The Opening Concert: Defying the Status Quo

On August 24 we’re kicking off the second edition with yet another unique opening concert in the stunning Amphitheatre. With last year’s live performance by James Holden and Maalam Houssam Gania still freshly engraved in our memories, this time around not one but three cross-over acts will usher in your weekend of mind-expanding music, arts, and culture in Marrakech, Morocco.

As one of the leading multi-day events of North Africa and the newest addition to a short list of existing music festivals in Morocco we focus not solely on traditional music or electronic music but rather aim to bring the two together in an educational four-day experience. The last weekend of August and together with our visitors, Atlas Electronic 2017 will be inaugurated accordingly.

The Thursday will be decorated by what is already considered to be legendary, exciting, and unique cross-cultural collaborations. Nineties acid Pioneer and hardware genius Jamal Moss aka Hieroglyphic Being will fly in from the US to perform with traditional Gnawa-artist Youssef Chegra. The Dutch-Pan African legend Philou Louzolo will join forces with local authentic “taktaka”-band Groupe Bana - who stole not only the show but many hearts during their improvisation rooftop sessions last year. Last but not least, father of Ancestral Soul Boddhi Satva from the Central African Republic and craftsman Maalem Hamam will present their universally applauded 2015 studio session live for the very first time. Three horizon-expanding performances that defy the status quo in both electronic and traditional music.

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Besides from kicking it back on the Berber carpeted stairs during the cross-over concerts, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to dance under a sea of stars to one of Fatima Yamaha’s legendary live sets or the tunes by connoisseur and reanimator of Arabic music Habibi Funk. The opening concert is the perfect way to fully submerge in the experience where nothing you know is set in stone. It is the foolproof occasion to catch the wave of artistic freedom, where both traditional and electronic artists are liberated from conventions and free to explore the boundaries of their music in a safe space.

We’re proud to continue our journey by building bridges between cultures, art forms, and people and offering a platform for artists and visitors from all walks of life to meet and interact in an intimate setting. Heading upstream in an ever expanding and divided world has never felt so right.

The exclusive opening concert is included in the four-day ticket which can still be purchased by clicking the button below or visiting one of the hardcopy ticket selling points in Morocco.

Get your ticket!