RAANDOOM INSIDE: Distorsioni Fest
It’s probably time to make room for humanity, and that’s clearly the goal of Distorsioni Fest. This year, the festival took place at the Centro Sportivo Tommaso Valeriano in Acquaviva delle Fonti (BA), and the venue was perfect for the wild and crazy three-day celebration. It was a dream come true for dedicated Netlog users, the perfect date night between Delta Sleep boys and checkered Vans girlies. Now in its eleventh edition, the festival attracted over 2000 attendees over the three days of the event, from August 23 to 25, marking a significant leap forward in both numbers and the quality of what was offered.
shot by RAANDOOM at festival
After a chat with the festival's artistic director, it was clear that the choice of the lineup was highly considered and well thought out. However, once we experienced the festival firsthand (even if just for a short while) it was obvious that nothing at Distorsioni is left to chance. The festival has confirmed its uniqueness, seamlessly blending alt-rock, emo, and post-punk. Over the two stages, there were more than seven bands performing each day, with standing ovations for international headliners like Ditz, Delta Sleep, and Gilla Band, as well as for the various Italian bands present.
Even though I, like many others, didn’t know all the artists at the festival, the lineup managed to grab the attention of even the less seasoned listeners, thanks to its impressive variety while still staying coherent. Personally (as you might have already read), I experience music this way: I go to concerts of artists I don’t know to discover them, and at Distorsioni, I got to know some incredibly interesting new acts.
On the smaller stage, MILANOSPORT: an amazingly anti-diva band that not only played incredibly well but also had a magnetic stage presence. Between their kitchen aprons and their captivating surf-rock, I found a new band to obsess over for the next few months. And trust me when I say I wasn’t the only one totally absorbed, lost in their own world.
It’s clear that the artistic direction put a lot of effort into research and into finding the right mix, balancing well-known names with emerging ones. This approach really resonated with the audience, showing the artistic director’s commitment to enriching the musical consciousnesses of listeners. This just highlights even more how Distorsioni is a cultural festival that speaks to a knowledgeable, eager-to-learn crowd, all while staying true to its roots.
Young but professional crowd surfers and old punk veterans - the festival’s crowd is truly one of a kind. In today’s world, being part of a community and sharing values is a luxury that only a few can enjoy. Distorsioni is the result of a successful blend of human beings and unconventional music, evident in the smiles, the stage-diving, and the pogoing. A porous reality that brings everyone together - from the kids with stretched earlobes to the adults drinking beer in their band shirts from some unknown to god bands. Distorsioni is the love child festival of its generation: fresh sounds and a lineup that keeps getting deeper and deeper - the reflection of the constant change in the world outside. A messy, dynamic, introspective, and free festival. Everyone wants to be there: partly because they see themselves represented by it, and partly because they simply want to be a part of it, even if they don’t quite belong.
Personally, I struggled a lot during my teenage years, traveled a lot, and spent many nights alone with just music as companion. It was Gazebo Penguins, then American Football, then Quercia. I used to watch live shows on YouTube, dreaming of being one of those people singing along when they came to Italy. I wanted to feel part of something, but both age and Naples (that had almost nothing to offer beyond social centers) kept that from happening. But then the day comes when you feel like you can make up for a lost happy childhood, because it’s never too late. In Puglia, in a town forgotten by the gods, you find a place where you feel you belong - a place where, even if you’re alone, you never feel lonely. You set out on your own and find yourself weaving webs of connections with people who are there for the same reason you are, as if you’re all driven by a narcissistic calling to nurture that inner child who was shouting “I want to be heard too”. After all, if punk and the underground were once the cry of nonconformists, today they are the manifesto of rebellion for a youth gripped by the generational depression inherited from our parents.
Distorsioni is the perfect way to close that circle. Music is a different thing, and it’s evident from the fact that there were two thousand people sharing in silence (while exuding incredible power) a magical and deeply personal moment for each of us. Distorsioni is a rush of adrenaline, an emotional surge, and this year it reminded everyone that difficulties are natural, but you get through them. And finally, after years of struggle, I can say there’s a place for us - we can come back to life.
