.
Almost a year has past and yet the memories live on in us as if it were just a couple of weeks since the Somuna Festival. For us as organizers it was a roller-coaster of emotions.
When on Thursday 600 of you already were there and at the opening ceremony we were surrounded by smiling faces we were entirely happy and we could almost not believe what we saw. On Friday everywhere people were dancing, painting, jamming, learning and laughing. Our wildest dreams were exceeded and it was so beautiful to see all the sunny souls and feel the familiar atmosphere all over the area.
Along with the many new faces on Friday evening came the mood and weather change. Rain started, the acoustical concerts lacked audience and attention and from all sides we were confronted with negative news. Even though we said many times that we were taking a big personal financial risk there were guests who found ways to pass on their control bands to others, that was very disappointing. Furthermore some guests complained about missing tents and music and behaved aggressively towards our helpers at the bar and even the musicians during the sound-checks. In those hours we would have needed our security team, but their work was insufficient. For us these were very difficult hours and we were afraid that everything goes off track. On one hand because we saw that the Somuna did not only attract peaceful people and with that came our worry of your wellbeing and on the other hand because we felt completely at nature's mercy. At the climax of this real test a lightening struck one of the speaker towers and put an end to the Somuna for one night. Suddenly everything was silent and everybody got a chance to calm down.
On Saturday nature immersed the festival in a mystic cloud and the atmosphere recovered slowly. Positive and beautiful things gained the upper hand and we could breathe again. Many guests resisted the rain and danced with dedication for hours. Saturday at midnight it probably rained for the last time and everything seemed to have been washed off and restored.
Sunday was like a rebirth of the Somuna Festival for us. Nature gave us beautiful weather and also our emotions reached to new heights. Once we saw that you all were well our last sorrow became just fleecy clouds. And finally, after the closing ritual, when the circle formed spontaneously and everybody was standing around the dance floor, holding hands like in a huge hug we were imbued with gratitude and respect and we can say that this moment was one of the biggest things we have every experienced. In that moment it was clear to us: if something is created out of deepest love and passion it will meet any challenge. The band between us as held.
After the Festival people came to us and thanked us for our work. We feel deeply honored and appreciated through you. However we want to tell you, that we have only created a room in which something could take place. YOU have filled that room. Everything that happened at the Somuna, everything we experienced together came from you. It was you who filled the room with so much love, beauty and creativity. It was you who was respectful and loving with others, nature and yourself. And this is why we have to thank you! Thank you, thank you with all our heart.
Many people helped creating the Somuna Festival. Those helpers deserve our deepest gratitude, because they all came voluntarily, gave weeks of their holiday for the Somuna, worked tirelessly and did not ask for anything on return. They didn't just put up tents or built the stage but they did everything with passion and love and therefore created the best possible conditions for the Somuna to take place. Thank you, you have built and protected the Somuna and you kept it going!
Personally we feel that the music at the Somuna was absolutely fantastic and therefore we want to thank all musicians and DJs for their great performances! Thank you, you were brilliant!
The awesome work of our soundengineers must be mentioned. This was worldclass! You delivered music in its purest form. Thank you!
We received invaluable support from the family Wyss, the village of Marbach and the cable car company. We don‘t take this for granted. Thank you! We were especially happy about the great time with family Wyss.
Last but not least we want to thank mother nature and the universe for even making it possible to have such a Festival. There is so much going on in this world and yet we were given the chance to experience something so far-reaching during 4 days. We bow in humility.
1900 paying guest attended the Somuna 2010. With helpers, free entries and so on we estimate a total of 2300 people over the four days. The budget was made so that 1400 guests were needed for break even. On saturday we had published on various channels that no more guests could come to the Somuna Festival. This decision was very risky from a financial point of view but in our opinion it was the right decision to protect the atmosphere at the Somuna. It was a risky decision because damage done by the storm, other unexpected costs and the fact that many of the artists and partners were promised profit shares for any guest more than 1400 caused the costs for the festival to be higher than expected. Those factors led to the fact that the costs for the Somuna could not be covered with the entry fees only. Fortunately there was enough income from the bar and all expenses could be covered. We, the organizers, have covered our expenses and payed ourselves normal fees for our musical performances.
