Andrea Innocenti In the heart of Turin, from October 29th to November 1st, the C2C Festival celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary. Four intense days, spread across historic sites and industrial spaces, recreate the atmosphere of a project born in 2002, when the Xplosiva association transformed into a traveling festival that toured the city's clubs night after night.
The return to the Piedmont capital is structured on several fronts: the first evening opens at the OGR with The Avalanches and Shygirl; Friday and Saturday find their epicenter at the Lingotto Fiere, where the new DAZED Stage is launched ; on Sunday, the historic clubs Le Roi and Notorius welcome the public with a single ticket valid for both locations, recreating the original spirit of Club To Club.
The stages of the celebration in Turin
The program kicks off on October 29th with a concert at the Teatro Carignano, where Smerz will perform a matinee to mark their return to the theater after eleven years. The following day, Friday the 30th, the Lingotto Fiere hosts Robyn, the queen of electronic pop , who will present her album "Sexistential."
Saturday 31st focuses on the avant-garde: Theo Parrish and Kode9 share a seven-hour set back-to-back with RP Bo, while Arca and Kelela, icons of vocal experimentation, will return to the Turin stage after more than a decade.
Stage News: DAZED Stage and Unreleased Collaborations
The DAZED Stage represents C2C's first expansion within the Lingotto. Designed to host longer performances and experimental formats, it has already attracted the attention of internationally renowned DJs. Among the most striking collaborations are the Norwegian duo Yung Lean and Bladee, who will perform together for the first time in Italy, demonstrating the festival's ability to combine cloud rap and electronic club music.
A billboard that crosses generations and genres
The lineup is a veritable postcard of contemporary sounds: Robyn, Arca, Kelela, Oklou, and The Avalanches alternate with more underground acts like Shygirl and Grüp. Oklou, with her album "Choke Enough," brings sparse melodies reminiscent of Y2K aesthetics to the stage, while The Avalanches, returning with "No Bad Memories," offer a nostalgic journey through samples and infectious rhythms.
The mix of legendary names—Franco Battiato, Aphex Twin, SOPHIE—with new digital pop voices reflects the definition of avant-pop that the festival has adopted in recent years. This ability to bridge the gap between club music and artistic experience is why Pitchfork calls it "the pinnacle of avant-garde eclecticism."
Internationalization and impact on the public
In 2024, the festival attracted 41.000 spectators, 33% of whom were international. The following year, that figure rose to 40%, bringing the total attendance to 42.000. This year, for the first time, international guests outnumbered Italians, making up 53% of the audience, while 78% of attendees were under 35.
After its New York debut in May 2025, C2C replicated its success at the Knockdown Center, where all tickets sold out. On October 15, 2025, the festival then colonized London's Barbican, confirming its ability to attract global audiences and transform each venue into a celebration of sonic diversity.
The future of the festival and the memory of Sergio Ricciardone
2025 marked the loss of Sergio Ricciardone, co-founder and creative soul of the project. The 2026 edition was dedicated to him, with his name projected onto the Mole Antonelliana, the symbol of the host city. The artistic direction is now headed by Guido Savini, who has maintained the vision of originality and openness.
In honor of Ricciardone, C2C Curators was created , a free training program for young music curators. This year, the program selected twelve talents from over two hundred applicants, ensuring generational continuity and new creative energy for the festival.
The twenty-fifth edition of C2C is a journey through the history of Turin clubbing, a bridge between past and future, and a concrete demonstration of how electronic music can become a driver of cultural innovation on a global level.