SPOT Festival 2025: New RAMA Stage – and visit from Mali

Chamber Music Hall as a New SPOT Stage

For many years, RAMA (Det Jyske Musikkonservatorium) has been a steady part of the Aarhus-based SPOT Festival, with its own stage, the “Klubscenen.” At the festival, audiences and industry professionals can experience a wide range of new and emerging artists within pop/jazz and electronic music and related genres.

This is also the case for SPOT 25 – but this year, RAMA is expanding its presence at the festival with a new stage in the Chamber Music Hall at Musikhuset, where we present a series of more semi-acoustic concerts. These concerts are carefully curated to invite the audience into contemplative and intimate experiences, where listening is at the very core.

RAMA also brings back UnderSPOT this year, where the audience gets a glimpse into the extensive behind-the-scenes work taking place in the rehearsal rooms – the foundation for the performances on the big stages. Here, we open the doors to classrooms and rehearsal spaces showcasing a wide variety of music.

Overview of RAMA’s Participation at SPOT 2025:
– Friday, May 2nd, 7:00 PM to approx. 11:00 PM – Four artists/bands on Klubscenen, Musikhuset
– Saturday, May 3rd, 2:00 PM to approx. 7:00 PM – Five artists/bands in the Chamber Music Hall, Musikhuset
– Saturday, May 3rd, 2:00 PM to approx. 6:00 PM – A wide range of artists/bands/soloists performing in several rooms at the Academy, level 1 in Musikhuset: Rooms 120, 124, 126, 128, and 130
– Saturday, May 3rd, 7:00 PM to approx. 11:00 PM – Four artists/bands on Klubscenen, Musikhuset

Information about the performers can be found via the full concert schedule on the SPOT Festival website: https://spotfestival.dk/schedule/ – select “Venue” and the day of the week, then go to the relevant stages (“Klubscenen”, “Kammermusiksalen”, and “100-gangen DJM”).

SPOT+ and Visit from Mali
Alongside the concert program, the SPOT+ music industry conference is being held for the 10th time. It features a comprehensive program of debates, networking activities, keynotes, and presentations.

RAMA’s principal Keld Hosbond will participate, together with Laia Canals, director of the genre organization Tempi, in a panel discussion titled “Visible and Invi(n)sible Borders: Cultural Exchange and Politics.” The panel will focus on international cultural exchange programs, which are much more influenced by political agendas and economic support than the rest of the cultural industry. The discussion will also explore how to ensure equal access to these programs.

The panel discussion takes place on Saturday, May 3rd at 11:00 AM, in Room 2.10, FO-byen, Frederiksgade 78C. See the program here.

One of the international cultural exchange programs RAMA has been deeply involved in for many years is a capacity-building project in Mali. As part of the project, RAMA has helped establish a local music festival, SPOT on Mali, inspired by the Aarhus SPOT Festival. As a result of this collaboration, RAMA is now organizing a tour with a total of 10 concerts in Denmark and Sweden from April 25 to May 10, featuring Suaré Virginie Dembele and her band from Mali. They will perform at SPOT Festival 2025 at Roots&Hybrid at Turkis, on Friday, May 2nd at 11:00 PM, where access is granted with a SPOT wristband.

Earlier that Friday, at 1:30 PM, Suaré Virginie Dembele will be featured in a talk and mini-concert at Basho Records, Graven 21, including music samples and reflections on why Mali has produced so many musical stars over the years.

Find more information about Suaré Virginie Dembele’s visit to Denmark and DJM’s involvement in Mali here.