All remaining money will be used to provide more waterproof tents for a probable next Somuna, since that has been a justified criticism. The tricky thing about tents is that they are either ugly or expensive and are only really needed when it rains. However, when it rains less guests come and less money for tents is available. So to compensate for the loss of guests when it rains the entry fee has to be higher, which then causes less people to come generally and especially when it rains. It's not easy to balance that in advance.
Will there be a Somuna 2012? We don‘t know yet. Our lifes are changing and we don‘t know if we have the time and energy needed for a third Somuna. One thing is sure. If there will be a Somuna 2012 it will be different, it will evolve.
Somuna has grown and we believe we can assume that 2012 it would keep growing. However we think with 1900 guests that the maximum of was almost reached. Cosiness and intimacy was still possible and this we want to preserve. Because of that we will have to regulate the growth of the Somuna. Therefore a Somuna 2010 will have no 2-day tickets and no tickets at the gate. Everyone who wants to come the Somuna will have to decide for the Somuna in advance, no matter if sun or rain, just the way we do it.
Moreover 2012 we do not have any personal savings available to finance the Somuna. Those savings were the financial backbone of the Somuna 2010. 2012 your participation and initiative will be crucial for the Somuna to take place in the first place, because you will have to provide this financial backbone by buying Somuna Tickets very early. Up to a certain date a certain amount of tickets will have to be sold otherwise there won‘t be a Somuna Festival. Everyone who decides early, who invites friends, who spreads the word will provide the support that is needed to organize the Festival.
But those won‘t be the only developments. Nature has shown us something very important. It showed us how beautiful the night was without the music! There was jamming in tents, the night has been enjoyed in it‘s own magic and in the morning we could enjoy the music (almost) entirely relaxed. We have listened and we have learned. At the Somuna 2012, if it will take place, there will be a break of music during the nights.
We wish you all a beautiful year and maybe we see us again in the next.
With love
Andrea, Linda, Raphael
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PS: Maybe you enjoy these videos and images:
http://www.somuna.com/en/history/somuna-2010/videos
http://www.somuna.com/en/history/somuna-2010/bilder
Hallo!
Ab heute sind wir bereits am Aufbauen! Wir freuen uns sehr!
Tickets:
Der Vorverkauf ist beendet und wir bekommen viele Anfragen ob es an der Abendkasse noch Tickets habe. JA es hat an der Abendkasse noch viele Tickets. Alle die am Donnerstag oder frühen Freitag kommen müssen sich ganz sicher keine Sorgen machen.
Falls es am Samstag eng werden würde, dann werden wir das früh genug auf allen uns zur Verfügung stehenden Kanälen im Internet publizieren.
Extrabusse:
Ab Escholzmatt fahren von Donnerstag bis Samstag extra Busse für das Somuna. Die Extrabusse sind kostenpflichtig, sie kosten 3 SFr. Die Fahrten werden von Postautos gemacht, doch es handelt sich dabei um einen Privatauftrag vom Somuna und deshalb sind GAs etc. NICHT gültig.
Die Sonderzeiten ab Escholzmatt zur Talstation der Marbacheggbahn sind:
Donnerstag: 20.20 h, 20.40 h und 21.20 h
Freitag & Samstag: 19.40 h, 20.20 h, 20.40 h, 21.20 h, 21.40 h, 22.20 h
Hunde:
In letzter Zeit sind immer wieder Bedenken darüber laut geworden, am Somuna kleine Kinder und Hunde beieinander zu haben. Obwohl wir sicher sind, dass unsere Besucher keine „gefährlichen“ Hunde ans Somuna bringen, ist der Sicherheitsaspekt trotzdem nicht zu unterschätzen. Hunde sind an einem Festival vermehrt Stress ausgesetzt – durch die laute Musik, die Menschenansammlung und den vielen Betrieb. Es ist nicht einfach abzuschätzen, wie Hunde auf eine solche Belastung reagieren und wir können und möchten die Verantwortung dafür nicht übernehmen.
