Release Athens X SNF Nostos
In 2023, Release Athens and SNF Nostos from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) are joining forces to present three unique days of concerts on two stages. On Friday, June 23, they will host great acts who have made history in post-punk and rock music. In a big comeback after almost 15 years, the legendary Siouxsie will take the stage at Plateia Nerou to remind us why she is considered one of the most influential artists of recent decades. Appearing alongside her will be the greatest band to come out of Liverpool—after The Beatles: the iconic Echo & the Bunnymen, and Ladytron, leading figures on the electropop scene. In Trance 95, the dark wave pioneers of the local dark wave scene, will be the opening act.
Headlining the Great Lawn stage at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) will be the wonderful Interpol, the band that in the early aughts shook up the New York scene and the entire music world, bringing back the post-punk sound with a modern twist. On the same stage, we’ll have the chance to enjoy one of today’s most exciting post-punk bands, the Swedish Viagra Boys, as well as The Haunted Youth, among the best newcomers on the European indie pop/rock scene.
More artists will be announced soon, both for this day and for the other two days of the festival that are part of this collaboration. Release Athens X SNF Nostos is taking place on June 20, 21, and 23, presenting acclaimed Greek and international artists at the Plateia Nerou and at the Great Lawn of the SNFCC, giving us the chance to experience an electrifying three-day concert event that will be an integral part of Release Athens 2023.
Siouxsie (Plateia Nerou)
23:15
Siouxsie began her career in 1976 and over the next few years she would release a series of albums (with the Banshees, the Creatures, and solo) that were groundbreaking, highly influential, and successful. What was clear from early on was that Siouxsie's influence was not limited to her great music, as her presence—a beguiling mixture of aggression, power, and strange fragility—became as iconic as that of Bowie's Ziggy Stardust. Her catalogue of music is full of outstanding albums but at the same time, her image and personality have contributed to her being considered the ultimate idol for generations of artists and music fans.
Her debut solo album, Mantaray, was released in 2007 and in 2008 she performed with Angelo Badalamenti at the World Soundtrack awards. In 2013, she performed two sold-out shows at London's Royal Festival Hall as part of Yoko Ono's Meltdown. Siouxsie, never one for being predictable, surprised the dazzled the 5,000 attendees with an unannounced complete and full rendition of Siouxsie and the Banshees’ 1980s Kaleidoscope album, alongside a myriad of hits from “Face to Face” to “Here Comes That Day.”
A few years later, in 2015, she recorded "Love Crime," the haunting track that closes the final episode of the TV series Hannibal. It was something that made national news in the UK, reminding us that, despite her illustrious career, little is known about who Siouxsie Sioux really is, a rarity for an artist who has been under the spotlight for four decades, probably because Siouxsie does exactly what she wants—something that hasn't changed to this day.
The announcement of her return to the stage last December was one of the most important pieces of music news of the past year, and we're especially happy—and lucky—that she'll be returning to Greece on Friday, June 23, as part of Release Athens X SNF Nostos.
Follow Siouxsie: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
Interpol(SNFCC Great Lawn)
21:00
Interpol were formed in 1997 in New York City and were an important part of the music boom the city experienced in the early 2000s, with bands like the Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and TV On The Radio, among many others. Their sound follows the post-punk tradition of the ‘80s and British bands like The Smiths, Joy Division, The Chameleons, and Echo and the Bunnymen, but at the same time, thanks to Daniel Kessler's razor-sharp guitars, the solid rhythm section, and Paul Banks's distinctive voice, they created a personal style that would become the template that would inspire numerous imitators in the years to come.
Across their debut Turn On The Bright Lights (2002) and the follow-up Antics (2004), you’ll find some of the top and most distinctive songs of the aughts (“Untitled,” “Say Hello To The Angels,” “Obstacle 1,” “NYC,” “Evil,” “C'mere,” etc.) while Our Love to Admire (2007) became a great commercial success and earned them a cult following. In the next few years, Interpol would become a trio and release three more albums full of brilliant songs like “Lights,” “All The Rage Back Home,” and “If You Really Love Nothing.”
Currently, they seem to be reaching another peak in their career as last year's album, The Other Side of Make-Believe, confirms that Interpol is one of the most unique, consistent, and timeless rock bands of the 21st century.
After 25 years, the group is full of passion and energy, as we’ll witness on the evening of June 23 when they take the stage at the SNFCC Great Lawn.
Follow Interpol: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
Echo & the Bunnymen (Plateia Nerou)
21:30
Echo & the Bunnymen formed in 1978, inspired by their love for New York punk and the psychedelia of bands like the 13th Floor Elevators and The Doors. Driven by the mesmerizing voice and outsized persona of singer Ian McCulloch and the undeniable talent of Will Sergeant on guitar, the band made music history in the ‘80s by releasing an extraordinary quartet of records, the now legendary Crocodiles (1980), Heaven Up Here (1981), Porcupine (1983), and Ocean Rain (1984), that not only earned them die-hard fans but also pushed them, from the beginning, beyond the confines of the UK’s post-punk scene.
Over the next few decades, the band would enjoy critical acclaim as well as commercial success, nonstop airplay on the radio (from the iconic John Peel, who invited them on his show six times, to the most mainstream stations), experience tragedy (such as the death of their amazing drummer, Pete de Freitas), and lineup changes, but ultimately persevere through today. McCulloch and Sergeant have cemented a musical bond that cracked but never shattered over the course of a lengthy career that never stopped treating us to great songs.
