Techno pioneer Juan Atkins for Titanic Quarter festival

A US producer and DJ widely credited as the creator of techno music is travelling to Belfast to share his experiences with aspiring musicians.
By The Newsroom
Published 30th Mar 2016, 19:08 BST
Updated 30th Mar 2016, 19:11 BST
Juan Atkins will hold a question-and-answer session at the AVA festival in JuneJuan Atkins will hold a question-and-answer session at the AVA festival in June
Juan Atkins will hold a question-and-answer session at the AVA festival in June

Juan Atkins from Detroit, Michigan, pioneered the futurist electro music genre in the mid-1980s.

The techno godfather, who established his own Metroplex label, is addressing the AVA music festival in the Titanic Quarter in June. He will also take part in a question-and-answer session with fans.

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The AVA event is an electronic music and digital visual arts festival designed to celebrate and nurture new talent across Ireland.

Festival founder Sarah McBriar, from Up Productions, said Atkins’ appearance would provide a context to the “sound we know and love today”.

“We are really pleased to announce Juan Atkins, the originator of Techno, Detroit legend and founder of Metroplex records, as the lead keynote for the AVA conference,” she said.

The festival is being put on in partnership with Generator NI, the Stormont-funded music industry development programme.

A free day-long conference is being staged on June 4 ahead of an evening of performances.

Other well-known figures within the industry, such as Dave Haslam and Belfast DJs Bicep, are also taking part.

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