Last Friday, August 23rd, I had the incredible opportunity to perform at the Birranthology Extravaganza festival in Sinalunga, a small town in the Tuscan countryside.

What started as a local event has grown to become Italy’s most important Synthwave festival, rivaling some of the best in Europe. And if you don’t know… the Synthwave night is just one of THREE nights they organize every year! It’s mind-blowing to think about what these guys have built. They’ve transformed a small local gathering into a multi-day, multi-genre extravaganza that’s putting Sinalunga on the map of music festivals.

Hey! Elena, Giacomo, Willy… are you reading this??

But what made this night truly special wasn’t just the music; it was the sense of community that brought me back to the early days of Synthwave.

FLASHBACK.

I want to take you back to the early 2010s. Those were the days when Synthwave was just beginning to take shape. It wasn’t just a genre; it was a small community of friends sharing the same passion. I vividly remember how exciting it was to share ideas and new tracks on the Synthetix Facebook group. The anticipation of Rick Thorpe’s latest mixtape featuring the newest releases was something we all looked forward to. It felt like being part of an artistic circle, intimate and full of creativity.

Fast forward to last Friday…

…and I felt that same sense of community all over again.
My soundcheck wasn’t scheduled until 5:30 PM, but I just couldn’t wait. I arrived at 3 PM, buzzing with excitement at the thought of meeting everyone. There were several people I had been looking forward to finally meeting in person: musicians I had collaborated with online and fans I had only chatted with virtually.
It reminded me so much of those early days of Synthwave: the camaraderie, the shared passion, the pure joy of being part of something special.

And then my time came.

Performing after NINA & Radiowolf and Ultraboss, artists I’ve shared stages with before in London and Berlin, added to the feeling of a Synthwave family reunion. But what truly made the night unforgettable was seeing everyone dancing, smiling, and enjoying themselves to my music during my hour-long set. It was a beautiful reminder of why we do this: for the love of the music and the connections it creates.

This event did more than just showcase great music; it rekindled that sense of community that made me fall in love with Synthwave in the first place. In a world where so much of our interaction happens online, nights like these remind us of the irreplaceable value of coming together in person, sharing our passion, and creating memories.

To everyone who was there: thank you for making it such a special night.

The Birranthology Extravaganza proved that even as our genre grows and evolves, at its heart, Synthwave is still about friendship, shared experiences, and the joy of creating and appreciating music together.
Here’s to many more nights like this one!

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