More about: Asian Dub FoundationStation NarvaTallinn Music WeekHatari

It’s an unlikely story: Narva is becoming one of the hottest places in Europe for bands to get a gig.

Yes the Narva on the Russia/Estonia border city famed its steep division between people. The Narva in Ida-Viru County that, since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, has been divided into a separate world from Ivangorod – the Russian town which sits just across the river. Razor wire, rigorous visa checks, and radar observers are all part of the fabric here. Whether it's language, nationality, politics – or another variable – split opinion is thought to characterise these streets.

Speak to most locals – 90 percent of whom are Russian speaking – and they'll tell you it's a city characterized by a sense of rootlessness. This isn't only due to the regained independence of Estonia, which split families, friendships and destinies; it stretches way back.

After World War Two, which obliterated 98 percent of the city, the Narvans who survived were forbidden from returning. Dramatically, the USSR had plans to create a secret uranium processing plant in there and make it a closed town.

Although the plant went to the neighboring town of Sillamäe, the existence of the plan had a formative influence on the post-war years. Those who populated the city were largely Russian speaking labourers from other parts of the USSR who came because of work: the re-opening of the Kreenholm factory – it was reconstructed and working almost immediately after the war – in addition to other big industrial projects were the draw. Subsequently, the new population stretches no further than two generations.

Dramatic changes didn't stop there, though. Speak to more locals and they'll tell you it's a city characterised by a lack of confidence. Something arguably connected to struggles with identity, but also to a familiar post-industrial story.

The dissolution of primary industry that shaped the town – without forgetting those who harness difficulty with a fighting spirit to do great things – was a great blow to many. The collapse was two things: free trade policy (manufacturing was shipped to more affordable developing countries); and the Soviet Union's massive internal market no longer being there post 1991.

The halt of production at the Kreenholm Manufacturing Company was perhaps most significant. Significant scenes which echo what happened to swathes of the north of England: the shift of labour forces abroad meant tertiary industries and sales were the alternative employment, but inevitably with fewer roles available. Narva retains the title for highest unemployment rate in Estonia, though data shows it is changing for the better.

So – downtrodden, lack of confidence, rootlessness… these words that I hear thrown around when walking around Narva, and in myriad descriptions online, in travel guides and so on, are not exactly the words of somewhere that sounds like a hip band destination.

But things are changing. Projects to stimulate more employment, the completed restoration of the historic bastions are indicative of this. But so is the new building LINDA 2, with its Vaba Lava music venue, which is the hub for this second edition of Station Narva. And Tallinn-founded Station Narva, with its partnership with local Russian Estonians, its business conference, arts programming and international reach and influence, is changing things.

Station Narva, which is the sister festival of the esteemed Tallinn Music Week, has been partly funded by the Estonian government. And some – including the front cover story on the New York Times last year – see this showering of funds into culture and the arts as part of a reaction to the reported increasing fragility of NATO in the region.

But most people I speak to at the fest bristle whenever this being a reaction of the threat of annexation of Narva is mentioned, so most put it down to something much simpler: investment in the city has just been a long time coming and much of Narva has a pretty cool DIY aesthetic for bands. And the natural beauty of the area – it is on the lower banks of the Narva River, facing across to the spectacular medieval castle Ivangorod in Russia and has its own dramatically beautiful 12th century one – make it a stimulating environment to work with. It’s also got a long history of avant garde arts with one of the best clubs in Europe, Art Club Ro-Ro, a permanent year round fixture. It seems the foundations for something brilliant are there.

So why exactly is Station Narva festival such a central component for cultural development in this special, complicated place? And why is it suddenly more of a draw for bands?

Well, it wouldn’t be enough to have any old festival here; it’s got to be done right. Partly so the city is well-positioned to hit the ground running and receive the knock on effect that a top-tired music event can: the jump start to the economy. It’s Station Narva’s sensitive, appreciation of people and space that attracts the right partners and bands and makes them spot on to be here.

The festival director Helen Sildna's strength; her ability to be such a magnet for people, lies in her ability to harness a supposedly negative reality – the things what could be deemed to be a source of conflict in Narva – and turn them into something of an opportunity.

  Photo: Anna Markova

Helen Sildna’s below words, which I taped during the opening day conference, are about her impression and appreciation of Narva itself; but, reflect the liberal, progressive stance Station Narva operates as a festival. It’s words that sensitively show a holistic understanding of the city and show the fest’s approach is not necessarily some ill-fitting outside ideal being plonked into the town, but re-establishing values rooted there already.

“Narva, the place where we do cultural and business collaboration between Russia, Asia, Europe, and beyond. Narva is historically a merchant town built for communication. It was built for international dialogue, was built for being global. Keeping the mental borders of Narva open is about going back to Narva’s place in history, being a merchant town it’s exchanging knowledge, goods culture, everything. To me, this is the backbone of Narva’s historical identity." (Helen Sildna).

Indeed positive thoughts that most great bands and festivals all over the world subscribe to.

Another major pull, in addition to the above, is the existing clout with which the Station Narva team have with their connection with tastemaking festival Tallinn Music Week for over a decade. Being on the bill for this remains the hottest gig in the city. Even the town’s mayor Aleksei Jevgrafov said in a press release that the city wouldn’t be able to attract the caliber of artists it has done this year and last without the festival. It is taking a town which was essentially off the map and making it a place to consider for bands of all sizes.