On Friday, June 23, just before the one-of-a-kind Siouxsie Sioux takes the stage at Plateia Nerou, we’ll have the honor of hosting one of the most important bands of the last few decades and the opportunity to hear, live, impeccable tracks like "Rescue," "Going Up," "The Cutter," "The Killing Moon," "Bring On The Dancing Horses," "Lips Like Sugar," "Nothing Lasts Forever," and "All My Colours," among many others.
Follow Echo & the Bunnymen: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
Viagra Boys (SNFCC Great Lawn)
19:30
Viagra Boys are not your typical post-punk band. They are a raw sextet, comprised of classically trained jazz musicians, seasoned hardcore punk veterans, and tattoo artists who have swept everything in their path in short order. They have released three albums, played countless chaotic gigs, and injected a breath of fresh air into post-punk, thanks to satirical and inventive compositions that capture the essence of rock in our time.
Since they formed in 2015, Viagra Boys have been releasing some of the most groundbreaking sounds the genre of post-punk has heard in recent memory. Starting with their debut EP, Consistency of Energy (2016), the band has been building a fan base of frantic followers who can't resist their hectic rhythms and, of course, the exhilarating Sebastian Murphy, a charismatic frontman who seems to have emerged from the same mold that birthed the great Iggy Pop. In 2022, with the release of the stunning Cave World, they received acclaim and established themselves as one of the most important acts in the music business.
Their first-ever show in Athens last summer was described by the local music media as an "ideal performance that will be hard to forget for anyone that was there." On Friday, June 23, at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre (SNFCC) Great Lawn we will have the chance to see not only the band that renewed post-punk in the 2000s, the headliners Interpol, but also the group that seems to be doing the same thing right now, the electrifying Viagra Boys.
Follow Viagra Boys: Official Website | Facebook |Instagram |Twitter | YouTube
Ladytron (Plateia Nerou)
20:00
Photo credit: Wendy Redfern
Formed in Liverpool, Ladytron, made up of Helen Marnie, Daniel Hunt, Mira Aroyo, and Reuben Wu, have earned two decades of acclaim by relentlessly pushing boundaries, carving out new sonic space by refusing to abide by formula or trend.
At the beginning they were known for shows in unconventional venues and placed emphasis on countries and cities other than their own. Ladytron’s international recognition quickly grew by playing shows in countries where few artists went at that time. After their first three very successful releases—604, Light & Magic, and Witching Hour—they were invited to perform with artists such as Bjork, Nine Inch Nails, and Brian Eno. Eno once remarked in an interview, “Ladytron are, for me, the best of British pop music.”
Following an eight-year hiatus and several side projects, 2019 saw a new chapter open for Ladytron. Their eponymous sixth album was released to critical acclaim, as was this year’s record, Time’s Arrow, with several standout tracks like “City of Angels” and “Faces.”
Get ready for a spectacular show, full of electropop anthems like “Seventeen,” “Playgirl,” “Ghosts,” “Destroy Everything You Touch,” and more from an exceptional band!
Follow Ladytron: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
The Haunted Youth (SNFCC Great Lawn)
18:10
Belgium’s The Haunted Youth are the brainchild of Joachim Liebens. His beautiful songs focus on his sad teenage years and on the essence of being young and hopeful. His debut album, the dream-pop Dawn Of The Freak (2022), struck a chord with fans of Slowdive, The Cure, My Bloody Valentine, and DIIV.
Their early singles “Coming Home,” “Gone,” and “Broken” attracted attention in Belgium and the Netherlands and, soon after, the UK and US. “Teen Rebel” became an indie anthem and was described as a song “you think you’ve known all your life, like a close friend that wraps his arms around you,” while the more recent “I Feel Like Shit And I Wanna Die” seems destined to become the next big indie hit.
The Haunted Youth’s performance at Release Athens X SNF Nostos will mark their first visit to Greece, during an extensive tour with shows at major festivals like Rock Werchter, Pinkpop, and Sziget. One thing is certain: many more will follow!
Follow The Haunted Youth: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify
In Trance 95 (Plateia Nerou)
18:45
The electronic duo of Alex Machairas and Nikos Veliotis formed in May 1988 in Athens, Greece. It is considered one of the first minimal synth/cold wave bands in the country and is responsible for some of the scene's most popular tracks such as “Brazilia” and “Desire To Desire”. The group officially reformed in 2010, and Veronica Vasicka's legendary Minimal Wave has since issued a selection of remastered old material and released new songs with the album “Shapes In A New Geometry” (2012). This year, Minimal Wave will release their new LP, “When You Know, You Don't Know”, which will combine new and older recordings.
Follow In Trance 95: Official Website | Facebook | YouTube
Presale continues.
In addition, a point of sale on the SNFCC Esplanade will be open οn June 20, 21, 22, and 23. On June 20, 21, and 23, the ticket counter will be open from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. On June 22, it will be open from 10 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
*Ticket proceeds go exclusively to Release Athens. The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) is a philanthropic organization that makes grants to nonprofit organizations. SNF does not accept funds from private individuals, corporations, or any other organizations.
In parallel, SNF is making €500,000 in additional grants under the name SNF X Release Athens to nonprofit organizations whose mission is to support mental health, in line with the wider mental health theme of this year's SNF Nostos.