The tribute to world music is organized for the second year in Technopolis  of the City of Athens from 15th to 19th July. The subtitle “PIIGS” under “Athens World Music Festival” is a political innuendo, as well as a cultural response. The 5 European countries with initials “PIIGS”, Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, Spain which are in a status of economic crisis and are fighting for survival present their “musical surplus” and culture.

Monday, July 15th Portugal

21:00 Andre Maia Band

Andre Maia Band arranges and plays fados and music from Portugal. It consists of André Maia vocals, Efi Zaitidou kanun, Xenia Tseliga bayan, Alexandros Kapsokavadis guitar / lute, Kostas Stavropoulos double bass.

22:00 Cristina Branco

Known from late 90's she has always tried to find new musical horizons, a fact that marks her career. Such search Cristina Branco describes as “the adrenaline of being alive”.

Tuesday, 16 July Italy

21:00 Encardia

The group was founded in 2004 and it has since then issued 5 albums. It has also performed many concerts in Greece, France, Germany, Algeria, Switzerland, Cyprus, but mainly in Italy itself. In March 2012 the film of Angelos Kovotsos (production G. Poulidis) titled Encardia “The stone that dances”, about the march of the group in areas of Greek-speaking villages in Italy, won the audience award at the 14th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival.

22:00 Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare

Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare, one of the famous and old bands, was formed in 1970. Their phenomenal success in the Spoleto Festivals in 1972 and 1974 was the beginning of their international career. They have released interesting albums and have participated in important music festivals in and outside Europe.

Wednesday, July 17 Ireland

21:00 Realta

Their first album titled “Open The Door For Three” was released in September 2012. Raised with the music of The Bothy Band, Planxty and other groups the band from Belfast tries to infuse elements from other music venues in traditional music. Using dual Irish bagpipes, Irish flutes, guitar and bodhrán (traditional drums), presents a program of dance music, combined with storytelling and traditional songs. 

22:00 Altan

The band was formed in late 80's. Mairead’s father, Francie Mooney helped to preserve and promote the music violin of Donegal, which Altan made popular around the world. The quick, odd, sharp routes of the fiddlestick and the triple bow staccato form the heart of the dynamic sound of the two violins, which Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh and Ciaran Tourish play. Their music is accompanied by Dermont Byrne’s accordion and percussions played by Ciaran Curran, and Daithi Sproule.

Thursday, July 18

21:00 Kristi Stassinopoulou & Stathis Kalyviotis

Kristi Stassinopoulou pursues her own, independent course in Greek music for many years. Stathis Kalyviotis is a composer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist. They have released 5 albums, that became well-known abroad. Their most recent one titled “Greekadelia” with adaptations of Greek folk songs from different regions, was for two months in a row in August and September number 1 of World Music Charts Europe. It has received rave reviews from newspapers such as Guardian, Independent, Financial Times, Folk Roots magazine etc.

22:00 Mario

Representative of rebetika and folk songs, Mario was born in Rossiko of Thessaloniki. She started singing and playing accordion with her father, who was a musician, when she was 13. She has toured in most Greek cities, in many European countries and USA. She was fortunate to sing together with Marcos Vamvakaris in 1967. For many years she was singing in Thessaloniki with Chondronakos and Christos Migos.

Friday, July 19

21:00 Xarnerge

The Gascon musicians Joan Baudoin, Lucia Longué and Simon Guillaumin join forces with the Basque musicians Juan Ezeiza and Josean Martin Zarko and create this musical ensemble, that combines many elements common to both cultures.

The word Xarnege, or Sharnègo comes from Gaskon dialect and refers to the villages located on the border between the French province of Gascony and the country of the Basques and where the inhabitants speak Basque and Gascon.

22:00 Lenacay

Lenacay present RYMA, their first album which is a musical journey without limits from the roots of flamengo to uncharted horizons. The name of the group comes from the union of two words in Romany, ie the dialect of Spanish gypsies, LEN which is the life course and ACAY, the glance. A glance at the life course.