MANIFESTO
1 - IIt is said that, since there is no longer a music industry as it was before the internet, it makes less and less sense to form a band, record albums, and then try to find gigs and so on. The bad omen predicts that this will become increasingly anecdotal, and we musicians will have to become network-focused "content creators" in order to survive. Many are already doing so.
This perspective implies, in practice, that the live concert will no longer have any meaning in itself, and it will only endure as a social act, as a playful and entertaining experience. Indeed, even the "ethnic" content that feeds the art that arises in a rich cultural context is reduced to folklore when it remains on the surface.
In this framework, the only thing that gives meaning to live performances is a misterious element, almost impossible to describe, that can never be replaced. Even interesting and original productions often lack it, and can be enjoyed comfortably via the internet. When it appears, however, one experiences the awareness that being there physically was something necessary, absolutely unavoidable.
BIRTH OF THE RITUALS is a production intentionally conceived for that to happen live.
2 - It is said that, at the present time, in the field of "serious music", there can no longer be real communication between audiences and artists, because nobody seems willing to accept anything truly new. Furthermore, artists themselves often do not have much to say, unfortunately. Some musicians even boast about playing for themselves, in a display of pretended honesty and commercial indifference, forgetting the ultimate meaning of what they do.
Much of today's music, of all genres, seems to repeat itself. Young musicians are trained in academies and conservatories, where they follow identical curriculums. They play very well, and it seems that nobody expects anything more than that... Just to play well.
However, there is a keen public urgently needed of real novelties in contemporary music, beyond entertainment. It is just that those who are ready for the appreciation of such novelties will remain a minority until someone provides them with that something they are unconsciously expecting.
BIRTH OF THE RITUALS arises from a genuine need to contribute and has been built as a vehicle which to channel that need.
3 - It is said that audiences dictate programmes. Programmers, agents and even artist managers often say this. They allude, for example, to unsuccessful performances that had been programmed according to their tastes and criteria, contrasting them with performances that were not of interest to them and yet were profitable.
Accepting this means the disappearance of those professionals, turned de facto into nothing more than trend managers, easily replaceable by artificial intelligence and algorithms.
This is a vindication of those "useful" actors that really enrich the value chain of the music business, bringing relevant novelties to their audiences.
A myopic perception, focused on the short-term, ignores the significance of art. Art has always pointed beyond, pushing human beings forward.
It is obvious that both concert venues and festivals, as well as the different intermediaries in the industry, must bet on what is known, profitable and safe. But managers, agencies and programmers with a medium and long-term vision cannot fail to invest in the only thing that will ensure their future. The only thing that justifies and gives meaning to their existence!