Of all the bands at the fest 2019, Asian Dub Foundation seem to have the most obvious synergy...

And they play twice on the Saturday. First, in the afternoon, at a former Soviet ship yard – the general area is named Narva Venice. Here on a swampy low-lying jetty, leaning out to the man-made pylon-laden lake, with the Kreenholm factory in the distance, is the first ever major public cultural event happening in this spot. It’s been encouraged by the local residents, who, on the day, either sit in their boats, or outside one of the terraced garages. The garages were originally given from the Soviet Union but are now privately owned. Today they’re like man sheds with cookers, and couches as likely to be seen as speedboats. It’s really like no other place I’ve seen a gig.

Since the Dub Foundation have flown out especially for the fest, and being as they are within metres of Russian land, they perform a track they only ever played twice before called ‘Kursk’, which is about a Russian submarine disaster. And it’s a critique, a mystical instrumental commentary on the damage the military industry complex has done.

Paying, sensitive diligence to the place they’re in, however, doesn’t stop there; the late night set attended by around 600 people in Vaba Lava in the newly built LINDA 2 is even more emotional. Without a shadow of doubt the most feral, joyful atmosphere occurs during their hit ‘Fortress Europe’. Introducing the track, the band’s guitarist Steve Chandra Saval acknowledges there’s been a fair share of border problems in Narva and then the band launch into the refrain: "Keep bangin' on the wall / Of Fortress Europe." Poignant stuff that can be interpreted in myriad ways. It tells many people’s personal stories back to them, whether that be in things heard in the news or things people have gone through themselves.

  Photo: Liis Reiman

Apart from Asian Dub Foundation, there are plenty of other highlights.

Icelandic techno-dystopian band Hatari most certainly impress. Using an entirely electronic set up, most of the focus is on the impressive, intense light show, their BDSM attire and the theatrical master/slave drama between the scorched, distorted vocalist and the melodic vocalist. It's the sort of show you imagine local councillors looking at and going, ‘this is the sort of world class multidisciplinary art show that is launching Narva into the next.’ You can’t have half-hearted music if this Station Narva is to survive and hats off to the band for pulling one of the major performances of the weekend.

In fact, most music we see at Station Narva is brilliant. It's why I have belief that great bands are going to want to follow in the footsteps the great bands who’ve played here. For some, a stimulating cultural project with a focus on multiethnic collaboration in a divided city and Tallinn Music Week's existing reputation might mean nothing. They might see, 'Oh, Echo And The Bunnymen have played there (they did last year), I want to play there'. It's incredibly influential in placemaking and this year's edition has done nothing to stifle that energy.

For instance, Moja are trailblazers. They perform in the tiny Art Club Ro-Ro on the bank of the River Narva – a proper afterparty spot that reminded Dr Das of Asian Dub Foundation of the post-acid house parties 30 years ago where he learnt to perform live electronic music, according to a press release. Das, however, is referencing the Saturday night but the vibe in the venue, yet on Friday when Tokyo's Moja are playing the vibe is second to none still. It's something I see Moja can take as worth flying all the way especially for. The two-piece rockers lock the sonically spectacular, lightning quick pedal-driven bass guitar lines with drums that respond to every sensitive details and dynamic of the part. They feel like one, and rarely, if ever, will you see two people on stage with as much chemistry as Moja. The audience you feel would give their life for an encore.

This deliriously high, emotive reception from the excellent crowd continue the next night at Art Club Ro-Ro where Finland’s PEU bring the weekend's live music to a close with a bizarre, goofy, yet soulful Italo-disco set. It's music described in their own bio as serious not serious, which I get because there are some really striking musical moments in an otherwise bizarre, chaotic show.

It isn’t all about being in the clubs or on Narva Venice, though. What’s excellent and will bring even more people is the variety of venues that the city has to offer. Even though this year Kreenholm, the massive neglected factory isn’t in use as a live venue, it serves to be a light exhibition with fun guided tours around the stupidly massive space where they used to make textile are on offer.

Stepping into Kreenholm’s shoes as a live venue this year then is the Narva Castle, the most exclusive venue of the weekend. Russia’s neo-classical romantic Kirill Richter has the honour of performing in a chamber in this space. The walk along the river to get there, the intimate seated space itself is a captivating place to be. The switch of the limelight from the virtuoso dexterity of Richter on the grand piano to the best violin player around is perhaps the highlight. The standard of musicianship mixed with the soulful catharsis makes for a transcendent musical experience, if you’re open up to it. So castles, ship yards, clubs – also shopping centres and barns get opened up over the weekend for gigs. It really is a lot of diversity and an exclusive feeling since only 3000 people attended this years. It will grow, though. It deserves to. And Narva city will follow suit.

I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some quite dramatic changes in the coming years. The Club Ro-Ro for instance runs gigs live twice a week and is actively looking to book bands. There is going to be a jazz club open soon. The LINDA 2 building is only just completed and has a lot to offer musicians. With Tallinn Music Week already a well-oiled machine, the momentum being spread out to this, it’s a project that I truly find hard to knock. It’s great that there are people out there doing such things rooted in the idea of exchange and synergy between otherwise disparate people. It's helping to bring about a new discursive future for the city. More power to them.

More about: Asian Dub FoundationStation NarvaTallinn Music WeekHatari