Das Somuna Team hat nun eine Entscheidung getroffen, die bereits für das diesjährige Somuna gilt:
Hunde sind am Somuna nicht erlaubt!
Wir bitten alle Hundehalter ihre Hunde zuhause zu lassen. Bei allen, die sich darauf gefreut haben, mit ihren Vierbeinern das Somuna zu geniessen, entschuldigen wir uns zutiefst. Wir hoffen, ihr könnt euch trotzdem aufs Somuna freuen.
Herzlichen Dank für euer Verständnis,
euer
Somuna Team
www.somuna.com
---------------- English ---------------
Hi!
Tickets:
Many people ask us if there are still tickets left at the gate. YES! There are a lot of tickets at the gate. If you come Thursday or Friday you do not have to worry at all. In case it would get tense on saturday we will use all possible channels in the internet to publish this early enough.
Extrabusses:
There are extrabusses for the Somuna departing from Escholzmatt. Please understand that those extrabusses are a privat contract with the Somuna and your none of your normal Tickets do apply. The busses cost 3 SFr.
The extra departures leaving from Escholzmatt to Marbachegg Talstation are:
Thursday: 20.20 h, 20.40 h und 21.20 h
Friday & Saturday: 19.40 h, 20.20 h, 20.40 h, 21.20 h, 21.40 h, 22.20 h
Dogs:
The question of security has arised when having little children and dogs at the same place. Dogs are under more stress than normal at a party and we have decided that we do not want to take responsibility for whatever could happen.
Because of that dogs are not allowed at the Somuna!
If you were looking forward to bring your dog to the Somuna we deeply and sincerely apologize. We hope you can still look forward to it. Thank you for your understanding.
Best wishes and see you soon!
your
Somuna Team
www.somuna.com
Better use the presale than complain about the prize at the entry 
.Der Somuna Flyer ist im Druck!
Wenn Du Flyers willst schicke uns Deine Adresse und die Anzahl auf "info(at)somuna.com".
After evaluating several options the decision was made yesterday at 21.01 Local time. The Soundsystem will be a Kling & Freitag Sequenza Line Array!
An other option was a d&B Q-System as we had in 2008. Since both systems play in the highest league the decision was difficult at first. The d&B System has set the level for soundquality at electronic festivals in Switzerland, however (yes really) we still saw potential for improvement. In 2010 we want to manage an even distribution of bass over the uneven ground and we don't want to run the system on max power so that we can improve soundquality even more. The K&F system offered us more possibilities for less money therefore it made the race. We are sure that we will be able to offer even more this year!
The picture on the right shows the top section, however at the Somuna 2 more tops will be hanging there and more details follow!
Thank you Marbach! At Somuna no Demos disappear unheard in trash. EVERY single demos is listend to by at least one member of the Somuna Team. We invest a lot of time to give really everyone a chance.
Therefore we have rather strict guideline for submitting demos. For example, we don't listen to myspace sites, but expect demos to be at least one hour in length and to be uploaded as mp3 or zip file. The demo has to represent the performance at the Somuna Festival.
We are aware of the fact, that many musicians don't have webspace at their disposal and that services like "rapidshare" can be a pain to use. Therefore we now have created the possibility to upload demos directly to the Somunaserver.
To use this function you need to create your own account under "connect". Then enter all your contact details in "profile - edit details". In the submenu of "connect" you'll find the item "demo upload".
There still is space in the lineup. Look at our wishlist to understand what we are looking for.