SEMF

SEMF is the Stuttgart Electronic Music Festival, a long night of electronic music in Stuttgart. Büro Südwind and cosmopop run it. Tomas Aulicky speaks for Südwind. Dirk Hebdank, from the same agency, announced the move to the fair. Robin Ebinger is at cosmopop. The first edition was from 23 to 25 June 2006, under the name Stuttgart Electronic MusicMedia Festival, at the club Rocker 33. About 2,000 people came. On the bill were Tobi Neumann, Thomilla, Northern Lite, Superpitcher, Justus Köhncke, Namosh, Audio Werner, kriZe and Studio Meier against Househalt. In 2007 there was no festival.

On 30 August 2008 it was at the Freilichtbühne in Killesberg and at the Alte Messe. About 3,500 people came. The bill listed Booka Shade, Turntablerocker, Gregor Tresher and DJ Karotte. On 31 December 2009 it was going to be a New Year special at the Carl Benz Arena. The bar permit did not come through, and the night moved to the Nil, the café by the lake, in the Schlossgarten. On 4 September 2010 it was at the ESG-Eisstadion. About 4,000 people. The bill listed Tiefschwarz, Chris Liebing, Moonbootica and Turntablerocker.

On 3 December 2011 the night moved to the Neue Messe Stuttgart. Hebdank called it the first open-air festival under a roof. The music ran from 18:00 to 8:00. There were three floors and about 40 DJs. On the lists were Booka Shade, Miss Kittin, Felix Kröcher, Laserkraft 3D, Moonbootica, Modeselektor, Henrik Schwarz, Seth Troxler, Steve Bug, DJ Hell and Mathew Jonson. Two more stages stood in the foyers of the fair and of the congress centre. On Sunday morning buses left for the afterparties at Rocker 33, Club Toy and Romy S. The count for that night is 10,000 people.

From then on the big date was in December, at the same fair. On 15 December 2012, with Sven Väth, Chris Liebing, Adam Beyer and Jamie Jones, about 10,000. On 14 December 2013, with Luciano, Marcel Dettmann and Maya Jane Coles, about 17,000. On 13 December 2014, with Fritz Kalkbrenner and Robin Schulz, about 17,000. On 12 December 2015, again with Sven Väth, about 17,500. On 10 December 2016 it turned ten, and the count dropped to about 12,000. On 16 December 2017, with Solomun, Nina Kraviz and Laurent Garnier, about 17,000. On 8 December 2018, with Charlotte de Witte, Maceo Plex and Pan-Pot, about 15,000. On 14 December 2019, with Amelie Lens and Monika Kruse, about 18,000. Inside the halls there was artificial grass, small acts between the big stages, and a five-metre figure, Dundu, that went onto the floor. With the names from outside, people from the region played: Marius Lehnert, Raphael Dincsoy and SHDW & Obscure Shape.

In 2020, 2021 and 2022 there was no festival. The club edition was set for Friday 12 December 2025, at the Kowalski, on Kriegsbergstraße 28, from 22:00, on two floors. On the main one, Joris Voorn, Dan Ghenacia, Kesia and Cris Loop. kriZe ran the second, with a Sobre Perfecto showcase from Alicante, and with Helga Erken and B2D. At the fair people paid with tokens: one euro, one token. Cigarettes and the shirt stall stayed on cash. You could not bring in food or drink from outside. In 2006 the bill also had DJ Friction, The Jet Set, Walter Lilly, Ali & Der Knarf, Edi Sauer with Jan Trismus, Mario Kober, Eric Electric, Royal Two, Tee Kay, Masterfunk, Fuggy and Holy Avenue. Studio Meier were Daniel Schoengeist and Pascal Garuda. Househalt were Eric Guse and N-Dee. At Killesberg, Pupkulies & Rebecca, Body Movin', Johnny D, Round Table Knights, Eric Walker, Salvatore Donnarumma, Joe Direct, Steve Nash and Ralph Burkhardt also played. In the fair halls you could not smoke, because of the fire risk. A guest in a wheelchair, or with a severe-disability card, came in with one support person, and that ticket was not charged.