THE PASSENGER, 99 POSSE, TRE ALLEGRI RAGAZZI MORTI, SANGUMARU AND LAURENGEL: ON FRIDAY 27 AND SATURDAY 28 JUNE AT THE CASTELLO VOLANTE IN CORIGLIANO D’OTRANTO, THE 19TH EDITION OF THE COOLCLUB SEI FESTIVAL CONTINUES.
Dedicated to the theme ‘Circles in the Water’, in memory of singer-songwriter Paolo Benvegnù, the nineteenth edition of CoolClub’s SEI festival continues in Corigliano d’Otranto, entertaining audiences throughout the summer. On Friday 27 June (8.00 pm | free entry) on the terraces of Nuvole, the cocktail bar and bistro at Castello Volante, the latest issue of *The Passenger* – a book-magazine for world explorers, published by Iperborea and entirely dedicated to Puglia – will be presented, in collaboration with the *Nel frattempo* programme organised by the association *Diffondiamo idee di valore* – Conversations on the Future. Alongside editor Marco Agosta, Claudia Attimonelli (sociosemiologist and lecturer in Media, Visual Culture and Sound Studies at the Aldo Moro University of Bari) will speak; she is one of the book’s authors, alongside Nicola Lagioia, Daniele Rielli, Stefano Nazzi, Mario Desiati, Leonardo Palmisano, Andrea Piva, Sarah Gainsforth, Valentina Petrini, Oscar Iarussi, Teresa Maria Rauzino, Gabriella Genisi and Valerio Millefoglie, with photographs by Jean-Marc Caimi and Valentina Piccinni. “It was June 2000 when ‘Sfumature’ was released, a song written and performed by Meg, lead singer of 99 Posse, which celebrated the Salento region, not least thanks to the music video showing the landscapes through the train window as the protagonist travelled from Bologna to San Cataldo […]’, writes Attimonelli in his *Notti magiche*. It is no coincidence that from 9.30 pm (admission at the box office €20 | advance tickets €17.50 on Dice – bit.ly/99PosseSEIF) at the Fossato, don’t miss the concert by 99 Posse, a band that has left its mark on the Italian independent scene. Formed in 1991 at the Officina 99 social centre, they were pioneers of the rap and raggamuffin scenes, helping to revolutionise popular music with tracks such as ‘Rafaniello’ and ‘Salario garantito’. Their debut album *Curre curre guagliò* (1993) won the Targa Tenco award and became the soundtrack to the film *Sud*. This was followed by the hits *Cerco tiempo* (gold disc) and *Corto circuito*. After a hiatus in 2001, they reunited in 2009 and returned to the recording studio and live performances. The support act is Sangumaru, a collective from Puglia that blends metal, hip hop, electronic music and tribal rhythms into an energetic and captivating mix.
On Saturday 28 June (9.30 pm | tickets at the box office: 20 euros | advance tickets: 17.50 euros on Dice – bit.ly/TARM_SEIFestival), Tre Allegri Ragazzi Morti return to Castello Volante for a stop on their summer tour. The most iconic masked band in Italian indie rock will perform a set list spanning over twenty years of their career, right up to their latest album *Garage Pordenone* (2024) and its recent *Garage Dub* version. In true TARM style, the concert will be a thrilling mix of music, art and visual identity, featuring new costumes and renewed energy on stage. Among their latest releases, their personal reinterpretation of *La Canzone del Bosco* – a historic hit by Punkreas – stands out, now available on digital platforms. The track, reimagined in a punk style with hints of 1970s sax, features Davide Toffolo on lead vocals and electric guitar, joined by Marcella De Gregoriis (vocals on *Il Mondo Prima* and *Dimmi*), resulting in a raw and captivating sound with a New York flavour. Opening the show is Laurengel, a trio formed in the summer of 2023 when Jonathan Enea Costa (songwriter and composer), Stefano Caiuli (multi-instrumentalist and composer) and Federico Leonardo Nuzzone (percussionist and producer) came together. Their sound, striking a balance between storytelling, melody and experimentation, blends accessible electronic music with influences from rock, jazz, R&B, soul and indie.
Also at the historic manor house, the community theatre workshop “Breaking Down Distances”, curated by actress Alessandra De Luca, which will conclude on Thursday 3 July at 8.00 pm with a public performance at the foot of the Griko municipality’s water reservoir, in collaboration with the Acquedotto Pugliese. Music, like water, crosses borders and connects people: thus, SEI explores new artistic territories, bringing culture even to the deep South, which today feels like the heart of Europe. The SEI Festival is conceived, produced and promoted by CoolClub, under the artistic direction of Cesare Liaci and Veronica Clarizio, with the support of the Ministry of Culture, the Puglia Region and the municipalities of Corigliano d’Otranto, Specchia and Melpignano, with the support of Vini Garofano, in collaboration with numerous public and private organisations.
THE THREE-DAY FESTIVAL AT THE CASTELLO VOLANTE
From Thursday 24 to Saturday 26 July, three days of events set between the moat and the terraces of the Castello Volante in Corigliano d’Otranto. The festival kicks off on Thursday 24 July with singer-songwriter Giorgio Poi, who has just released *Schegge*, his highly anticipated fourth album of new material, alongside the surprising collective Tamango and Altea, a young artist constantly evolving her style. On Friday 25 July, the second evening’s programme will feature the band Il Mago del Gelato, who are fascinated by the world’s cultural diversity, and Seun Kuti & Egypt 80. The Nigerian musician, singer and composer carries on the political and musical legacy of his father Fela, a pioneer of Afrobeat. The after-show will feature the English multi-instrumentalist, DJ and producer Quantic, with his selections ranging from cumbia to jazz, and from disco beats to bossa nova. These two evenings will kick off at the Serbatoio idrico with jam sessions by students from the DAMS department at the University of Salento and music by RafQu. Finally, on Saturday 26 July, Salento-based singer-songwriter Gaia Rollo, percussionist and performer Kyoto, and the Mexican garage-cumbia-marimba-punk band Son Rompe Pera will share the stage with the young Sicilian guitarist and singer-songwriter Marco Castello.
THE SEI FESTIVAL
Conceived, produced and promoted by Coolclub, in collaboration with numerous public and private organisations, the event is the alternative heart and soul of Puglia. Since 2006, the SEI Festival has been celebrating the careers of established artists, both international and national, and discovering new talent. Among the headliners of the first eighteen editions were Arab Strap, Beach Fossils, Gogol Bordello, Cat Power, Dengue Dengue Dengue, Kings of Convenience, Joan As Police Woman, Goran Bregović, Lee Ranaldo, Patrick Watson, Peter Hook and the Light, Suzanne Vega, Shame, Thurston Moore Group, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Yīn Yīn, Afterhours, CCCP – Fedeli alla Linea, Calibro 35, Calcutta, Clap! Clap!, Daniele Silvestri, Francesco Bianconi, Niccolò Fabi, Il Teatro degli Orrori, Tre Allegri Ragazzi Morti, Venerus, Populous and many others.
Information and programme
: 3331803375 – seifestival.it
Facebook – Instagram @SeiFestival #seifestival
Advance tickets available on Dice.fm
