohn.
Conference and Networking
While the festival lights up the clubs at night, the days will be filled with a varied slate of interviews, panel discussions, presentations, workshops, and other music business-related events. Hundreds of national and international music professionals – promoters, labels, bookers, managers, and musicians – will be getting together to network and exchange ideas. Additionally, for the first time, the European Music Export Exchange, an organization of 29 national and regional music export offices, will also be hosting a meeting during the conference.
Guest of Honor: Colombia
In November 2023, representatives of Austrian Music Export traveled to Colombia in order to make contact with players in the Colombian music industry. The visit was fruitful; the Colombian music market is colorful and open to collaboration – and Thomas Heher, director of the festival, decided to focus on Colombia’s music this year. “I’m looking forward to great artists from Colombia and the exchange about this exciting market,” he says. Colombian Ambassador Laura Gil adds: “The festival is also a way to encourage the cultural cross-pollination. We have a lot of artists living in Austria who have have been influenced by their encounters with Austrian musical traditions. We look foward to exciting presentations and revolutionary music.”
As part of the festival, Radio FM4, Austrian Music Export, and Waves Vienna will choose the winner of the XA Export Award (here are this year’s nominees).
Interested? If you act now, a festival pass valid for all shows can be had for €58 – but only until July 31st!