It’s official, Thrival Music and Innovation Festival is underway!
So, as you can imagine, there’s a whole lot to look forward to around town. Daily innovation-themed events are the centerpiece of the week. And when Friday arrives, it’s time to turn your attention to Almono, the site of this year’s music festival. That’s where 25 bands will take the stage over the course of this two-day concert.
It’s going to be a blast. No doubt about it. Especially when you realize there’s more to the music festival than meets the eye. The entire concert venue offers spectators a chance to get in on the action. So while the artists and performers do their thing, here are 5 things (besides the music) you can check out.
Lights
No, we’re not talking about LIGHTS the artist, although you’ll definitely want to check out her electro pop performance. We’re actually referring to a ridiculous lighting presentation planned for the concert site. Martin Potoczny, CEO of Pittsburgh-based LUXE Creative, is transforming a 1,300 ft. long former steel mill into a live art exhibit. As an internationally recognized lighting designer, Martin has worked with some of the world’s best musical artists and on top-level festivals, like Coachella, Electric Daisy Carnival, and Ultra Music Festival. Now he’s serving as the Creative Director of 2015 Thrival Innovation + Music Festival to help shine the spotlight on Pittsburgh.
Be part of the performance
Watching the concert is one thing, being part of the performance takes things to a whole new level. Well, that’s exactly what Nymbus does. This University of Pittsburgh startup has created a mobile app that transforms your phone into part of the light show. Download the Nymbus app and hold your phone in the air, then watch it light up in sync with the music. You’ll also receive in-app notifications about set times, show updates, vendor promotions and more.
Innovation Hub
The innovation sessions aren’t reserved for weekdays. These sessions roll right into the weekend and onto the concert site. Join Chatham University’s Falk School of Sustainability, local indie game developers, the Waldorf School, craft beer masters, and many others at Almono for live talks, demos and opportunities to engage with local makers, doers and problem solvers.
Collaboration Cubes
Live, collaborative art. That’s what Ryan Lammie, executive director of Radiant Hall, has in store for spectators. Lammie will bring local artists together to team up with Energy Innovation Center and Thrival to create a studio-like environment where eight artists will work collaboratively to complete eight large-scale works. Each artist will put their own touch on each of the eight panels so that, by the end of Thrival, eight original pieces of artwork will be created. The works will be created over several days at both the Energy Innovation Center in the Lower Hill District and during Thrival at the Almono Site.
The Craft Beer Village
A village made of beer? Enough said. We’ll see you at this craft beer + wine garden. It’s the perfect place to hang out between sets. Or kickback with an adult beverage in hand. Better still, local favorites including East End Brewing, Rivertowne and Pittsburgh Winery will be supplying the goods from 3pm-7pm on Friday and Saturday.
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.