Symphony 2003 – 4-6.07.2003 in Poznan

Third edition of multiplatform party took place this time in Dom Studencki Eskulap in Poznan, exactly in his disco hall located close to main building. Party took place on 4-6.07.2003. Party place, due to fact that it was located in the centre of town, were close to all kind of shops, where party people profusely were supplying with wares :). At Symphony came according to different sources – even around 300 people but I personally think, that there were around 150 (ed. I was wrong, in fact on the party place were around 300-400 people!). In fact there was crowded :). Main organizers – famous Madwizards group with Silent on top, applied to people more attractions, for example free beer, DJ concert, Krzyz:Kross band concert (in which I took part) and abundant number of prices, which value got calculated for around 20 thousands of Polish zlotych. Of course PC software were dominated, additionally also some minor gadgets like notebooks or for example Back In Time CD records. For sure it was worth to take the part in competitions :).

Party place was quite extensive. Main hall contained small scene where brave people (me too:) was jumping in the rhythms of computer music. Whole computer base of organizers was located over our heads and there was very tight and uncomfortable. As curiousity organizers hanged up monitor, which was hanging down over us presenting what always PC does – hangs on :). On the floor there was a small bar, little room with comfortable red seats, one room with sound system and passage to several other rooms where were sleeping some of the “betters”. Unfortunatelly the roof was leaky and in the place where we’ve been sleeping, rain was falling on our heads… Party place could be better but nowadays there are not designing special buildings for party places :). In a neighboring hostel was a possibility to rent the rooms for a cosmic price perhaps 60 Polish zlotych? I don’t remember, anyway I wasn’t interested about that :).

I was going for Symphony with realy big team of people with all computer platforms. The departure we plan for Friday morning. I came with Spider for the train station in Szczecin Dabie by Kamaz (!) which I recognized as interesting experience :). On the train station were waiting for us Kopernik/Marsmellow (PC musician) with Ada and in front of entrance was lurking Spider’s friend – Gandal, who as it turned out, has C64 in his house, but he is not doing any special things with this computer. Moreover, the origin of his nickname is clearly from Commodore, because he borrowed it from Gandalf The Sorcerer game perhaps :). After a while GDR!/Luciddreams from Amiga joined us and after purchase the tickets and seat tickets we entered with whole team to one compartment and we started our journey for party. In this train were also traveling Kyno and Blemish who due to the fact that they had seat tickets in other carriage, they couldn’t too much accompany us with common group.

Our trip was full with considerable dose of humor, served mainly by Kopernik who being the oldest one in our team, was telling all kinds of funny stories from the times of previous parties. Listening to us fellow-traveller with her little son for sure wasn’t bored, whereas when her child drawn out tetris game, immediatelly from our side few some comments like “ooo future scene :)” and when these child turned on the melody: “ooo he installed the patch :)”. After 3 hours of travel we got off in Poznan and we started the wandering to the party place. We’ve been using cosmic map printed on computer. While walking next to local World Trade Center, exactly over our heads were flying planes and strangely none of them didn’t hooked the building :).

When we came to Dom Studencki, it turned out that we entered from the second side, but luckily there was a passage (which soon got closed) and thanks for this we arrived safely to the party place. At the entrance Deadman welcomed us, as usual with his unchanged haircut aka Napalm Death :). At first glance the view of whole party place wasn’t satisfied. Some of party people who came at night was sleeping or sitting bored on the chairs. In the background were doing all kinds of works related with beginning of the party. By the way I’ve learned that the deadline is set for the midday and on the clock it was something after 11 AM! We’ve been searching for the place to locate ourselves and firstly we located our stuffs in the room with red seats and tables on the first floor. There welcomed us some screams like “Azzaro!” and view of lying Azzaro and looking like a dead body with screaming Fallman. As it turned out, Fallman remembered me from last year and thanks for that I got another knowledge at the start. Kopernik with Ada went to the town, GDR! disappeared also somewhere and our five went down. I’ve noticed familiar Willy which was dressed with painted sheet. Soon I’ve also noticed Maverick – known Amiga man and once again Fallman to whose soon I sat down. Spider proposed to get the beer and with Gandal went to the shop, buying two beers for each one. After drinking of them Spider disappeared somewhere and as it turned out he was going everywhere witch cheap wines in his hands :).

