Cool Mayor Alert! Genoa’s Mayor Silvia Salis was spotted front row, fully locked in during a massive open-air techno set from none other than Charlotte de Witte. What started as a city-organized cultural event quickly turned into something much bigger. Over 20,000 people flooded Piazza Matteotti for the free show, transforming the historic square into a full-blown techno arena.

Silvia wasn’t just cutting ribbons; she was in the crowd, dancing, filming, and embracing the moment like any seasoned raver. Naturally, the clips exploded across social media, bouncing from dance music circles into mainstream European news feeds almost instantly.

Booking Charlotte de Witte for a free public set is a statement. Known for her uncompromising, high-intensity techno sets, de Witte represents the deeper, darker end of the spectrum. Silvia Salis and her team clearly know what’s good.

Rather than playing it safe with a pop act, Salis leaned into underground culture to energize a city often labeled as aging and slow-moving. The result? A packed square, a viral moment, and a blueprint for how electronic music can reshape a city’s identity in real time. She had this to say:

“These are the facts for young people. It’s a wonderful spectacle. we need to bring this city to life.”