Techno in its purest form is thriving at Stone Techno Festival

The industrial setting is perfect for the pure, raw techno on offer, and the strategic implementation of the stages – named Kokeri, Werks-Schwimbadd, Eisbahn and Salzlager after their respective areas of the Zollverein complex – immediately signal the festival’s intention to work within, rather than intrude upon, its historical setting. Soundsystems are carefully nestled into the ominous steel structures and where chimneys once billowed smoke into the sky, dancers – a real mixture of ages and demographics, who are, refreshingly, mostly sans-phone camera – let loose beneath.

“The UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein is the landmark of the Ruhr Area,” adds Sisman when I ask him about the area. “The symbol of this region, its past, present and the future. It is a big responsibility to host such a festival at a worldwide unique location. It doesn’t matter what age or background the visitors have, everyone is so impressed by this venue. It deserves to shine in a new transformative way and attract people from all over the world. That is actually our mission. To combine the techno culture with the industrial heritage of this region, because they are literally meant for each other.”

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On a personal note, hailing from a family of miners in the North East of England, I find it particularly resonant to witness the embracing of grounds almost identical to those in which my loved ones once worked. A nice touch is a small area close to the Salzlager stage, succinctly called ‘Science’, where local initiatives, the university, and those who work at the on-site museum share and offer interactive insights to learn about the Zollverein complex and Ruhr Area’s history and purpose over the years. There’s freebies, opportunities to play instruments made from minerals found on-site, and you can handle million-year old artefacts (brave move at a festival) – all soundtracked by the bouncier soundscapes of Salzlager. Working with the local community feels a core value of The Third Room throughout its productions, and in the case of this festival, creative installations from nearby designers and close involvement with stakeholders from the museum and Essen University helps to ensure a respectfully-run festival that affirms their love for the area in which they come from.