Australia’s cult techno gathering CLOSER Festival is officially heading to Europe for the first time this summer, as influential underground figure SPEZ brings the revered concept to Bosnia & Herzegovina with an inaugural edition set to take place in Livno from July 24–26, 2026.
Long recognized within Australia’s underground electronic scene for its immersive atmosphere and uncompromising approach to techno culture, CLOSER now enters a new chapter with a destination event deeply rooted in both personal history and regional identity. Beyond the music itself, the festival promises a uniquely layered experience shaped by natural landscapes, cultural immersion, wellness programming, and community-focused exploration.
Founded as an extension of SPEZ’s broader creative vision through Warg Records, CLOSER Festival first built its reputation through celebrated events across Sydney, Perth, and Melbourne, steadily becoming one of Australia’s most respected underground brands. The move into Europe feels particularly meaningful given that Livno is also SPEZ’s hometown, adding a strong emotional and cultural connection to the festival’s expansion.
Set beneath the dramatic Kamensko mountain range and alongside one of Europe’s largest man-made lakes, the fully camping-based festival will welcome approximately 5,000 attendees across a sprawling natural site designed to blur the line between escape, gathering, and musical pilgrimage. Guests will have access to lake swimming, lakeside bars and restaurants, and a dedicated social and wellness area titled “Ritam Kahve” — translated as “The Rhythm of Coffee” — where traditional Bosnian coffee rituals will accompany carefully curated daytime programming.
Musically, the festival will unfold across two immersive stages. The main stage will showcase internationally acclaimed artists spanning multiple corners of contemporary techno, while the dedicated CLOSER stage will focus on emerging talent, underground collectives, curated takeovers, and label showcases.
Featured hosting partners include Frazi.er’s PLTFRM, Amsterdam’s Vault Sessions, and Manchester’s Clergy Records, the influential imprint founded by Cleric that has become synonymous with uncompromising modern techno.
The lineup itself reflects a broad and carefully balanced spectrum of contemporary underground electronic music, bringing together internationally established selectors, live performers, and fast-rising artists. Among the featured names are Colin Benders (Live), Cleric, Daria Kolosova, Dax J, SLAM, Estella Boersma, Ignez, and Yanamaste, alongside an extensive roster of emerging talent shaping the future of the global techno scene.
Additional artists performing throughout the weekend include Alarico, Anné, Asarri, Bidoben, Blanka, Caine Sinclair, Caniche, Dasha Rush, Dizzy, DJ Ogi, E.DN B2B Reece, Elisa Bee, Frazi.er, Gary Beck, Hyden B2B Kabay, Insolate, Jamie & Lucas Bergen, Kim She, Lena, Lexed B2B Lobster, Marcel Fengler B2B Steya, Mython, Phil Berg, Rebecca Della Piane, Rene Wise, Sera J (Live), Sons of Hidden (Live), SPEZ, Stef Mendesidis (Live), and Stephanie Sykes.
Beyond the stages, the festival will further immerse attendees in the surrounding environment through organized excursions into the nearby Cincar mountain range, where guests will have the rare opportunity to witness Livno’s famous wild horses roaming freely across the landscape.
Since its inception, CLOSER has steadily built a reputation for championing authentic underground culture through collaborations with respected labels such as Clergy Records and Mutual Rytm. In 2023, the festival was also recognized by the Victorian Government as an event of cultural significance, reinforcing its growing influence beyond the dancefloor alone.
Now, with its first European edition arriving in Bosnia & Herzegovina, CLOSER Festival appears poised to evolve from a celebrated Australian underground institution into an international platform for boundary-pushing techno culture — one grounded equally in music, landscape, and meaningful cultural connection.