Elevate Festival  

This five-night festival that runs through October takes place right in the cavernous heart of Graz, around the ancient Schlossberg mountain. The former fortress site that proved too tough even for Napolean to conquer, now houses the impressive Dom Im Berg, an event and exhibition hall with an enviable sound system and acoustics that has seen performances from the likes of kraut synth forerunners Cluster, pop-art oddballs Micachu & The Shapes, and first lady of bass Cooly G, as well as a host of Academy alumni and forward-looking music makers. Elevate isn't just about raving in the belly of a mountain however, as Graz's Stadtmuseum also hosts a series of music lectures and workshops, as well as films, discussion panels, and installations from a wide array of critical thinkers, activists, and artists. Red Bull Music Academy Radio jumped on the cable cars to get a lungful of fresh austrian air and the best sets from those pushing club sonics forward. Going up?