Sonus Festival: Techno at Zrće Beach with Amelie Lens & Co.
· re:union Radio editorial · 2 min read
Sonus Festival at Croatia's Zrće Beach: five days of techno with Amelie Lens, Richie Hawtin, and Ricardo Villalobos across four open-air beach clubs.
Since 2013, the Sonus Festival has drawn thousands of techno fans each year to Zrće Beach near Novalja on the Croatian island of Pag. For five days, this stretch of beach transforms into one of Europe's most renowned open-air stages – featuring a lineup that regularly includes the most influential names in the international techno scene.
At a glance
- Location: Zrće Beach near Novalja, Pag Island, Croatia
- Duration: five days, starting each afternoon
- Four open-air clubs: Papaya, Noa, Aquarius, and Kalypso
- Up to 20,000 guests per year, organized by cosmopop GmbH (Ludwigshafen)
One Stage, Four Clubs
What sets Sonus Festival apart from traditional festival grounds is its structure: instead of a central main area, it utilizes four existing open-air clubs directly on the beach – Papaya, Noa, Aquarius, and Kalypso. Sets run from afternoon until early morning, allowing the audience to move between locations throughout the day. This combination of beach scenery and club infrastructure has secured the festival a permanent spot in the European summer calendar over the years.
Recurring Names of the Scene
Artists who regularly perform at Zrće Beach include Richie Hawtin, Ricardo Villalobos, Seth Troxler, and Amelie Lens. For years, she has been one of the most internationally sought-after names in the harder spectrum of techno, exemplifying the festival's ambition to mix established headliners with emerging talents.
Behind the Name
The name Sonus comes from Latin and means "sound" or "noise" – a programmatic title for a festival entirely dedicated to electronic music. It is organized by cosmopop GmbH from Ludwigshafen, which is also responsible for the Time Warp Festival in Germany.
FAQ
Where does the Sonus Festival take place?
The festival takes place at Zrće Beach near Novalja on the Croatian island of Pag, spread across the four open-air clubs Papaya, Noa, Aquarius, and Kalypso.
How many visitors attend the Sonus Festival?
According to the organizer, the festival expects up to 20,000 guests annually over the entire five-day duration.
If you want to learn about harmonic mixing between sets, you can find the basics in our DJ tip on the Camelot Wheel. For an overview of current dark techno releases from the scene, check out our article on Dark Techno Releases in August.
Source: Wikipedia, Sonus Festival
