Meeting delle Etichette Indipendenti: here's the program (Faenza, October 1–4)

The “30 e lode!” edition of MEI, the Meeting delle Etichette Indipendenti — one of the most important Italian independent music showcases, conceived and coordinated by Giordano Sangiorgi — will take place from October 1st to 4th in Faenza (Ravenna). Four days of musical crossover focused heavily on the music of the new generations, with talks, awards, concerts and events dedicated to the independent music industry. Below is the description of the program confirmed so far.

On October 1st, in Piazza della Libertà from 7 pm, the calendar of events will officially open with the new edition of the Premio Arte Tamburini, a now well-established event eagerly awaited by liscio fans. This year the award will go to Francesca Mazzuccato, one of the most beloved voices in contemporary Romagna ballroom dance music. Guests announced for the evening include Gli Alluvionati del Liscio, long associated with the figure of Arte Tamburini.
The Premio Giovani will instead be awarded to Flaminia Boscolo. There will also be awards and recognitions dedicated to the new generations of liscio, a field in which Faenza continues to stand out as one of the most vibrant scenes thanks to the presence of numerous young musicians.

On Friday, October 2nd, again in Piazza della Libertà from 8 pm, the spotlight will turn to the languages of Generation Z, with a day dedicated to urban and rap sounds — a scene that has grown outside traditional circuits but is especially active in and around Faenza and Romagna. Last year the award went to 18k, an artist who took his first steps right at Faenza's MEI about ten years ago. The event's special guest will be Fiore, a young rapper from Cesena known for his hard-hitting, autobiographical lyrics, alongside performances by Dize, Feli, Lorè, Sagi, Jojo Vibes Culture, Ghina, Secch, Penna, Wircon, Sikandro, Smellboy, Giovane Bish, Per La Sese, RN Squad and Vorss. Artistic direction is by Clayc, a well-known producer of the new Romagna rap scene.

Saturday, October 3rd, running from morning until late into the night, will be one of the central moments of this new MEI edition, as all the live stages will open across Piazza del Popolo, Piazza della Libertà, Piazza Martiri della Libertà and many other venues, with numerous awards and events dedicated to independent music, music criticism and the artists at the forefront of the contemporary scene. Cisco (formerly of Modena City Ramblers) will collect the PIMI – Premio Italiano Musica Indipendente 2026. The award, created and coordinated since 2014 by Federico Guglielmi and Giordano Sangiorgi, has over the years gone to numerous leading figures of Italian independent music, including Mannarino, Cesare Basile & Iosonouncane, Motta, Brunori Sas, Zen Circus, Giovanni Truppi, Colapesce Dimartino, Amerigo Verardi, C'Mon Tigre, Lucio Corsi, Estra and Eugenio Finardi.
Also on October 3rd, the Targa Mei Artista Emergente 2026 will be awarded to Lamante, who will also receive it during the 11th edition of the Forum del Giornalismo Musicale on Sunday, October 4th, directed by Enrico Deregibus. The young singer-songwriter from Veneto will also perform on the main stage in Piazza della Libertà on Saturday, October 3rd. The same day, Motta will headline a special event marking the tenth anniversary of “La fine dei vent'anni,” his celebrated album released in March 2016 that became a cornerstone record of new Italian songwriting and the indie generation, also a past PIMI winner. Ten years after its release, the Tuscan singer-songwriter will look back on the album's history and legacy in a public afternoon talk with Federico Guglielmi. In the evening, on the festival's main stage, he will receive an award and perform live with a selection of his songs.
That same day, España Circo Este and Duo Bucolico will receive, at the end of their performance, the MEI Award for Best Independent Song of the Year for the track “Boicotta il palazzetto,” a manifesto single reflecting on the relationship between major events, live music and the sustainability of the independent system, while young singer-songwriter Birthh will be presented with the Premio Giovani MEI-Exitwell. During the day on October 3rd, the Premio Michele Manzotti will also be presented to Federico Guglielmi, one of Italy's most authoritative music journalists and critics — an award dedicated to the memory of the veteran La Nazione journalist and aimed at honoring figures who have significantly contributed to the growth of music journalism in Italy.

Saturday, October 3rd will also see the launch of the 8th edition of the Fiera del Disco, organized by MEI and Music Day Roma at the Salone delle Bandiere in Palazzo del Comune. The event will continue on October 4th, with free admission and more than 50 exhibitors from across Italy showcasing vinyl, CDs, books, memorabilia and rarities. Meet-and-greets and book/record signings with leading figures of Italian music are also planned. The day will close with the traditional MEI Notte Bianca, featuring a packed lineup of independent DJ sets, including already confirmed appearances by Lacrima Party, Indie Power, Max Monti and Mauro Pilato in Gam Gam, among many others. The closing day, Sunday, October 4th, will be dedicated to the Lifetime Achievement Award for Gang and to the region's best talents, alongside themes of inclusion and spirituality, in honor of St. Francis, Patron Saint of Italy.
The legendary folk-rock band The Gang will indeed collect the MEI Lifetime Achievement Award and perform with the Orchestra di Musica Popolare di Forlimpopoli. Opening the afternoon will be Lennon Kelly, among the best independent artists from Romagna. The stage will also host the winners of the national contest “Il Mio Cantico Libero,” organized together with the Comitato Nazionale San Francesco 800 and the Ministry of Culture, as well as the winners of Pythika, the competition promoted by L'Arte nel Cuore under the patronage of the Ministry for Disabilities led by Alessandra Locatelli.
The evening will close with the Coro Ologramma, winner of Pythika, who under the direction of Maestro Pier Giacomo Zauli will lead a performance of St. Francis's “Cantico delle Creature,” the first Italian singer-songwriter composition, joined by numerous other choirs and anyone who wishes to come and sing freely. The show will culminate in a huge collective flash mob open to all. Over the two days of October 3rd and 4th, the winners of more than 50 contests from all over Italy will perform, representing the sound of the country's future, alongside the finalists of Onda Rosa Indipendente and the winners of regional contests such as Rockmagna Mia and many others.
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