Kitzbühel, Austria—Sound | Escape isn’t your typical electronic music festival. There’s no wristband, no VIP section, no artificial exclusivity, and perhaps most remarkably of all, no entrance fee—just a deep connection between sound, landscape, and people. This new festival in Austria in the heart of the alps, headlined by Sven Väth, will take place from 28 to 30 March.
From March 28 to 30, 2025, this free festival unfolds across Kitzbühel’s historic old town and the surrounding mountains. It pairs some of electronic music’s most respected names with an alpine setting that’s hard to match.
At the centre of it all is Sven Väth, a figure whose impact on techno stretches back more than three decades. From Frankfurt’s Omen club to Cocoon’s Ibiza residencies, Väth has shaped the contours of dance music culture. Here, he’s joined by Matthias Tanzmann, Tom Novy, Tube & Berger, Kilimanjaro, Lunnas, Marvin Aloys, and Wolfram, plus a lineup that spans house, techno, and a rare push for drum and bass – still an outlier in Austria’s club scene.
But Sound | Escape isn’t just about the music. The setting itself plays a defining role: daytime sets unfold against sweeping alpine views, while evening performances shift into Kitzbühel’s historic core, where centuries-old architecture becomes an extension of the sound. Unlike government-backed festivals that play it safe with pop-friendly programming, Sound | Escape keeps its focus on the underground, giving space to both international names and regional artists.
Sound | Escape is the brainchild of Marvin Aloys, whose aim is to move away from Austria’s image for traditional music and make it a new hub for electronic music in Europe. “Austria’s got this deep musical history, but electronic music has its own roots, its own culture, and it belongs here just as much” says Aloys. “Sound Escape is about breaking away from the usual, from the big-ticket, VIP-heavy festival scene, and giving something back to the people. A free festival, in a setting that’s honestly unreal – mountains, historic streets, fresh air – it’s the kind of backdrop that makes it extra special.”
It’s also about rethinking electronic music’s place beyond the club. The festival frames dance music as something that resonates far beyond city nightlife—a cultural force that thrives in open spaces, in nature, in unexpected corners of the world, while remaining laser-focussed on the quality of the music.
“To have someone like Sven Väth headlining is huge” says Aloys. “He’s been shaping this scene for decades, and to have his support says everything about what we’re trying to do. Electronic music started as something raw, something for everyone, and we want to bring that energy back. No barriers, no exclusivity – just good music, real people, and a space to be part of something different.”
At a time when access to live music often comes with a price tag and the historic centres of electronic music culture facing ever-increasing challenges, Sound | Escape provides a positive alternative: quality, free and open to anyone and everyone.