Silentriot ordered everyone to go outside and the ceremony of paying entrance fee has started. In meantime I talked for a moment with Binar and Spider was circulating with a half of wine, reeling himself like a guzzler :). I met also Shizoos with his friend. Spinning around Silentriot announced that for the party has to come Krzyz:Kross band playing some kind of psychedelic electronic punk using C64’s and eventually they would need one disc drive. Time was passing quietly. While paying entrance fee it turned out that nice girls (one was mmmmmm!) doesn’t have bills of 10 Polish zlotych value to issue the change, hence me with Kyno and Blemish went to find a shop where we could change the money. Finally we entered party place receiving button which each of us attached to sweatshirt and strangely – transparent band for hand which is usually given for babies! Later we also demanded for idents on which we wrote our nicknames. Spider was running around after Selena (Cycu girlfriend) with desire of kissing her but luckily he failed :). I hooked Spider which I saw before with cigarette in his mouth and I’ve asked: “Since when are you smoking?” and he answered “Since they are giving it to me :)”. I moved around on the party place for some time and met soon lonely Gandal and we decided to find Spider who soon simply disappeared from our eyes. We’ve found him in quiet place on the ground floor, sleeping on someone’s sleeping bag :). Seems that cheap wines tired him really fast :). But he wasn’t lonely there, because in parallel were lying few other persons :). Gandal immortalized the death of Spider on his photo plate and next we sat on the bench near him and we talked about C64.

Soon came Kyno & Blemish with Cobra which finally I had the occasion to meet, also with Wilson – Atari guy. Even Atari people are coming for such a party…. I’ve learned also that Galy is outside so we all went there. From Cobra’s relation it showed that on the party place there wasn’t possibility to bring in any kind of drink except mineral water. So that Galy and company were drinking beers before entry and I soon smuggled under t-shirt 1l of Sprite for Cobra. I met 2 Galy’s friends, one of them was Mars who also interests with C64. With second friend, which currently I forgot the name, I was talking mainly about music. Our team was talking there really long and from time to time important events were immortalized by Cobra with borrowed digital camera. On the party place came police but they did nothing except writing mandates for Count and one more guy for drinking in public place. They were standing some time in police car and they were gone…

I talked a bit with V0yager and next it was differently. More time I was talking with Deadman mainly about music which we both are listening. Of course common admiration about phenomenon of The Sisters Of Mercy band singing “First And Last And Always” wasn’t missed! In meantime came some kind of guy who told us that he opens Samar’s PC section with Ramos :). On party place came also ALG/Samar which also I had occasion to meet. Whole team was moving around together without me and they went to the first floor on red seats. Silentriont announced that on the 1st floor DJ will be performing under which music I even jumped for a while with Fallman and others during his attempt. After a while I’ve found our Commodore team and joined them. Unexpectedly Spider came to us who woke up after first demise! Of course he thrown himself on Cobra asking for a kiss and his request got fulfilled. In meantime I was talking with ALG who was filling the vote sheets and next I was going here and there. Every time when I was going back, a new view was waiting for me. Firstly 2nd death of Spider, lying on the whole red seat, next Spider lying on the floor, next Spider in the same position with straw in his hand. For my question “Why he has straw in his hand?” our team answered to me with a loud laugh :).

For the evening were planned MP3 competitions so I moved soon on he parquet and we were raving in the rhythm of first good song. Next with Fallman we went outside and we were waiting for another good tune. We came back for last 3 tracks to jump more again. From technical reasons more competitions were cancelled that day, actually the organizers were collapsed with mass of productions, only MP3 releases were more than 40 and after selection only 13 left. Now I’m not wonder why some PC users like people from Multistyle Labs are cheating on our scene, simply with us there is easier to take part in competitions… Shame that they are doing that with totally cheap way….

From time to time we were playing with Galy and team with football table. Next day we had the possibility to play for free, because woman, who removed money from the machine, forgot to protect the table :). For C64 competitions provided not so much works. In music competitions I gave my own tune, his production gave also Atari guy named X-Ray with which I even talked for a while. Last work as it turned out was a collective work of people from Multistyle Labs (about this topic I’ve expressed my opinion in the report from North Party). In graphic competition Blemish carried his work and Spider after conversation with Silent decided not to leave his graphic. So competitions for C64 got cancelled. We were trying to persuade Silent to show everything because Commodore people are giving wares not for the prices. Unfortunatelly Silent was saying some odd words, perhaps he was too lazy to connect C64 and his own was damaged. Thanks for that the whole party took place almost without presence of C64.

