SEEME is Bulgaria's premier bash

With the departure of Communism dance music has grown exponentially, with clubs like Kristal in Romania recently being voted one of the top clubs in the world in our DJmag Top 50. In this light, the SEEME conference held in Sofia, Bulgaria, from the 17th to the 19th May is becoming an essential event in the dance music calendar.

SEEME, or the South-East European Music Åvent, now in its second year, aims to provide an all-in-one dance music focal point in Eastern Europe, operating as a conference, exhibition and music festival. SEEME welcomes heads from all areas of the dance music industry, from DJs and producers to fans, promoters and managers, to convene for workshops, seminars and exhibitions designed to promote dance music and its expansion in Eastern Europe and beyond.

This year, there are a horde of wicked DJs playing at the festival part of SEEME, with Saw Recordings locking down the opening party at Party Center. Def Mix's Satoshi Tomiie and Hector Romero will be spinning, with other top DJs like Lucien Foort, Laidback Luke, Jimmy Van M, Phillipp of M.A.N.D.Y, Lottie, Danny Freakazoid and Fergie dotted like gems throughout the three days.

"This event will act as a bridge between Western and Eastern Europe," says SEEME event organiser Gergana Vassileva. "And then as time goes on, maybe between Europe and the States. There's a lot to be seen here, people still don't know anything about Bulgaria, and when they come here, they're really surprised that we have wonderful clubs and restaurants. And it's quite cheap! If you go to the bar, a whisky will be no more than three Euros, and a beer half a Euro."

Since last year, the event has grown in stature, already galvanizing Bulgarian DJ/producer talent and bringing it to the fore. "There is more and more new talent in Eastern Europe," reckons Vassileva. "Because of Communism, all these countries were not allowed to have underground music and culture. Now the interest here is really high, the trend is upwards. Here there is a lot of potential."

Tickets to the conference cost 85 Euros, while a 3-day package for SEEME parties only costs 30 Euros. Check www.seeme-sofia.com for more details. This is guaranteed to be a big one - get over there and check it out.