Tbilisi Open Air

41°43′21″N 44°47′33″E / 41.72250°N 44.79250°E / 41.72250; 44.79250Years active2009–presentFoundersAlterVision GroupWebsitewww.tbilisiopenair.ge

Tbilisi Open Air is an annual international music festival, with the emphasis on electronic and rock music, first held in Tbilisi, Georgia, on 15–17 May 2009. After that the festival is organized each year and is widely considered as the biggest music festival in Caucasus region. The festival mainly maintains several-day outdoor event format.

As the organizers of Tbilisi Open Air clarify, the defining idea behind the festival is freedom. This is freedom from stress, clichés, social controls, freedom to create and express, freedom to experience what is valued by every single one of us as individuals.^[1]

It was first held in 2009 as an alternative to the Eurovision Song Contest 2009, which Georgia was disqualified from because of the political message of their song, "We Don't Wanna Put In".^[2]

The 2023 edition was held on the 23-25th of June period. The traffic of the festival was around 80 000, with around 30 000 festival-goers attending each day.

The 2022 edition was held on the 24-26th of June period and it was attended by more than 80 000 people. That broke the previous record and TOA 2022 became the most attended commercial music event of all time in the history of Georgia. The festival showed heavy support to Ukraine in the Russo-Ukrainian war that broke out that year - through donating part of the ticket and merch sales to the Ukrainian cause, supporting Ukraine through all media and communication channels, inviting pro-Ukrainian acts, etc.

In 2020, Tbilisi Open Air was set to held through 26 June to 28 June, but due to the covid pandemic, it was cancelled.

In 2021, TOA denied holding the concert once again.

In 2019, TOA was held on the Lisi Wonderland field and went on for 3 days, with 4 stages operating. Total attendance was around 55 000. The festival dates coincided with 20 June Tbilisi Riots. In the light of those events, many statements were made from the festival promoters and artists from the festival stage.

In 2018, TOA was held on Lisi Wonderland and had 3 day lineup. Around 70 artists performed on the festival. A new stage - Eye Stage was introduced which was devoted to Techno/House music. Also a new space - Singer Jazz Stage was created which was devoted to mostly jazz artists. Total attendance around 45 000.

In 2017, TOA was held on Lisi wonderland and had 3 day lineup with around 40 artists. Around 30 000 persons attended the festival.

In 2016, TOA presented 3 day line up with over 60 artists. Festival had 3 stages - Main stage, LTFR/Night stage and Pirate Bay stage. Total attendance was over 30 000. Festival was held on 29–31 July, on a location near Lisi Lake, which received nickname "Lisi Wonderland".

In 2015, TOA presented 5 day line up with over 60 artists. This was by far the biggest musical event which has ever happened in Caucasus or Middle Earth and the festival broke all records in social media, having three times bigger feedback than in 2013. Also this was the first time when except main stage, 2 additional stages were built - golden stage and Bassiani stage. Attendance was over 50 000 which was also a record for the whole region.

In 2014 the festival returned to three-day outdoor festival format. Total attendance was 21 000. Although criticized for smaller line-up compared to former years, the organizers announced this was "a decision essential to switch back to the fields and prepare for 2015, which should be the biggest event both by line-up and scale". Due to heavy rain and storm on the 2nd day of the festival, Chinawoman and Lapalux were cancelled on 7 June and were added to 8 June line-up.

• Nino Katamadze
• Nikakoi
• Gravity
• Ara
• Lasha Kicks
• The Black Marrows

• Oimactta
• Lapalux
• Chinawoman
• Alina Orlova
• Loudspeakers
• Scratch the Floor
• The Jetbird
• The Pulse

• Nochniye Snaiperi
• Green Room
• Kung fu Junkie
• The Bearfox
• Electric Appeal
• Weekend Pop

In 2013 the festival was held on the Dinamo Arena Stadium. Total attendance was 19 000. With Deep Purple as headliner, the line-up was the biggest happening in the region and received a lot of local and foreign media interest, especially from Armenia, Russia, Turkey and Azerbaijan. Despite this, after the event the organizers of the festival stated their opinion that Tbilisi Open Air belonged more to outdoor fields than Stadiums or any kind of buildings. "We received invaluable experience, but the heart of the festival stays with the fields" - stated organizer Achiko Guledani - "next time we will try to accept the challenge to bring even bigger line-up there."

• Deep Purple
• Infected Mushroom
• Tricky
• The Subways
• Modeselektor
• Black Strobe
• Kid Jesus

The 2012 event was held on Tbilisi Valley at the outskirts of the city. Headliner of the festival was a legendary Russian band DDT, which caused a lot of local interest. Total attendance was over 50 000, which remains as a record not only in Georgia, but in whole Caucasus region.

• DDT
• Dub FX
• Transmitter
• Plus Master
• Rema
• Zurgi
• Loudspeakers

The 2011 event was held on Tbilisi Hippodrome. Total Attendance was 10 000.

• Herr Styler
• Wallace Vanborn
• The Benedicts
• Mutual Friends
• The Smile
• Ketrine & Me
• Tako & Green Mama
• MAMM
• Z For Zulu

• Moodorama
• The Fades
• String
• Exit
• Pornopoezia
• Salio
• Space Jam
• U.R.

The 2009 event was held in Tbilisi, on Sharden Street (15 May) and on local hippodrome (16–17 May). Total attendance was 35 000. As it was the first big happening since 1980 Tbilisi Rock Festival, the festival was covered by foreign media: Times Online, Reuters, El Mundo, Corriere della Sera, Associated Press, Nouvel Observateur etc. 23 bands from nine countries participated in the festival. It served as an important simulator to the local music business and caused a boost in the numbers of new artists.

• Transglobal Underground
• The Black & Reds
• Cheese People
• The Travelling Band
• Play Paranoid
• Smile

• Jazzanova Live feat. Paul Randolph
• ANDY
• Curry And Coco
• Laki Lan
• The Haggis Horns
• Motel Connection
• Keti Orjonikidze And Dr. Saga's Funk Rock Project
• The Dhol Foundation

• Rook And The Ravens
• Brooklyn
• String
• Cynic Guru
• The Blue Van
• Dubstepler
• Ten Bears
• Stephane & 3G
• Fred Falke

In 2012 Tbilisi Open Air started allowing tent camping as an option for festival lodging. The campground site is adjacent to the venue grounds and has its own entrance from the venue. Since then festival receives campers from different countries.

The festival is held most often in June. Temperatures during the festival's history have ranged from 25 °C in May to 32 °C on June. Tbilisi has mostly welcoming weather in summer and the same holds true for the event.

Tbilisi Open Air is run by Altervision Group which mainly consists of former and active musicians/producers. The first concept of the festival was created by Achiko Guledani, Vaho Babunashvili, Irakli Nadareishvili and Beqa Japaridze in 2009. Nowadays the decision making board of Tbilisi Open Air consists of 7 people. The festival is booked by David Tsintsadze.

• www.tbilisiopenair.ge
• https://www.facebook.com/tbilisiopenair