SUPERBOOTH is Berlin's most happening synthesizer and modular systems festival as of now. Since 2016, the annual event has grown exponentially, as the article at reverb.com states "a long weekend full of performances, workshops, and other programming, established companies and independent builders alike buzzing with activity and exchange". By 2019 SUPERBOOTH had hosted well over hundreds of brands and artists via workshops, concerts, lectures and showcases. The festival has clearly created a big splash in the ever growing field of synthesis, modular systems and electronic sound. In 2016, leading industry journal MusicTech announced that SUPERBOOTH  was "The Coolest Show On Earth". Though industry hype can hardly be trusted, given almost every large music-technology based media-outlet is controlled by various competing brands and their look-alike marketing agenda. The modular and experimental electronic music scene remains dominated by white men, with beards, sporting look-alike characteristics and equipment. However at SUPERBOOTH, there is ample space to discuss, showcase, listen and learn, especially for small brands and synth-makers. A range of experimental artists at par with given industry stalwarts and brand ambassadors. The festival's audience is also pretty diverse in age, background and nationalities. Growth and diversity being the keywords in context of the festival, SUPERBOOTH is rising from the hiatus of the 'super-city' whose electronic music hay-days seem long gone. Over the last three years, SUPERBOOTH has widened it's horizons to attract the younger segment of society (teenagers and kids) - towards synthesis, DIY ethics and music technology. The festival now offers curious short courses for teenagers and young enthusiasts entering the field of synthesis and experimental music. SUPERBOOTH 2019 featured a whopping 231 exhibitors and almost 7500 visitors! We recently spoke to Andreas Schneider about the formation, participation and on-going plans of SUPERBOOTH.



How was SUPERBOOTH founded? Who were the founding members?
SUPERBOOTH was founded by Thomas Brandes and myself. We used to play in a local band decades ago, in our home town... and after so many years we connected again in Berlin. Later on we invited Andre Kaumann to join the group, as he eventually stepped in as managing director. He made all the bookings and arrangements for this year's event.



What does SUPERBOOTH as an institution stand to achieve?
The vision of the festival has always been to create a meeting point. For those who are into electronic music and electronic instruments, those who push the technology, the trade and the promotion of synthesis. SUPERBOOTH also stands to include 'experienced users' to let their experience be seen, shared and communicated to the 'engineers'. We are creating networks of all kinds via our festival.

As a festival, are you guys aware about female participation and inclusion of female talent?
We have supported (in ways preferred) female artists, handicapped persons and also small manufacturers for a few years now. We also created introductory workshops for female and non-binary participators for two years now. I feel we are already in the process of change, shifting the currently male dominated situation - It may appear a bit niche, as we still exclude pure “software acts” which makes it difficult to achieve equality immediately. Off the three nights, one of the nights we curated more female artists ... We had seven visitors in wheelchairs (from what I know) this year... so this is not famous yet, but we will keep working on it.


What is the most exciting aspect of SUPERBOOTH, in terms of participation?
This year we had a much higher number of professionals joining the show. It is often veteran players like Daniel Miller or Jean-Michel Jarre... However the new generation of musicians and nerds that were present at the festival, I see the reflection in the thousands of youtube clips about SUPERBOOTH 2019. It means a lot to us!