The biggest intelligence was showed by the guardians. It was perhaps one biggest mistake did by Silent – he rent empty people who didn’t known what to do. When I entered the party place with EMPTY beer can which I wanted to get as souvenir, cheeky muscled guy teared her out from my hand. He didn’t cared that she is empty and when I screamed “What a dumb!” he even didn’t reacted. For sure he didn’t known meaning of this word! Party place was stuffed with hundreds of bottles and cans and I couldn’t bring on one empty… Intelligence rules :). Rest of the evening and part of the night was filled with music from DJ. Earlier I had an occasion to stand close to him and look on what he is doing. Such kind of manipulation I didn’t saw since long time. Music is playing with 2 vinyl and the man from time to time is moving some knobs. The biggest manipulation you can receive with moving vinyl which of course gives nothing but average spectator thinks, that it must be like this. Generally Silentriot gave the possibility to earn some money one guy who doesn’t know about music. It’s hard to call someone musician, who he is playing ready-made songs done by someone else and he is only mixing them… Moreover this music was non stop THE SAME! Not so much people were having fun with it. Being tired we located ourselves in our sector on the first floor and accompanied by odd sounds of DJ we were trying to sleep. At night Wilson got almost trampled by one guy who was trying to walk there, finally angry Wilson commanded him to walk on the bench.

Next day ALG came again with impressive stock of his new covers which I got from him to spread. Spider after a short time brought with himself Dakota with which of course I talked. Desperate Silentriot told that half of Saturday’s party will take place using aggregator because some technical guys will be working with electricity of the building. We had in this day in plans some things to do. First of all we wanted to go to Galy to bring his C64. Firstly we went to the computer shop with Commodore signboard but unfortunately it was closed. Next we went to Galy for his C64. The most funny was when Galy was knocking silently to his house because he didn’t wanted to wake up his father :). Even Cobra immortalized it on her photo camera :).

At Galy’s place it turned out that he has green monitor and he is a total hardcore man. I cannot imagine to work on C64 without colors…. Rest of team was busy with Galy’s C64 and me with music tapes which I’ve listened. We came back to party place with whole hardware and located it on the first floor. Of course intelligent guardians had to penetrate Galy’s baggage and good that they didn’t let us to open the monitor… Maximum emptiness… In meantime I’ve missed repeat of MP3 competitions and gfx compo and perhaps also jingle compo etc. On party came famous Monk with which I’ve talked in the subject of „Why you are not swapping anymore?”. Silentriot proposed us to connect C64 to the neighboring sound system but unfortunately we couldn’t get any proper cable. When chip compo was played (all songs done on PC in goattracker etc. should be put as chips, not as C64 zaks!) I’ve jumped again on the parquet and together with Spider, Galy and others we had fun under the big screen. Galy apparently 3 times was pushed out from the height by a drunk Norwegian but I didn’t saw it personally. Around 100 stiff people were watched us and we’ve been also screaming, not only jumping :). One of chips sounded similar to Commodore music so I wouldn’t be offense if some people like Jammer became wise and started to push their works where they should do that.

 

After such a portion of tiredness time has come for the rest. Some animations were showed on big screen which didn’t admired me. Main attraction was 150 free beers on which hungry sceners threw up soon. Thanks to my negative opinion about alcohol Cobra got twice dose of beer :). I talked a bit with Dakota about current situation on the scene and next I was moving everywhere and I met Dr. Krzyz who with Silent came to our small place with C64. As it turned out Krzyz’s friend didn’t came and he was searching for anyone who could help him with music. I declared to help him and soon I started to work on Hardtrack Composer. I used instruments from Phobos founded luckily on the disc to compose my music. Dr. Krzyz told me what I have to make and next he was humming melody which he wanted me to create. In result came one sequence with melody and bass and few sequences with percussion and bass and one without bass. Next we started to connect all the equipment to the mixer in the same place where one day before DJ gave his show. We had some troubles with connecting hardware but one of organizers borrowed to us monitor. Dr. Krzyz connected his C64 with Black Box and special fuzz. It got crowded around us because everyone wants to add something from himself. When most of the people left us we started to make the test. Another guy taken randomly (Comankh) supported us who was turning knobs in the mixer. Our test went really good and we had no problems at all.

When PC demos perhaps finished on the main room, Silentriot announced Krzyz:Kross live concert. To our trio unexpectedly joined Spider who was standing at mixer and was doing unnecessary noises to microphone (actually he wasn’t heard at all). We started with concert. More party people gathered, dozen of persons! From the beginning quite timidly, next more willingly they started to jump and have fun with our music. I didn’t felt any stage-fright while standing at C64 and playing my own sequences of music and mixing them in real time. I didn’t saw also the audience. Often I was looking at Dr. Krzyz because I had to know in which time I have to play my melody. Dr. Krzyz was playing live on Black Box and was singing dark lyrics. Third guy was spinning the knobs but he did quite worse that on the test. After first song came the time for something faster. I started to play my tune with fast percussion and people immediately started to dance! Krzyz was singing and playing but after some time guy at mixer started to screw up and soon I started to feel the stench of burning and the concert was over. Bass speakers got burned in columns, perhaps 400 W… Dr. Krzyz wasn’t satisfied because of that.

