For a second consecutive year the “stars” of the Schoolwave Festival introduce themselves to the young crowd of the Megaron through their original rock, punk and blues sounds, while trying to combine their own creativity with timeless values of the past, as is the case with the music of Manos Hadjidakis.
Last September, at a night which was indeed a unique experience, the Megaron Garden was (due to them) filled with youth and rock. Now, for a second consecutive year, the “stars” of the Schoolwave set up their own musical scene, sending out a powerful message of courage and optimism amidst the financial crisis. On Saturday September 24th, at 9:00 pm, six student groups who were selected through the Schoolwave Festival, the hyper-active “Overjoyed 32”, the calm and dynamic “World Conquerrors”, the catalytic “Chick n’ Blues” - the 3 distinguished groups of Schoolwave 2011 - the noise grunge “Chinese Basement”, but also “Rosebleed” and “Musica Ficta”, familiar from last year, will be there to tune up the young and those who so feel. To lighten the next day through the union of creativity with the traditional values of the past through rock, punk, blues sounds, original as well as remakes that remind the melodies of Manos Hadjidakis.
The concert is a collaboration of the Athens Megaron with the Schoolwave festival - this great student organization (inspired by Christos Ioannidis) which celebrates seven years of existence in Athens, offering a stage for expression to the young musical blood of the city - and is part of the series “Bridges” under the artistic direction of the composer Dimitiris Maragopoulos.
The group “Overjoyed 32” is the first of the three star groups of this year’s Schoolwave who will kick off the night. It is a three-member hyper-active group from Nea Smirni, who vibrate in the rhythms of punk and rock & roll. Whether playing in a small club at the Exarheia area or on the huge scene of the Schoolwave or at the Megaron Garden, they claim to always aim at the same goal: “make people dance.”
Next are the “World Conquerrors” who came together two years ago in Piraeus. Their trademark is a calm but dynamic stoner sound. In 2011 they appeared in Schoolwave and recorded their first songs. They will be playing their own songs as well as their own versions of “Riders on the Storm” by “the Doors” and "Don’t ask the Sky” by Manos Hadjidakis.
The newly formed “Chick n’ Blues” will follow, sharing a love for blues. It is worth noting that this new group from Thessaloniki - four boys and one girl - had only three live appearances in small scenes in Thessaloniki before making their remarkable debut at this year’s Schoolwave.
The first part will close with “Chinese Basement”. Three 16-year-old kids from Thessaloniki who play noise/grunge with their friends, preferably in self-made appearances in the pedestrian streets since “there no one tells them how long they can play”. This year they had to make an exception for the Schoolwave and one more for the Megaron where, among others, they will play songs from “Lilipoupoli”.
The musical union of Schoolwave and Hadjidakis, a meeting that is worthwhile attending, comes alive in the second part of the concert by two more groups familiar to Megaron’s young audience.
“Rosebleed”, a 5-person alternative rock group from Athens with male vocals, familiar from their support appearances to Carlos Santana, Graig Walker and the Cranberries is next. They were the first band of the Schoolwave to come out with an album, the “White Balloons” with Sony Records, with a second album to follow among numerous appearances at different festivals. Next winter they will appear in the Great Britain, Ireland and France.
“Musica Ficta” are probably the most special band at the Schoolwave Festival up to now. This Athenian alternative rock group have played as a support group to Mary and the Boy, Alkinoos Ioannidis, Vassilikos and Phoevos Delivorias. Apollon, the composer and singer of the group, composed in 2010 the music of the shows “Wonderland” at the Pallas Theater and Shakespeare’s “Titos Andronikos” at the National Theater. This year at the Megaron he will play songs by Manos Hadjidakis, something he has done before at the Schoolwave 2005 at the age of 15, singing ”Odos Oneiron” in front of thousands of his astonished classmates.
The Schoolwave Festival is a three-day student music festival which takes place every summer since 2005 in Athens in the beginning of July, just after the end of the school year. During the first three years the Schoolwave festival was taking place at “Technopolis” of the Municipality of Athens and the following years at the “Rock Theater” of the Municipality of Viron. Student groups from all over Greece and Europe (selected through demo and auditions by well established figures in the music arena, such as radio producer Yiannis Petridis, composers Nikos Kipourgos and George Koumentakis, groups “Raining Pleasure” and “Rotting Christ”) come to play their music on a huge stage with professional equipment in front of thousands of classmates. For three days they are the stars in a play written by themselves and not by grown-ups for them. With the help of well-known artists like Yiannis Agelakas, Alkinoos Ioannidis, Pavlos Pavlidis, Active Member, Rodes, Raining Pleasure, Locomondo, Monika, Firewind, Septic Flesh and others, who support this institution with their presence every year. In addition to music this great school celebration includes happenings (skate, bmx, graffiti, breakdance, parkour, video games, group discussions around music etc.) set up in special installations in the festival area.
The Schoolwave festival is organized by the non profit organization ” Schooligans Creative team” with the support of the General Secretariat for Youth of the Ministry of Education.
Press Release