Italian Vaporwave Nights: A Journey Through Music, Friendship, and Nostalgia (Written by ALPHA CENTAURI アルファ)

Written by ALPHA CENTAURI アルフ, Edited by VNN

Discovering Vaporwave and Future Funk

It was a strange coincidence, really. Around the spring of 2015, a handful of Italian producers—myself included—stumbled upon Vaporwave and Future Funk seemingly at the same time. My early tracks had started circulating on Artzie Music, and I found myself witnessing an exciting and expansive phenomenon. Back then, the Italian music scene was saturated with emerging trap artists and indie singer-songwriters. Honestly, we were over it.

Through Facebook, we Vaporwave and Future Funk producers connected and began building friendships. By another odd twist of fate, five of us turned out to be from Tuscany: Quadrato X, Electric Dreams, Starloma, Oculus Drift, and myself. With that foundation, it felt only natural to say, “Why don’t we organize a night to play Vaporwave live in front of an audience?”

Live: The First Vaporwave Night

We chose Florence as the location, and the event took place on September 25th, 2015. Unfortunately, due to a series of unlucky circumstances, I couldn’t attend. That night, however, has become legendary among us. The lineup included Android Apartment, Windjammer 95 (Starloma), Combo Reseller, Cape Coral, Oculus Drift, and possibly Quadrato X.

There are historical artifacts from that night: a trailer and a mini-documentary made by Android Apartment. Those early steps gave birth to the idea of forming a true collective—one that would bring Vaporwave Nights to venues across Italy.

The Collective Behind It…

The lineup wasn’t fixed. Sometimes there were five of us performing, other times just two. The audience’s response was always enthusiastic. We had people traveling hundreds of kilometers to hear us play, often without knowing where they’d sleep afterward. I remember a couple of fans who ended up sleeping on the beach—epic times.

From the second Vaporwave Night onward, I became heavily involved, and it turned into an unforgettable adventure. The best part? Meeting all the producers whose music I had been listening to and becoming friends with them. I ended up hosting nearly all of them at my house at one point or another. Android Apartment and I even spent three days exploring my hometown before playing one of the most memorable Vaporwave Nights together.

Eventually, since I was studying in Florence, I ended up living with Quadrato X. The Tuscan core of Vaporwave became something of a brotherhood.

Memorable Nights and Stand Out Shows

For me, the most memorable shows were the second-ever Vaporwave Night, the first one in Milan, and the one in Marina di Massa.

At my first performance, I wore LED sneakers, a hoodie with an LED zipper and a massive goldchain. It was my very first DJ set. I remember playing plenty of Artzie Music classics by artists like Supersex420, Macross, and Yung Bae. Behind me, scenes from Sailor Moon and other anime were projected onto a wall. Quadrato X played before me, showcasing his iconic Macintosh setup—a mystery to this day in terms of how it actually works.

The first Milan show took place at Love, a bar with a strong ’80s/’90s aesthetic in a bustling part of the city. The venue could hold about 30 people, but at the peak of the night, there were nearly 400 outside. During my set, I threw a T-shirt with my logo (designed by a close friend) into the crowd. The guy who caught it kissed his girlfriend and held the shirt aloft like a trophy. Moments like that are what keep artists going. It was also the first time I performed with the full Future Funk gang—Android and Cape Coral included.

Then there was Marina di Massa in the spring of 2016. A small bar had just opened with a marble counter, a Venus statue, and LEDs illuminating the marble. I saw it and thought, “This place is perfect. We’re playing here.” I called Quadrato X, Android, and Starloma, and we made it happen. Android stayed at my place for three days, during which we managed to get into a minor car accident, play an amazing DJ set, and create memes for the ages. Not bad, right? Harambe had recently passed away, so we honored him with a sign above the DJ console. Once again, a venue designed for maybe 10 people ended up hosting about 150.

What happened to the Vaporwave Nights?

Over time, the passion behind the nights began to fade. We started arguing over how to improve the events. We couldn’t agree on much. Eventually, discouragement took over, especially as we all grew up and faced real-life responsibilities and new ambitions. But before it ended, we had one last Vaporwave Night in 2019. Oculus Drift curated an incredible setup, complete with plants and old CRT TVs to create the stage. The lineup featured Bl00dwave, Saito, Tassony, Glashida, Quadrato X, and Electric Dreams. It was a phenomenal conclusion to our journey.

Lessons and Looking Back

I’ve learned that when life offers you something that feels like a dream, you have to chase it as far as you can. Even if the audience isn’t always huge, the tracks aren’t perfect, or the money isn’t there. Vaporwave Nights brought me friends, adventures, and a sense of belonging. They showed me there’s always room for those who dare to be different.

It was also a valuable lesson in how challenging it can be to manage artistic projects when friendships are involved. But I don’t regret any of it. I just hope that with the 10th anniversary of the first Vaporwave Night approaching, we can organize a celebratory event. It would be amazing to relive that magic one more time.

ALPHA CENTAURI アルファ aka Luca is an "ex-Future Funk niche micro celebrity, now Vaporwave enthusiast". You can listen to the reissue of ALPHA CENTAURI アルファ's legendary Future Funk album "Ten Summer Whispers" on Bandcamp and follow his more recent projects like Limina.