 

After a moment the room got empty… Only few persons left and one of them was a Norwegian dressed in long skirt, who while talking with Krzyz confessed that he really liked our show and also he gave to him some records in gratitude for good music. By the way I’ve realized that in the group always only leader is noticeable, not so much people known what was of my merit and only few ones like Grogon or V0yager appreciated my work. We packed our equipment and next we were walking with a can collecting money for concert. Most of the people were presented on the party place and we went to the special room for so-called “better ones” where naked 18 years old drunked Norwegian with broken leg was sleeping (actually later he got moved outside!). We’ve been sitting and having fun from everything when another drunked injured young party freak got provided to this room, probably with broken hand. After some time we went from there and I’ve hooked one of organizers with question if that C64 which is lying in the box is needed for them. He came back soon with statement, that he can give it to me. He was very sympathetic for me and we made friends soon but it’s a shame that I don’t remember his nickname. I boasted to the team which was located stiff at one place with my trophy as Silentriot’s C64. I watched also Amiga demos, talking by them with Slayer/Appendix (Amiga) about The Cure team. Slayer presented instead of demo simply slideshow and it seems that nowadays for demo compo we can put out everything :). I had an occasion to talk for a while with guy from Czech Republic who was going to home, actually on party place was more people from abroad for example Norwegian, Swedes, Germany. One German for example was spreading (illegally) stuff from different platforms.

It was quite long after the midnight when gathered people finally could watch Wild Compo! Around 17 movies got presented, few of them was advertising incoming Summer Libation Camp. Most interesting production was „Nas Nie Przepijat” from previous Symphony (this year was much calmly :). Almost all movies I watched from computer’s place accompanied by one of organizers – Voyager. With the last movie organizers had some problems. Work from famous Norwegian Bronx ran properly finally on his personal laptop. I watched this work with total disgusting. This release was directed to show drunk man who is puking all the time… Bleee.

It was around 4 AM when I decided to take the nap. I slept maybe around 2 hours. Blemish unfortunatelly got wet from rain cause of the hole in the roof. On the morning I showed Cobra one trick in Basic, next I discussed for a while with Selena and later went to listen the result of competitions, being also for some time at giving the prizes. After this event people started with evacuation to their houses. I talked for a moment with Levi for which I’ve also recorded on his digital camera… Nowadays technique… Spider with his intelligent effort decided to eat some food at town with Gandal and GDR! and they left us with their luggages. Cobra with Wilson were gone and me, Kyno and Blemish were waiting with a lot of stuff.

 

At midday party place was closing. Intelligent guardians were rushing anyone and they even woke up one of sleeping Norwegian. Our trio with Galy and his team collected on the floor to make last memorial photo. Mars asked one of stupid guardians for “doing offprint on photosensive tape”. Muscled guy shone with his intelligence and said “no” which met with our laughter. We hooked one of Norwegians who didn’t understood us for the first shoot, but when he heard English language, immediately he got photo camera and did the photo. Soon we said goodbye and I left lonely with Kyno and Blemish just at the entrance to party place, standing in ultraviolet light discovering mass of white dots on clothes. While waiting for Spider we had to go outside, because guardian simply threw us out. We went to the train station direction where soon we luckily met trio of irresponsible eaters. Next we just bought the tickets and came back to our houses…

Symphony 2003 – photos by Cobra:

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Symphony 2003 – other photos:

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I think that previously Symphony was more interesting in this case, that it tooked longer and was located in different, less civilized place. But actually I had more fun and there were not so much things on which I could complain. Generally on guardians and on the fact that the C64 competitions got cancelled. Also Commodore people failed too, which not so much came to party. Even Jackobe who declared that he will come and who encouraged me to arrive, he just gave up. But no matter, party was superior and in any case I’m not going for party to only sit upon C64. Spider in my opinion also exaggerated, he has only one way of sharing with cheap wine to get some new friends?… But this is not my problem, party was cool and we will see how it will be next year :). Greetings to all sceners which I met on this party! Sorry for bugs in text :).

Murdock of Tropyx/Draco