KME – Karel Music Expo is the first musical meeting in Sardinia entirely dedicated to the indie universe. Enriched with workshops, showcases and gigs, as well as literary and cultural events, since its first edition (2007) it immediately caught the attention of both press and public.
The second edition (2008) opened the meeting to a more international dimension, and since then artists such as Tambours du Bronx, Tricky, Zitaswoon, Joe Lally, Ben Parker, Offlaga Disco Pax, Luci della centrale elettrica, Marc Almond, Wayne Hussey, Howe Gelb, Julian Cope, Zen Circus, Calibro 35, Spaceships are cool, Damen Samuel, David Byrne, Mick Harvey, Verdena, Lydia Lunch and lots more (thanks also to the partnership with Sonicbids) have been alternating themselves on electric and acoustic sets throughout a selection of venues including the Teatro Civico in Castello, in the breathtaking Old Town in Cagliari.
KME was born to create an effective connection between the local and the international independent reality, through a direct comparison among labels, media, artists and every other element related to the new-global music scene. All this and more has been realized through – up to now – more than 65 performances, over 250 artists on stage, 20 indie labels’ showcases, an expo area, a lab area (featuring a whole lot of unmissable seminars about production, scenic training for musicians and John Parish himself revealing the tricks and treats of the producer’s mission). John Parish actually played the godfather of KME on the very first edition, whom he and his band donated a genuinely fascinating performance, live from the Ecoluce stage, the cleanest way to play music. KME also hosts Sottosuoni, the contest that’s been bringing Sardinian emerging bands to fame in the past 14 years. Sottosuoni is realized in co-operation with Musikarel, the Music Bureau created by the City of Cagliari to support young musicians from all over Sardinia. Thanks to this co-operation, the winner of each edition will have the chance to play live at M.E.I. – Meeting delle Etichette Indipendenti – in Faenza.