What is Bristol Stage? Echo Festival

A promotional video for the 2003 ECHO Festival on Big War Island in Belgrade, Serbia.

"Mired in what, from the outside, looked like true Balkan chaos," wrote a visiting BBC reporter, "the festival always looked as if it was on the brink of falling apart."

For TV adverts, see:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPN_KE...

And: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFRTjh-RI2c

Other promotional videos are here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDZ7Q8sdxP8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58J-mWmAaKQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWqCYXF4QY4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al2rSG-fo90

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En2KsyuhcN0

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TRANSCRIPT:

There's something about Bristol. In the words of Lonely Planet, a popular international travel guide, the city is "an artistic incubator" and "it's the buzz after sundown which really kicks".

Bristol has set many of the most popular musical trends of the past two decades. Massive Attack, Portishead, Tricky, Smith & Mighty, Roni Size, Kosheen -- these are just a few of the artists who've made the city famous.

Bristol's best kept secret is the Ashton Court festival: an annual free party that thrives on the energy of this innovative music scene.

Hip-hop, drum and bass, and progressive house are the hallmarks of the Bristol sound, but its roots are firmly in reggae and beats.

Ashton court's club stage features international stars alongside up-and-coming local artists. At last summer's festival they played to a crowd of 30,000 people over two days. For Bristol DJs, this is the event of the year.

TIM (The Disco Brothers):
"It's good to be involved, you know. The Ashton Court Club Stage has been an institution in Bristol for a long time now -- more than any club night. We've always been involved in it and we'll always support anything the stage is involved in."

Now the Ashton Court club stage is coming to Belgrade for the ECHO festival, bringing the full range of dance music that has become synonymous with Bristol.

DJs are excited about the chance to play to a new crowd that's even bigger than the one at Ashton Court, which is so popular with Bristol artists that they are all limited to playing short sets.

QUEEN B:
"At Ashton Court in Bristol we get half an hour slots each -- that's it. I'm not actually sure how long I'm going to be playing at the ECHO festival but hopefully it's going to be a bit longer than that."

Less than 400,000 people live in Bristol, but its music scene is as sophisticated and varied as any other city in Europe. The ECHO festival gives Bristol artists a chance to spread their vibe to new territories.

MC T-ROX:
"The Ashton Court Club Stage is such a success, I just want to see it go on to other places and rock bigger crowds."

Category:

Music

Tags:

• sonic
• youth
• electronic
• music
• festival
• alternative
• indie
• hip-hop
• belgrade
• serbia
• balkans
• echo
• DIY
• politics
• ambassador
• UK