20 days and counting
One disadvantage of being so organised is that all I have left to do now is sit and wait. Luckily there are plenty of other things to keep me busy and help distract me from the building excitement. People have asked me to explain what Unsound is all about. I've done my best but I suspect I haven't really done it justice. So here's an excerpt of a recent announcement from their website which might explain better.
In 2013 the theme for Unsound Festival Krakow is INTERFERENCE. This relates to the physics of sound, including the overlay of varied sound waves and rhythms, distortion, disrupted audio, sonic disturbance, and the act of obstructing or impeding. More than ever before, these elements are used in a wide range of contemporary music, from the developing noise scene to ever- evolving club music.
Additionally, the theme will be explored for its social and cultural significance, questioning the meaning of "underground" in today's networked, commodified and data-driven world. INTERFERENCE will set this year’s Unsound festival on the amorphous border between entertainment and challenging experience, often playing against the easy consumption of music and demanding engagement from audiences. You won't find huge headliners at Unsound. It won't be transmitted via the Internet in easy video chunks. But for one week the festival will create a unique temporary autonomous zone for audience and artists alike that will feel like nowhere else.
The theme will also manifest itself via the placement of unique installations and performances in unusual spaces.
This week the festival also announced a ban on photography and filming at all events. There will even be minimal official photography. The rationale is to encourage people to just be in the moment. I've never been a big photo taker at concerts, so this won't be a huge deal and I completely get and support what they're trying to achieve. But as I'm travelling on my own I must admit I am a little disappointed that I won't be able to take the occasional event photo to help relive and share the moments.