Anta Gathering is an immersive festival blending downtempo, psybass, psydub, dubstep, drum & bass, experimental bass, psytech, psydark, hitech, and more – an alternative electronic music experience intertwined with nature, art, consciousness, and community. It takes place within a forested amphitheater by a river and lake – creating a deep, nature-immersed environment.

Anta Gathering 2025 is scheduled in Central Portugal (Viseu) and will run from Thursday, 28 August 2025, starting at around midnight, through Monday, 1 September 2025 (Gates Open at 16:00).

Interview by the psybient.org team on 21/08/25.

Hi Anta crew, you must be very busy, so thanks for your time. Tell us how and when was the beginning for you? What has inspired you to make the festival?

Anta was born from our shared love for bass music and alternative psychedelic electronic sounds – styles we felt were missing from most European festival lineups. We’ve all experienced how transformative these genres can be, and we wanted to create a space where they’re not on the sidelines, but at the heart of the dancefloor. After our recent European tour a year ago we’ve encountered a family land in Portugal and knew right away this will be the home for our festival.

Our vision was to build the kind of gathering we ourselves dream of: intimate yet international, experimental but still deeply dance-driven, rooted in nature and community. Portugal, with its untouched beauty and strong spirit of connection, felt like the perfect home for this dream. Anta is our way of bringing these sounds and values forward, and shaping a community that celebrates something a little different, a little deeper.

What is your experience in organizing festivals, parties?

As a crew, we’ve been involved in underground culture and events for the most part of the last decade – from throwing small, intimate gatherings and club nights to producing larger multi-day experiences. Some of us come from the DJ and music side, others from production, arts, and community organizing. Anta is the natural evolution of that journey.

We’ve seen firsthand what makes a dancefloor feel alive, what makes people feel safe and connected, and how much detail goes into creating a space where music, nature, and community can truly meet. With Anta, we’re bringing together all of that experience – our lessons from the past, our network of artists, and our passion for culture – into one collective vision.

How many stages and spaces do you have?

Anta will feature two stages:

Main Stage: bass music by day, dark psychedelic styles by night (Zenon, Psytech, Psydark, Hitech, Psycore).

Anternative Stage: live music, workshops, jam sessions, downtempo, deep dubstep, and ambient journeys.

Anta Gallery and Art Space – more than 15 presenting their work of art in a full immersive gallery and live art space – where people can experience psychedelic and mind expending art in a natural beautiful space. Alongside these, there will be chill-out and gathering spaces flowing with the forest, river, and lake as well as a big gallery and art space where people can experience full on immersive psychedelic art and live art being created. We want to create a full spectrum of experiences from high-energy dancefloors to moments of rest and connection.

What do you think will make people travel from abroad to join your event?

We believe people will travel for Anta because it offers something you don’t often find in Europe: a festival where bass music and alternative psychedelic sounds are truly in the spotlight. For too long, these genres have been underrepresented, and we know there’s a global community hungry for them. Add to that our location – an untouched piece of land in central Portugal with forests, a river, and a lake – and the intimate scale of the gathering, limited in size to keep the vibe personal, connected, and family-like.

And of course, the lineup: artists you rarely see in Europe, extended sets, collaborations, and a curation that’s both experimental and deeply dancefloor-driven. So whether it’s the music, the art, the nature, or the community, Anta offers an experience different enough – and special enough – to make the journey worthwhile.

How important is downtempo/chill music for your festival?

Downtempo and chill music are absolutely central to Anta. They’re not just background sounds – they shape the atmosphere, give people space to breathe, and create some of the most powerful, emotional moments on the dancefloor. Our Alternative Stage is already a home for those deeper, slower frequencies – from ambient journeys to deep dubstep and downtempo grooves.

And here’s a little secret for the psybient and downtempo lovers: our long-term vision is that, as Anta grows, the Main Stage will become fully bass music and downtempo-oriented. It’s part of our DNA, and we see it as the natural evolution of the festival. This doesn’t mean our love for the darker, faster trance music is going anywhere – it will simply have its own dedicated stage, giving even more room for special acts and artists to shine. So for us, chill and downtempo aren’t side dishes – they’re part of the main story we’re telling with Anta.

What do you like about uptempo music for your festival?

We love uptempo music because it brings intensity, catharsis, and that wild edge that keeps a dancefloor alive through the night. Darker and faster trance brings the quality of a deep psychedelic experience and a dancefloor where each person can fully sink into themselves – beautifully balanced by the more playful and communicative bass and downtempo floors. It’s important for us to keep that spectrum. Uptempo music creates those moments where everyone is fully unleashed together, and at Anta it will always have a dedicated space to shine – curated for depth, quality, and unique performances rather than just volume or speed.

Who will be your headliners this year?

We are featuring a wide range of Headliners going from Downtempo, Psydub and Psybass through Zenon all the way to Psycore:

Grouch & Grouch in Dub (Solo), Oroboro – 8-hour live odyssey, MantisMash, Quanta, Loose Connection, Sense Datum, Eurythmy, SourOne, Akasha Experience, Mythic Rogue.

What are the biggest difficulties for festival preparation?

One of the biggest challenges is definitely financial. As an independent festival without big corporate backing, every step requires careful balance between staying true to our artistic vision and making the numbers work. Another challenge is building a community in a new country. Anta is based in Portugal, but we’re reaching out to an international crowd while also rooting ourselves in the local scene. That means creating trust, visibility, and excitement from the ground up – not only curating the lineup but also showing people why this gathering is worth traveling or committing to.

And of course, selling tickets is always a real test for any new festival. It’s not just about marketing, it’s about telling a story people want to be part of. For us, the challenge is turning curiosity into commitment – and every ticket sold is another person who believes in the vision with us. The resilience comes from knowing these struggles are part of the path. They push us to stay creative, keep our message authentic, and grow step by step into the community we’re dreaming of.

The summer is very charged with many festivals, what do you think about the concurrence between different festivals?

It’s true that the summer is full of festivals – especially in Europe – but we don’t really see it as competition in the traditional sense. Every festival has its own story, its own energy, and attracts the people who resonate with it. For us, Anta isn’t about being the biggest – it’s about being different.

We’re bringing forward bass music and alternative psychedelic sounds that are often missing in European lineups, curating extended sets and collaborations, and keeping the gathering intimate so the community can really connect. In that way, the variety of festivals actually feels like a strength. It gives people more choice, and it allows each event to find its unique place in the culture. We believe the people who feel called to Anta will make the journey – not because there’s no other option, but because it speaks to them in a way nothing else does.

What message would you like to send to people who will join this year’s edition?

Our message is simple: come with an open heart. Anta isn’t just a lineup or a location – it’s a community being born. Every person who joins this first edition is helping to shape its spirit and future. We invite you to bring your full self – your love for music, your creativity, your playfulness, your respect for nature and each other.

Together we’ll co-create something rare: an intimate, international gathering where bass, downtempo, and psychedelic sounds meet the beauty of the Portuguese land and the magic of human connection. If you’re with us this year, you’re part of the roots of Anta. And we can’t wait to dance, dream, and grow with you.

LINKS:

https://www.instagram.com/anta.gathering/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572855002413