Sochi It To Me!
Russia's answer to the Miami WMC expands its sphere of influence
Booka Shade, current DJ Mag cover star Nina Kraviz (pictured) and house legends X-Press 2 are among international DJs playing at the Sochi Winter Music Conference this month. The Russian event, now in its seventh year, is similar to the European conference Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), and aims to be the Russian equivalent of the Miami WMC.
A mix of panel discussions, networking opportunities and parties, the Sochi WMC began with 300 delegates and 1300 guests in 2006, and has increased in size more than five times over since its inception. Supported by the Sochi government, the Black Sea resort is hosting three days and nights of panels and parties from 9-12th February, and DJ Mag will be bringing you a full report after the event.
The city of Sochi itself is renowned amongst Russians for being one of the country’s most celebrated and chic holiday resorts, blessed with an unusually mild Mediterranean-style winter. It’s also rapidly becoming even more recognised for its status as the new home of the Russian Grand Prix and the Winter Olympics, both of which take place in 2014.
Panel discussions at Sochi WMC include the intriguingly-titled The Secrets of Agents; The Secrets of Synching; and a keynote presentation by Ralph Simon, the Mobilium International chief who advises leading tech companies, who will be demonstrating the latest possibilities for mobiles, apps and new media platforms.
DJ Mag contributing editor Carl Loben is one of the panelists on Beyond Web 2.0: the Future for Dance Music Media, while other panels – moderated by dance music mogul and DJ Jonty Skrufff - include insider secrets of international DJing and suchlike.
The night-time parties include events with X-Press 2, Booka Shade, Nina Kraviz, Perc, Culprit, and Easy Changes from Russia. Created by the people behind Fortdance, the Sochi WMC is set to become one of the major events of the international dance music calendar.
Russia is a big emerging market for dance music, and the organisers say: “SWMC offers a unique gateway for international companies hoping to penetrate the Russian market, providing a friendly, focused environment where visitors can mingle and meet and gain an on-the-ground understanding of Russian nightlife, EDM and club culture.”