Rototom cultural association is a collective that is devoted to combining music with its cultural contents, by organising live shows that often involve a strong social commitment.The association is non-profit and it donates its income to charity. (beneficiaries of our donations).

It was November 13th 1991 when Rototom Cultural Association was created in Gaio di Spilimbergo, a secluded village in a piedmont above  the province of Pordenone. With the opening of Rototom disco-club it gave life to its first music and alternative culture project.

Many of you know us only because of our Sunsplash, although this project started only 4 years later. We take advantage of this circumstance to tell you a little more about the history of our association and its 18 years of life....

FROM LIVE CLUBS TO OPEN AIR

At the beginning of the 90s live music in Friuli was only played in 2 kinds of locations: in pubs, or small clubs, and in larger venues, such as stadiums.

In 1991 Rototom introduced a new concept that was a fair compromise between the two sizes: a club that was not only a spot for the many International indie acts travelling throughout Europe, but also a testing ground for all those bands that were moving their first steps in the music business and only later reached stardom. Rototom shortly became a worshipped temple of live-music in Italy.

In 1994, the club and the surrounding gardens see the birth of the first Italian reggae meeting under the name of Rototom Sunsplash. The large success of the event over the following years, will eventually  turn it into one of the biggest European reggae festivals and will inevitably force it to move to other locations.

In 1998 the crew moves to Zoppola, just outside Pordenone. The new venue has 3 lounges and assigns a dedicated place to different music genres allowing a larger public satisfaction. No one had succeeded in mixing people of such diverse music tastes under the same roof ever before: a dance floor for rock pop and rap, a second one  for reggae and afro, a third one for electronic music. In addition to that, there were  exhibitions, gathering spaces, a bookstore and music store.

During those 9 years Rototom hosted the gurus of reggae, of African music, of rock, rap and Italian music, of 70s prog rock leading acts, of the epic Geniale Dilettanten and the icons of the most blatant and glam britsound. The music that was offered was so edgy and groundbreaking that it was given live broadcast on rai national radio channels throughout the entire country.

All of this was achieved solely with help from our fans and with our own strength, without any kind of public or private sponsoring.

Apart from the activities that took place inside the club, Rototom also developed many other music projects  transforming squares, theatres, parks, arenas and other unconventional locations in cultural meeting points. It operated in Grado, Udine, Gorizia, Trieste, Monfalcone, Cervignano, Codroipo, Lignano, Conegliano, Bologna, Firenze, Roma.

Among le most noteworthy initiatives we underline:

1999: demonstration in favour of peace - a peaceful protest and a concert, set up with some difficulties in front of Aviano’s NATO base. Thanks to this demonstration bombings on Belgrade paused for a few hours;

2000: the “Conquest of space –  civil but firm occupation of a space for culture”  – 3 months of squat, together with tens of other cultural associations, of an area that had been abandoned by Pordenone’s municipality. The project terminated in the resignation of the whole district council;

2001: the “100% rototom” experiment: creation, inside the structures  - in winter time – of a summer camping site, of a small-scale city of music, with stages, music stores, listening rooms, internet point, meditation and holistic lounge and, as usual, many gathering spots for cultural exchange. The experience closes with a small national reggae meeting: the first Italian wintersplash. A new evolution of Rototom Sunsplash along the same line as this experiment will be inspired

Abroad

Among the activities of cultural promotion and solidarity that Rototom performs in developing countries our special attention goes to the past 2 editions, in 2003 and 2004, of CANOA EM CHAMAS: organised in Cearà, one of the poorest countries in Brasil, this festival has saved Canoa Crianza educational grounds from closing and has started cultural initiatives that are currently handled by local communities.

The Sunsplash history

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