Expected to attract around 37,000 punters this year's impressive line-up of around one hundred artists includes Jeff Mills, Richie Hawtin, Sven Vath, Dave Clarke, Misstress Barbara, Francois K, Christian Smith, Alter Ego, Alexander Kowalski, Ben Sims, James Holden, Nathan Fake, Felix da Housecat, David Holmes, Heiko Laux, Octave One, Donnacha Costello, Alex Smoke, Mathew Johnson, Matthew Dear, Thomas Fehlmann, Robert Lamart, Photek, Vitalic, Howie B, Luciano and many more. House heads will also be able to give their desert boots a workout with Chris Fortier, Behrouz and Chus & Ceballos also spinning.
Consisting of 9 separate areas including 5 tents, 3 open-air stages and a club built especially for the night, the organisers will once again transform the normally arid and empty Monegros terrain into something not unlike a small city.
The Open Air dance arena covering an area greater than a football pitch will feature some of the biggest names making waves in the current techno scene while the San Miguel Experience will consist of one of the largest marquees ever assembled in Spain, covering more than 3,000 square metres. Home to the festival's biggest stage, early on it will feature some of Spain's leading hip hop artists before proceedings are handed over to some of the international techno guests.
House will be the order of the day in the Bacardi Tent, a purpose-built DJ-friendly stage designed to replicate the atmosphere and sound dynamics of a large-scale club while the White Label Tent will combine the lighting and audiovisual set-up of a concert venue with the surround sound of a club; hosting the more experimental strains of techno from some of its leading cutting-edge producers.
Expect a more relaxed, chilled-out vibe in the Market Area which will feature a crossover between electro funk, dub and soul rhythms with artists playing down-tempo, trip hop, underground hip hop and jungle. The open air grassed Chill Out Area will also host ambient sounds and experimental rhythms while the X Club! Tent, introduced to the festival two years ago, will continue its exploration and showcase of electropop, electroclash and technopunk.
Set inside an old stone farmhouse building the Beach Club promises just that - a beach, complete with sand too! Music-wise it will feature live performances and DJ sets from some of the emerging, lesser-known artists. Think minimal, micro-house and deep techno. And for the first time, in 2005, the festival will also have a Radio Terrace Bar/VIP Area, which will house a DJ booth equipped to broadcast live on the radio.
As has been the case in previous years, the admission fee of 50€(advance)/55€ (site ticket office) will include free drinks, a gift and a free dinner, the core of which will be the local speciality, Butifarra, perhaps giving new meaning to the term 'sausage sizzle'.
Gates into the Monegros Festival open July 16th, 2005 at 5:00pm with the official close set for July 17th, 2005 at 1:00pm. In a bid to ensure attendees get the most out of the festival by staying to the end, there will also be a Special Surprise Guest at 12pm on the Sunday for the final hour. Place your bets on who you think it is now!
Event Details : Monegros Desert Festival 2005
Location:Monegros Desert - Spain
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Time: Sat 5:00pm - Sun 1:00pm
Line-up: Thievery Corporation(live), Jeff Mills, Dave Clarke, Richie Hawtin, Sven Väth, Misstress Barbara, François K(live),
DJ Rush, Felix da Housecat, David Holmes, Ben Sims (special acid set), Umek vs. Marko Nastic, Alter Ego(live),
Christian Smith, Fixmer & McCarthy(live), Vitalic(live), Oscar Mulero, Superdiscount (live), Carlos Durán aka Cristian Varela, Ã
