Portugal’s underground techno gathering Sound Waves Festival is already gearing up for its 16th edition. The celebration will take place on Saturday, July 8th, 2023, in Esmoriz Ovar, and will boast 21 hours of uninterrupted dancing.
For this new edition of the Sound Waves Festival, organizers have already confirmed musical performances by Indira Paganotto, Fatima Hajji, Lilly Palmer, 999999999, Charlie Sparks, Nico Moreno, Cristobal Pesce, Basswell, Karlos Molina, Miss Sheila, Ornella, ØTTA, Carlos Manaça, DU’ART, and more.
Promising the biggest celebration in Sound Waves Festival’s history, the venue will have a renewed concept, together with a visual production of another level and a setting that will surprise all those who are passionate about the genre in a unique atmosphere.
EG caught up with Wilson Neves & Bernardo Bernardes, CEOs of Portugal’s Sound Waves Festival, to learn more about this new edition, the work behind the festival, and more.
EG: Hi guys! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been? Where are you based right now?
Wilson Neves & Bernardo Bernardes: Hey guys! We’re doing very well! Currently, we are based in Oporto.
EG: First of all, congratulations on the upcoming edition of the Sound Waves Festival, which will take place on July 8th in Esmoriz! How excited are you guys?
Wilson Neves & Bernardo Bernardes: We are very excited, we are working 24/7 to make this edition of Sound Waves the best one yet!
EG: So, what can we expect from this new edition of Sound Waves Festival?
Wilson Neves & Bernardo Bernardes: First of all, you can expect 21 hours of music, a very good vibe, and amazing energy! We are expecting to make this one a legendary edition, full of some of the best artists in techno and hard techno. We have a lineup good enough to make people move to Portugal and have a memorable night/day that they will never forget.
EG: This is actually the festival’s 16th edition. Did you ever think you’d make it this far with Sound Waves? How did Sound Waves come about? How has the festival evolved when compared to its first edition?
Wilson Neves & Bernardo Bernardes: The event started being a small party in 2005. Year after year we attract more ravers and, nowadays, we are one of the biggest events of the genre in Portugal.
We’ve come a long way, and comparing this one with the first edition would be impossible. Today we have a staff that’s almost the same size as the number of clubbers we had for our first edition of Sound Waves (laughter)!
“We have a lineup good enough to make people move to Portugal and have a memorable night/day that they will never forget”
EG: Speaking about “growth”…how do you guys go about deciding what to “add” or “improve” with each passing season? Just how much work goes into curating a festival like Sound Waves?
Wilson Neves & Bernardo Bernardes: After every edition, we analyze and see what doesn’t work well and try to improve, year after year. Change the bad things and keep the good ones.
EG: Are there any particular acts or friends you’re looking to catch up with this time around?
Wilson Neves & Bernardo Bernardes: We don’t have any particular artists that we are more excited to see than others. We have a very interesting lineup and we believe that all the artists have something exciting that will bring different vibes to the crowd!
EG: By the way, the scene in Portugal has been really blossoming over the past years. What’s the state of the Portuguese scene at the moment? Where and how can it improve?
Wilson Neves & Bernardo Bernardes: Nowadays, the techno/hard techno scene is growing a lot in Portugal. The new generation loves it! Currently, we have a lot of good events of the genre in the country, which helps in terms of more people starting to listen and going to events! Now it’s usual to see a kid listening to Nico Moreno, Charlie Sparks, or Indira Paganotto, and for us, it’s really impressive because we were one of the first ones to make these events happen in Portugal!
EG: What would be the best advice you could give to someone looking to set up their own festival? What are the key aspects to concentrate on?
Wilson Neves & Bernardo Bernardes: The most important thing is the love for music because you need to be passionate about what you do. It’s very important to listen to a lot of music and try to understand the new trends!
One of the most important things is organization. It’s very important to have organization because it’s a job where you are always under pressure. It’s also important to be surrounded by trustworthy people, even if they are few!
“We have a very interesting lineup and we believe that all the artists have something exciting that will bring different vibes to the crowd!”
EG: What’s next for Sound Waves Festival, Wilson Neves & Bernardo Bernardes? What particular milestones are you looking forwards to this 2023?
Wilson Neves & Bernardo Bernardes: This 2023 we will have a lot of surprises in the future…Regarding the festival, we have amazing artists that will give us a night that our ravers will never forget!
EG: Thank you so much for your time, guys! We wish you all the best for the future and a great Sound Waves 2023!
Wilson Neves & Bernardo Bernardes: Thanks EG! See you there!
Portugal’s Sound Waves Festival will take place on Saturday, July 8th, 2023. Purchase your tickets here.
