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Rating:
THE REVIEW
The ninth edition of the Volxsfesta, a staple of the Bolzano summer organized by the cultural association Tandem, was celebrated with extraordinary public approval. About 4000 people (2500 on Saturday, 1500 on Sunday) gathered at the Prati del Talvera to attend the concerts of the groups Ergobando (Bolzano), Manodopera (Treviso) Terrakota (Lisbon) on Saturday and Acoustic Jazz Trio (Bolzano) Haja Madagascar & the Groovy People (Madagascar – Brazil) and Folkabbestia (Bari) on Sunday. The novelty of abandoning the "Balkan thread" of musical proposals from past years, in favor of the typical rhythms of the African continent, was welcomed with enthusiasm. This approach was achieved thanks in part to the support of the new forces (generational renewal?) that joined the Tandem team a few years ago.
The Bolzano-based Ergobando opened the Volxsfesta with their Celtic folk. Technically skilled, but soulless (2/5).
Following them on stage were the Manodopera, an eight-member ensemble capable of dodging easy labels (like: militant folk) by wielding an enviable (musical) eclecticism: from jazz to R'n'B to ethnic, to folk (5/5).
Next up were the Terrakota, a Portuguese revelation group (with African and European musicians), that managed to make a name for themselves in the music scene thanks to the word-of-mouth from those who have seen them perform live. If one had to define their music, one might venture the term Afro, implying the multitude of rhythms (!!!) of the black continent. A group of young, passionate, and wild musicians who managed to gather the most tightly packed crowd ever seen at a concert at the Prati del Talvera. Their enormous energy and the length of their set certainly compensate for some tempo drops during the concert (5/5).
Sunday 6/07/2003. After the concert of the Acoustic Jazz Trio (3/5), Haja Madagascar & the Groovy People, an extraordinary trio of musicians, officially opened the concerts on the main stage. If I hadn't seen the stage, I would have thought there were 10 people up there. Certainly the best group of the day (5/5).
The Volxsfesta closed with the Apulian group Folkabbestia. A very entertaining group, which had already warmed up the audience in the afternoon by improvising an acoustic concert under the tent. In the evening concert, Folkabbestia presented the songs that have made them famous in festivals all over Italy (O' Fricchettone and Fuga in Fa). Militant folk music has had its day. However, Folkabbestia redeem themselves through their humor and the energy they manage to convey to the attendees (3/5).
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Summary by Bot
The 2003 Volxsfesta in Bolzano captivated around 4000 attendees with diverse live performances replacing previous Balkan themes with African rhythms. Manodopera impressed with eclectic folk styles, Terrakota energized the crowd with Afro beats, and Haja Madagascar delivered the standout performance. Bands like Folkabbestia brought humor and local flavor, rounding out a well-received festival. Overall, the event marked a successful generational and stylistic shift for the festival.
