International festival for avant-garde jazz & vibrant experimental music since 2012
It’s the end of an era. Our story is coming to a close. With Vol. XII, A L’ARME! will be celebrating its last edition – its grand finale. For more than a decade, the festival has offered new perspectives on jazz and experimental music, paved the way for undreamed-of collaborations, and influenced a generation of listeners. These achievements will outlast the festival. A L’ARME! is disappearing only to live on forever. In our memories. As an attitude. As a space for possibilities.
Since 2012, the festival has held a magnifying glass up to the latest trends and amplified contrasts. The vision of its founders – Karina Mertin and Louis Rastig – has made it an international point of reference for transdisciplinary improvisation with a lineup of music, art, and performances that have captured the spirit of the times and always remained ahead of the curve. In 2023, the Europe Jazz Network presented A L’ARME with the Award for Adventurous Programming – and that’s just the latest example of the festival’s prestigious reputation, which extends well beyond Berlin.
The final chapter will begin on August 8 at Radialsystem, right on the banks of the Spree. It will be a tale of encounters and evolution, transgression and transformation. Keiji Haino represents the festival’s unique approach of presenting artists from various perspectives and in different constellations: he will be performing twice at the festival – once accompanied by a baritone sax and drums, and once as a soloist with just a guitar and a microphone. At an electric bass summit, Caspar Brötzmann and Farida Amadou will continue the festival’s tradition of musical first encounters between renowned artists. Legends like Mette Rasmussen and Paal Nilssen-Love, who have become A L’ARME! residents over the years, will once again perform in new formations. The final evening will be dedicated to Monika Döring and will feature a line-up filled with innovation and energy in honor of the legendary concert organizer.
A L’ARME! is a grounds for testing the limits of what’s possible – both aesthetically and socially. A festival for anything but the status quo or a false sense of security. It pushes the boundaries between improvisation, experimentation, noise, and performance in order to ultimately tear them down. And now, A L’ARME will be doing this to itself. With Vol. XII, we will have one last chance to make room for something new.
Following the guiding theme of “Improvisation and Collaboration”, world premieres will be presented one last time at Radialsystem. This year's edition features the following artists:
Keiji Haino, Paal Nilssen-Love, Sofía Salvo, Leila Bordreuil, Oliver Steidle, Saou TV, Gudrun Gut,
Steffi Narr, Elias Stemeseder, Christian Lillinger, Ephemeral Fragments, Økse, I Like To Sleep,
Sofía Salvo Quartet, Naaljos Ljom, hÄK/Danzeisen, Byetone, Sven-Åke Johansson, Jan Jelinek,
Grischa Lichtenberger, Frank Bretschneider, Brötzmann Bass Totem/Amadou, Mieko Suzuki, Ara and many more…
An event by Louis Rastig and Karina Mertin/ABOUTNOW. In cooperation with Radialsystem. Funded by the Senate Department for Culture and Europe. With support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy and the Japanese Cultural Institute.
Ticket Presale at: alarmefestival.de
Festival pass 79,38 €, Day Ticket 31,90 €