Decibel Festival
Decibel Festival was an annual music and digital arts festival started in 2004 in Seattle by Sean Horton and pulled into existence by the talent, sweat, and loyalty of an entire volunteer staff. Decibel was dedicated to live electronic music performance, visual art and new media.[1]
Decibel International Festival of Electronic Music Performance, Visual Art + New Media | |
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Genre | Electronic Music |
Location(s) | USA |
Years active | 2004 - 2015 |
Website |
History
The core of the festival consisted of concerts, performances, commissioned work, film screenings and exhibitions. The programming was presented in a variety of locations throughout Seattle including the Capitol Hill neighborhood and Downtown. In addition to these performance programs, Decibel included a professional section featuring panels, lectures and workshops, which served as a meeting ground for leading-edge artists, labels and music gear manufacturers.[1]
In fall 2011, Decibel celebrated its largest edition to date, pulling in over 23,000 attendees. The 2011 edition sold both record numbers of festival passes (up 18% from 2010) and individual showcase tickets (up 45% from 2010). That was the peak.
Despite years of stated intent to publications, attendees, supporters, artists, and volunteer staff to become a nonprofit organization, it never materialized.
After that festival high in 2011, Decibel would come to an end in 2015. Horton moved to Los Angeles. He has hinted and teased that the festival would return again. Currently Horton does continue to use the Decibel name to promote smaller events mainly in Los Angeles. It is highly doubtful that the festival will ever happen again.
Artists
Since its inception, Decibel has hosted over 1,100 acts ranging from underground dance and experimental electronic music to transmedial art. Some of these past performers include:
- 3 Channels
- 12th Planet
- Addison Groove
- Akufen
- The Album Leaf
- Alexi Delano
- Alter Ego
- Amon Tobin ISAM LIVE
- Apparat
- AraabMuzik
- Atom™
- Autechre
- Baths
- Ben Klock
- Ben Frost
- Biosphere
- Bok Bok
- Bonobo
- Booka Shade
- Boys Noize
- Breakage
- Bruno Pronsato
- Carl Craig
- Caspa
- Catz 'n Dogz
- Charli XCX
- Christopher Willits
- Claude VonStroke
- Cobblestone Jazz
- Dabrye
- Daedelus
- Dan Bell
- DARKSIDE
- Deadbeat
- Deadmau5
- The Dead Texan
- Derrick May
- Dinky
- Diplo
- DJ Krush
- dOP
- Duke Dumont
- Egyptrixx
- Empire of the Sun
- Erykah Badu
- Ellen Allien
- Eluvium
- FaltyDL
- fennesz
- The Field
- Flying Lotus
- Flume
- Four Tet
- Frank Bretschneider
- Frivolous
- Funkstörung
- The Gaslamp Killer
- Geographer
- Girl Unit
- The Glitch Mob
- Gold Panda
- Green Velvet
- Gui Boratto
- Harold Budd
- ill-esha
- Isolee
- Itak Tek
- Jacob London
- James Blake
- Jeff Samuel
- John Tejada
- Joker
- Justice
- Kangding Ray
- Kevin Saunderson
- KiloWatts
- Kimbra
- Ladytron
- Lorde
- Loscil
- Lusine
- Machinedrum
- Mad Professor
- Mala
- Marcus Nikolai
- Marcel Dettmann
- Martin Buttrich
- Mary Anne Hobbs
- Matias Aguayo
- Matmos
- Matthew Dear
- Max Cooper
- Meat Beat Manifesto
- Michael Mayer
- Moby
- Mochipet
- Moderat
- Modeselektor
- Monolake
- Mount Kimbie
- Mountains
- Move D
- Mt. Eden
- Murcof
- Nicolas Jaar
- Nils Frahm
- Nina Kraviz
- Nortec Collective
- Odesza
- The Orb
- Orbital
- Pepe Bradock
- Quantic
- Ramadanman
- Richie Hawtin
- Robert Babicz
- Robert Hood
- Robin Guthrie
- Sascha Funke
- School of Seven Bells
- Scott Pagano
- Scuba
- Shackleton
- The Sight Below
- Simian Mobile Disco
- Smash TV
- Soul Clap
- Spacetime Continuum
- Speedy J
- Star Slinger
- Starkey
- Stars of the Lid
- Strategy
- Styrofoam
- Subtle
- Switch
- T.Raumschmiere
- Telefon Tel Aviv
- Theo Parrish
- Thievery Corporation
- Thomas Fehlmann
- Tiger & Woods
- Tim Exile
- Tim Hecker
- Tipper
- Trentemoller
- TOKiMONSTA
- Tycho
- VibeSquad
- Vladislav Delay
- Voodeux
- Wighnomy Brothers
- Wolf + Lamb
- Zedd
- Zola Jesus
- Zomby
Venues
Over the years, Decibel Festival has been hosted at various venues across the Seattle area including: The Showbox, The Showbox SoDo, Q Nightclub, Neumos, The Crocodile, Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall, The Triple Door, Islander Cruise Ship, EMP Museum, and Re-Bar.
Decibel Festival was a member of ICAS (International Cities of Advanced Sound).