“What is music if not a spell? What is the act of listening if not a collective ritual?’ his curators wonder Borderline Festival of the Onassis Foundationwhich returns to Athens afrom April 26 to 28in a three-day event dedicated to the future of contemporary music, with the participation of young Greek and emerging international artists.

In its 13th edition, the Borderline Festival is unfolding in Stegi and in other parts of Athens, bringing a multitude of fresh musical proposals, curated by Stegi Radio, Stegi’s online radio station.

“Borderline Festival 2024 comes with a vision of magical realism. It aims to penetrate the reality of our time, not through escapism, but through imagination, vision and empathy beyond the barriers. From Athens to the Mediterranean, in a time plagued by war, inequality, extreme impoverishment and unbearable alienation, the Borderline Festival invites a collective deep listening to the sound of ever-emerging change” report Voltnoi and Quetempo from Stegi Radio, artistic directors of the three-day festival,.

From the Kypseli Municipal Market, in the heart of the city, to Gagarin 205 and the Carhartt WIP Stage at -1 of Stegi, 19 Greek and international artists coexist in a lineup that defies genres, where Detroit techno meets reggaeton and deconstructed club. Adventurous producers and DJs such as Crystallmess, Bambii, aya, Sangre Nueva, AUX 88 and Rosa Pistola meet Athens artists such as ANFS, AMKA, Frenzee and Agent Mo, creating a grand experience that appeals to both the ears, the mind and the feet.

The highlights of Borderline Festival 2024

Borderline spreads in the center of Athens, with a two-day free party at the Municipal Market of Kypseli and an explosive club night at Gagarin 205, but also a night of experimentation at -1 of Stegis.

With international artists appearing for the first time in Greece, Borderline comes to the Municipal Market of Kypseli for the biggest open party in Athens, bringing the hot rhythms of Latin America with the queen of reggaeton Rosa Pistola, the uplifting electro of AUX88 straight from the heart of Detroit and the already legendary Sangre Nueva trio (Kelman Duran, Florentino, DJ Python).

The party continues Saturday night at Gagarin 205. Pioneering names in electronic dance music such as Crystallmess, who has performed at festivals such as Coachella alongside Frank Ocean, and Bill Kouligas, the man behind the radical PAN, accompanied by the wild punk energy of Frenzee and the sweeping techno of ANFS.

The festival closes at -1 of Stegi with live performances by artists who are at the forefront of musical experimentation, such as aya, JJJJJerome Ellis, Lamin Fofana, Trevor Mathison and “our” Kostis Kontos and AMKA.

This year’s event hosts the first day and a parallel event with free entry. A workshop led by Eleni Iconiadou at the Municipal Market of Kypseli (15:00 – 17:00), entitled “Fugitive Voices”, which invites aspiring curators and cultural workers to redefine curatorial practices as tools for social change (Participation in the workshop is by pre-booking a place at onassis.org).