Surfer Joe Summer Festival Explained

Music Festival Name:	SJSF
Location:	Livorno, Tuscany, Italy
Years Active:	2003-2004, 2008-2019, 2023–present
Founders:	Lorenzo and Luca Valdambrini
Dates:	Usually last weekend in June
Genre:	surf music, beat music, instrumental, exotica
Website:	surferjoemusic.com:
Surfer Joe Summer Festival

The Surfer Joe Summer Festival, also known as SJSF, is an annual music festival dedicated to surf music organized by Surfer Joe Music that is held in Livorno, Italy.

The multi-day event features live performances from surf and instrumental bands from all over the world on multiple stages, symposia and workshops dedicated to the history and techniques of surf music, displays of historic musical instruments, movie screenings, musician meet and greets, dancing to DJs, and a shopping marketplace.^[1]

History

The festival was created and founded in 2003^[2] by Lorenzo Valdambrini (aka Surfer Joe), who went on to organize the first two editions.

After a 4 year break, in 2008, Lorenzo's brother Luca Valdambrini encouraged relaunching the event and formed the official cultural association Surfer Joe Music, which would organize the event moving forward.

Since 2012, the festival has taken place at, and outside, of Surfer Joe’s Diner^[3] on Livorno's seafront promenade, Terrazza Mascagni.

International recognition

Massimo Ponte writes: "The SJSF is considered the largest surf music event on this planet".

John Blair mentions it in his book Southern California surf music, 1960-1966: "Today, surf instrumental bands are all over the planet. There is a sizeable core audience that grows every year. Several websites are devoted to this music, and large surf music festivals are held annually in places such as Orange County (SG101 Convention), Italy (Surfer Joe Summer Fest) [...]. You do not have to search very far to find surf music these days".^[4]

Timothy J. Cooley mentions the festival in his book Surfing About Music: "In spring 2002, Valdambrini created the web site surferjoemusic.com to promote the Italian Surf Music scene. Then in the winter of 2003, he began producing shows featuring bands playing Surf Music at several venues in Italy, followed by a series of Surfin' Sundays events that paired Italian and International bands. The summer was rounded out with the first Summer Festival of Surf Music, held on the beach of Marina di Massa, a small town north of Pisa"^[5]

Kent Crowley writes in his book Surf beat: rock 'n' roll's forgotten revolution: "Ten years later, surf music attained a new measure of respect abroad when an Italian enthusiast named Lorenzo Valdambrini established an annual international festival. Named after the Surfaris song, the Surfer Joe Summer Festival has for nearly a decade celebrated California's first modern indigenous folk music..."^[6]

The Florentine mentions: "If you feel like taking a ride on an energy wave of epic proportions, head over to Livorno for the world’s number one surf music event! This beautiful stretch of Tuscan coast will become the setting of an intense four-day program of concerts, seminars and various attractions, all free of charge."^[7]

A German Surf Travel Blog writes, that the Surfer Joe Summer Festival is the biggest event for surf music worldwide with over 10.000 visitors. A music genre that has its roots in the surf culture of California in the 1960s and got famous thanks to the Beach Boys. Instrumental Rock'n'Roll with pumping riffs that sounds like waves and wanderlust are rolling in. "Mit über 10.000 Besuchern ist das Surfer Joe Summer Festival weltweit das größte Event für Surf Musik – ein Musikgenre, das in den 60ern mit der Surfkultur Kaliforniens entstand und durch die Beach Boys berühmt geworden ist. Instrumental Rock’n Roll mit pumpenden Riffs, der nach einrollenden Wellen und Fernweh klingt."^[8]

One Step 4ward writes in its article Surf’s up: Summer’s best surfing and music festivals about the 2014 edition: "Italy may not be as renowned for its surf scene as, say Sagres in Portugal or Cornwall in England, but that doesn’t stop the Surfer Joe Summer Festival from bringing together some of the best surf culture musicians in the business. Held from June 20 to 22 in Livorno, the festival is a three-day immersion into instrumental surf music. There’s also the chance to see a huge private Fender guitar collection with instruments made from the 40s to the 70s."^[9]

An article of The Two River Times about the Asbury Park Surf Music Festival mentions the Surfer Joe Summer Festival as "one of the biggest surf music festivals in the world."^[10]

The festival has been mentioned on National Today's article International Surf Music Month – June 2023: "On International Surf Music Month, surf music enthusiasts unite in a shared love for the genre. Concerts and events pop up everywhere — not just in the U.S. but also in places such as Canada, Mexico, and Italy. [...] 2003 Surfer Joe Summer Festival Lorenzo Valdambrini organizes the first edition of the Surfer Joe Summer Festival in Italy."^[11]

Editions

2003

Location: Beat Cafe', Poveromo, Massa

Bands: Bambi Molesters - Braccobaldos - Bradipos IV - Cosmogringos - Cosmonauti - Crashmen - Fantomatici - Faraons - Hangee V - Link Pretara & The Rudimentals - Los Rebaldos - Pipelines - Ray Daytona & Googoobombos - Revelaires - Slacktone - Tarantulas - Urania

2004

Location: Green Park, Calcinaia, Pisa

Bands: Astrophonix - Bahareebas - Bitch Boys - Los Venturas - Slacktone - Speedsurfers - Sunny Boys - Surfin' Lungs - Wet-Tones

2008

Location: Precisamente a Calafuria, Livorno

Bands: Ambasciatori dell'Amore - Barbwires - Bitch Boys - Charades - Crashmen - Favolosi Traslatori - Jaguar & Savanas - Rifflessi - Sexual Chocolate - Sunny Boys - Surfadelics - Surfoniani - Vibrants - Wadadli Riders & Daddy-O Grande - Wavers - Wet-Tones

2009

Location: Precisamente a Calafuria, Livorno

Bands: Bradipos IV - Cowabunga Go-Go - Docteur Legume Et Les Surfwerks - Ex Presidenti - Fantomatici - Hangee V - Hot Rod Surfers - Jumpin' Quails - Kilaueas - Les Arondes - Los Coronas - Madeira - Pipelines - Pollo Del Mar - Psycho Surfers - Rev Hank from Urban Surf Kings - Rodeo Clowns - Shuffles - Twang Marvels - Wadadli Riders

2010

Location: Otto e Mezzo Studios, Livorno

Bands: Ambasciatori Dell'amore - Astrophonix - El Ray - Los Straitjackets - King Kongs - Los Blue Marinos - Los Kahunas - Mule Skinners - Reverberati - Sinfonico Honolulu - Slacktone - Sunmakers - Surfadelics - Surfin' Lungs - Surfoniani - Razorblades - Wet-Tones - Twang Marvels - Wadadli Riders

2011

Location: Fortezza Vecchia Livorno, Livorno

Bands: Anacondas - Ava Kant - Bambi Molesters - Bradipos IV - Crashmen - Docteur Legume Et Les Surfwerks - John Blair Band - Kilaueas - Krontjong Devils - Los Derrumbes - Los Fantasticos - Phantom Four - Pocaonda - Psycho Surfers - Space Rangers - Sunny Boys - Surfer Joe & His Boss Combo - Wavers