As summer and the open-air event season draw to a close, Vilnius residents and visitors will be invited to Lithuania’s first event of its kind: “ŽIŪ, KOKS GARSAS!”, a daytime gathering of DIY sound systems and their communities. Taking place near the White Bridge on 22 August, the free event will bring together nine DIY sound system communities active in Lithuania, offering the public a close-up introduction to a distinctive sound culture that, until now, has mostly been encountered at night-time events and in alternative venues.
According to the organisers, Vilnius has long been home to active and creative sound system communities, but their work often remains visible only to a relatively small audience. The gathering therefore aims to bring this culture into one of the capital’s most popular public spaces during the daytime and introduce it to a wider audience.
“The event is for anyone interested in sound, alternative culture and the do-it-yourself approach. It is also for people who want to discover something they have never heard before and meet creators who usually operate away from the city centre and outside mainstream culture,” says project initiator Paulius Burakas, an event organiser at Kirtimai Cultural Centre.
“ŽIŪ, KOKS GARSAS!” is more than a music event. It is a cultural gathering where different communities can present their creative work and approaches to sound. The event aims to show that alternative culture can be open, welcoming and accessible to everyone in the city, regardless of their age or musical background.
There will certainly be no shortage of sound. Nine communities building their own sound systems will take part in the event: baby no drama, Destroydead Shrotsystem, Disturbed Sound System, Elektroplazma, Išprotėkka, Kala Sound System, Milestone Sound, Samana Soundsystem and Wolde Egziabher. Each will bring a unique, handcrafted sound system and present its own curated music programme.
Many of these systems are built from scratch using refurbished components or parts given a second life. They are continuously improved, rebuilt and adapted for new events. Some of the communities are only beginning their journey, while others have already developed a loyal following. What unites them all is the ambition to produce high-quality sound and create vibrant, community-oriented experiences.
Throughout the day, the city centre will resonate with a wide variety of genres, ranging from dub, reggae and acid to techno and other experimental forms of electronic music. Visitors will be able not only to listen to music but also to explore the sound systems themselves and learn about their creators, histories and technical solutions. It will be a rare opportunity to hear music that is not usually found on the radio or the most popular streaming platforms.
The event’s partner, the Vilnius Night Office, will present its work, while Palanga Street Radio will provide an online broadcast of the event. A special zine created following a series of meetings with sound system communities will also be presented.
Contemporary sound system culture emerged in Jamaica in the mid-20th century and subsequently spread around the world. Although it has taken on distinctive forms across different continents, it has retained the same underlying idea everywhere: people create their own sound and build communities around it.
Although DIY sound system culture has existed in Lithuania for almost two decades, this will be the first gathering of its scale. In many European cities, meanwhile, DIY sound system festivals, gatherings and community meet-ups have already become an important part of alternative culture. The organisers hope that the first gathering in Vilnius will develop into a new tradition and encourage even greater collaboration between communities.
A daytime format reflecting international trends
The organisers also emphasise the event’s wider significance for the city. In recent years, daytime cultural and music events have grown rapidly in popularity worldwide, alongside the emergence of so-called “soft clubbing”, which offers high-quality leisure experiences during the day. “ŽIŪ, KOKS GARSAS!” reflects this trend by offering a new, inclusive and safe cultural experience in one of Vilnius’s most important public spaces.
The project seeks not only to bring different sound system communities together but also to introduce underground culture to the wider public, strengthen Vilnius’s image as a creative and open European city, and create lasting value through documentation of the event and a special zine.
“ŽIŪ, KOKS GARSAS!” will take place near the White Bridge on 22 August, from 12:00 to 22:00. Admission is free. More information: https://kirtimukc.lt/.
The event is organised by Kirtimai Cultural Centre, a budgetary institution of Vilnius City Municipality. The project is funded by Vilnius City Municipality. Its partners are Ki Lab and the Vilnius Night Office. Its media partners are Start FM, Palanga Street Radio and Radio Vilnius.
