Bomontiada, one of Istanbul's cultural centers, is hosting its three-day October Festival through Sunday, featuring special events with a full program of concerts and performances all weekend.
On Saturday, Oct. 7, performances will kick off with the Bebek Blues Band at 5 p.m., in the Bomontiada Quad and will continue with Soul Staff, a cornerstone of soul and rock ‘n' roll in Turkey, at 9 p.m. Since 1995, Soul Staff has drawn large crowds in Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Eskişehir, Bursa, Marmaris and Cyprus and has been the opening act for well-known artists including, Uriah Heep (2004), The Blues Brothers Band (2006) and Chuck Berry (2007).
Radio Eksen DJs will be at Babylon for the party on Saturday starting at 10 p.m., offering up their eclectic mix of indie rock, ska, punk and hip-hop that promises to keep everyone moving all night.
In addition, Populist will host Master Class by Jan Koch at 2 p.m, Mr. Mordoc at 9 p.m and Nadir Duman at 11 p.m.
Fake will be preforming at Bomontiada on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 5 p.m, for the last day of the festival. Founded in 2009, Fake members Cem Çakır, Tansu Kızılırmak and Şükrü Kazaz are known for their covers of alternative, indie and Brit-pop bands like U2, Depeche Mode, Muse, The Cure, Maroon 5 and R.E.M.
Zinnure Türe's "Yellow Route" and Bare Feet Company's play "SAR" will be in the A Corner in the World X bomontiada ALT program throughout the festival.
Designed as an audio-walk, "Yellow Route" is a journey for the senses. In the performance directed by Zinnure Türe, the voice of the neighborhood will be followed in Bomonti, which has been an apex of cultural and physical transformation for years both in its architectural and multicultural aspects. This version of the story will be presented with a new and unique point of view. The performance will take place Oct. 18-21 at 5 p.m. starting from the Bomontia/da ALT performance area.
SAR, a project of two childhood friends from the same neighborhood in Kurtuluş, combines the friends' collective memories and observations with music, movement and paper. The performance will be presented by musician Saro Usta, one of the founders of Vomank, and Mihran Tomasyan from Bare Feet Company.