Le Guess Who?, considered to be one of the most forward-thinking festivals around the world, returns to Utrecht, the Netherlands, from 9-12 November for its 16th edition.
We now reveal the full 2023 line-up, after previously announcing festival curators Heba Kadry, Nala Sinephro, Slauson Malone 1 and Stereolab, as well as performances by Dudu Tassa & Jonny Greenwood, James Holden, Deena Abdelwahed, Backxwash, African Head Charge, Faiz Ali Faiz, and more.
General program
Joining Le Guess Who?’s general festival line-up are a.o. South Bronx group ESG, for their very last European performance; Bala Desejo, one of Brazil’s most coveted bands who, despite having just released their first record, already have a Latin Grammy under their belt; Alan Sparhawk, who returns to the stage after long-time musical and life partner Mimi Parker–with whom Sparhawk founded Low–passed away last year; a special collaboration between Italian composer Caterina Barbieri and electronic duo Space Afrika, with the unique visual wizardry of Marcel Weber (MFO); New York City singer-songwriter Joanna Sternberg whose new album ‘I’ve Got Me’ was praised for its personal and openhearted character; Lost Girls, the Norwegian duo of Jenny Hval (LGW19 curator) and Håvard Volden; The Necks, who have forged a creative chemistry that is felt at once upon hearing them, yet impossible to explain; Ndox Electrique, a ritual of possession which comes from Senegal’s N’döep ceremonies; Brìghde Chaimbeul, the leading purveyor of experimental Celtic music and of the Scottish smallpipes; Pakistan’s maestro of the Balochi Benju Ustad Noor Bakhsh, who had to cancel last year due to health issues, will perform as part of Hidden Musics; and W.I.T.C.H., responsible for pioneering ‘zamrock’, return to the stage with their first new album in nearly four decades, alongside Dutch musicians Jacco Gardner and Nic Mauskoviç.
Programs presented by AMPFEMININE, re:ni, Cami Layé Okún, and U?
Rotterdam-based DJ collective AMPFEMININE aim to add a lovely variety of color and diversity behind the decks. At Le Guess Who?, they present an evening of feminine energy with a.o. DJ and producer Tayhana, who has been flaring up dancefloors all over Latin America and the world, through a combustive combination of urban and traditional; and Soft Break, who takes her listeners on a sonic tour through jungle, dubstep, grime, footwork, and more.
Be it via her memorable DJ sets, her NTS hosting duties, or her breakthrough EP, UK-minded music-heads will certainly recognize re:ni’s name. Besides performing at Le Guess Who?, she also hosts her own program that includes London DJ SHERELLE, called the ‘leader of a paradigm shift in dance music’; UK-based musician, composer, producer, and label-head Lee Gamble; and Berlin-based Detroit native DJ Stingray 313, who is known for his rapid-fire electro and techno-filled sets.
A relentless crate-digger, Cuba-born Cami Layé Okún’s work as a DJ goes beyond curatorship, be it behind the booth or on ‘Insolar’, her fortnightly radio show on NTS. At Le Guess Who?, she hosts an ‘Insolar Night’, with a.o. Roger Damawuzan, whose first seven-inch vinyl, ‘Wait For Me’, made him a legend of Togolese music.
Le Guess Who? teams up with U?, the freely accessible city festival, to present a program of promising, Netherlands-based artists, such as Amsterdam’s six-piece Nusantara Beat, who have quickly amassed a cult following due to their exciting new take on Indonesian tradition; and Rotterdam quartet Neighbours Burning Neighbours, whose first releases introduced listeners to their irresistible and malformed brand of void-piercing noise-pop.
Tickets
Very limited extra Friday & Saturday festival tickets, as well as Night Tickets for re:ni presents (Saturday 11 November at WAS.) and AMPFEMININE presents (Saturday 11 November at BASIS), will go on sale on Friday 15 September, at 11AM CEST via www.leguesswho.com/tickets.
Le Guess Who? collaborates with The Dutch Council for Refugees and Buddy to Buddy for ‘Grant an Entry’, which gives visitors the option to buy an additional day ticket for newcomers residing in The Netherlands, who would like to visit the festival but don’t have the financial means to do so.
Visitors also have the option to compensate for the CO2 emission of their travel in the ticketing process. These compensation funds will go directly to festival partner Natuur en Milieufederatie Utrecht. More info can be found via www.leguesswho.com/sustainability.
Overview of new program additions
The full line-up for Le Guess Who? 2023 can be found here. New additions are below:
General program
Alan Sparhawk (of Low) • Ava Mendoza • Bala Desejo • Bill Orcutt & Zoh Amba • BITOI • Bixiga 70 • Brìghde Chaimbeul • Caterina Barbieri + Space Afrika with MFO • DJ Fitz • FACS • Hagop Tchaparian • Joanna Sternberg • Joy Guidry • Kelman Duran • Lost Girls • Maroulita de Kol • Marta Salogni performing Pauline Anna Strom • Mayssa Jallad • Ndox Electrique • Pedro Ricardo • Phelimuncasi • Purling Hiss • Rahill • Selvhenter • Sereias • Special Interest • The Homesick • The Necks • W.I.T.C.H. • Zohar
Le Guess Who? & U? present
Arp Frique & Family • Greetje Bijma & Oceanic • Keenan Mundane • Khorshid Dadbeh • Library Card • Lunetten Shadow Banking • Neighbours Burning Neighbours • Nusantara Beat • Phantom Wizard • Sydney Lowell
AMPFEMININE presents
Camgurl • Coffintexts • DIORA • Nala Brown • Soft Break • Tayhana
re:ni presents
DJ Stingray 313 • Lee Gamble DJ • re:ni • SHERELLE
Cami Layé Okún presents Insolar Night
Cami Layé Okún • El Volcán • Roger Damawuzan
Curated by Nala Sinephro
Layla Rutherford with Ensemble Insomnio
Curated by Stereolab
ESG
Hidden Musics
Ustad Noor Bakhsh
