Preview: Snowbombing '09

For the past ten years, while many have been only dreaming of the forthcoming festival season in Europe a select group of people have been heading to the Austrian Tyrol for the ultimate party in the snow. It has been dubbed the 'Olympics of Apres Ski' and this year celebrates a decade of partying on the slopes, it is Snowbombing! On March 29 Gigwise and several thousand others will be heading to Mayrhofen for the week long annual party in the Alps with acts such as Fatboy Slim, Biffy Clyro, Dizzee Rascal, La Roux and Ladyhawke plus a host of big name DJs set to entertain us.

Venues at Snowbombing range from the huge main arena to small sweatbox bars in the centre of Mayrhofen and then there is the WaldfestPlatz, a forest clearing on the side of a mountain where Madness played in 2008 and which the organisers have big plans for in 2009!

Notorious parties across the week include the Arctic Disco, which takes place 2000m up the Ahorn, and the Backcountry party which takes place in a 200 farm shed on the snowfields that lead up to the Tux Glacier. Probably the biggest party at Snowbombing though is reserved for the very centre of Mayrhofen when the organisers take over one of the main streets of the town with a huge PA and a host of bars, encourage everyone to put on fancy dress and then blast out music from the afternoon till late.

Alongside the off piste activities there is plenty of snow based fun across the 157km of powder including the Highway To Hell which sees 20 pro snowboarders competing for a 5K prize at the Vans Penken Park. GONEboarding are also there providing plenty of alcoholic beverages to those wanting to take in the action.

2009 also sees Gigwise get in on the action for first time with our King of the Mountain competition. Four bands, who have been whittled down from hundreds, will play live on Tuesday (March 31) afternoon to take home the title plus a slot on the night time festival bill and a cash prize of 2000 Euros.

Those bands are:

I Am Austin
Walk. Don't Walk
The Ragamuffins
Snowbyrds

Hopefully you can join us for our party and many of the others throughout the week of Snowbombing!

For more information Snowbombing, how to get there and to book a trip go to the official website HERE