About Avanzi di Balera

Avanzi di Balera is a digital no-profit archive of club flyers dedicated to preserving the graphic heritage of Italian nightlife. We collect, catalog, and make accessible the visual artifacts of Italy’s clubbing culture from 1922 to the present.

In the 1980s, Italian politician Gianni De Michelis emerged as an unlikely figure in the nation’s nightlife scene. While serving in prominent government positions as a member of the Italian Socialist Party (PSI), De Michelis cultivated such a passion for the dance floor that in 1988 he authored “Dove andiamo a ballare questa sera?” (English: Where Shall We Dance Tonight?), a guidebook reviewing 250 Italian nightclubs.

When corruption charges swept through the Socialist ranks during the Mani Pulite investigations of the 1990s, De Michelis found himself among the accused. It was then that journalist Enzo Biagi crystallized the viveur politician’s dual notoriety with three cutting words: “un avanzo di balera“, literally “a dance hall leftover,” a play on the expression “avanzo di galera” (jailhouse leftover, or ex-convict).

We could imagine no name more perfectly Italian, more precisely fitting. These club flyers are themselves avanzi di balera, the ephemeral paper traces left over from nights spent in Italy’s baleras.

Avanzi di Balera is a project by Buio Studio, the creative partnership of Yaser Ahmady and Marica Martella. For over fifteen years, they have inhabited the nocturnal landscape of Italian entertainment, working as photographers, VJs, designers, and event organizers.

Thanks to the following contributors and sources for providing some of the flyers: Old Skool Techno Trance Hardcore Lovers, Disc Jockey Time, Costanza Rovetta, Flyer Collection, David Lussana, Sara Parsani, Dario Frettoli, Ludovica Belotti, Andrea Paolucci, Decadance, OBY One, Rivista Studio and Soundwall.

Thanks to the following creatives for creating the flyers: AG Fronzoni, Ago Grafica, Alex Ortiga, Andrea Tristano, Christophe Bonardi, cianomagenta, Federico Fazio, Filippo Moia, Filippo Repi Emfshe, Fortunato Depero, Francesco Tosini, Gianluca Lonigro, Gianni Arnaudo, Giusy Amoroso, Grafiche Monforte, Krstn Klkv, Lorem, Luca Masini, Luca Trevisani, Massimo Mariotti, Matteo Sacchi (Seik, 6K), Meeduse (Marica Martella), Michele Nannini, Naturaliter, Nicola Benetti, Pedro Lemos, Studio Frames, Studio Proclama, Studio Temp, Superexpresso (Michele Angelo), Tisbor, Vittoria Drago and [email protected].

Thanks to the following discos, clubs, venues, parties, festivals, and promoters for hosting the events: _Underpop, Accademia Carrara, Alien, Alterego, Amnesia, Android, Angels of Love, AntiCop-Rave, Aqva Disco Village, Area City, Artkademy, Bar Americano, Barabba, Bauhaus Party, Benedicta, Black Moon, Black Winter Fest, Block, Boiler Room, Bolgia, Bologna Pride, Bragging, BSMNT, Bunker, BXR Superclub, Cabaret Del Diavolo, Campo Comunale di Cerveteri, Campus Music Industry, Cartoon Club, Cassero, Castelbosco, Circolo dei Cerchi, Circolo Magnolia, Clique Club, Club Desiderio, Club Imperiale, Club To Club, Cocoricò, Colosseo, Crossover, Cryzyed, Cyberspeak, Cyborg Disco, Dadada’, Daho Club, Daste, Diabolika, Dirty Shoes, Disco Maui Corporation, Discopasta, Discosizer, Discoteca Barbarella, Discoteca Castello, Distretto Industriale 4, Diva Disco, Easy Life Disco, Echoes Party, Edoné, Ex Dogana, Ex Idroscalo Militare Ivo Monti, Fabbrica del Vapore, Festival Moderno, Filagosto Festival, Flamingo, Flash Back, Free USB Clubbin’, Futurama, Gang Of Ducks, Gatto Blu, Gheodrome, Heaven, Horus Club, Infestazioni Soniche, INK Club, Insomnia, Italia Network, Juice, JuJube, Juno, Kaos, King, King’s, Kinki, Klang, KOSMOSPIEL, Krakatoa, La dama, La giostra delle stelle, La notte del male, Lattepiù, Libera la festa, Macao, Macrillo, Male Productions, Matmos, Maxi Disco Clemalù, Medicina, Metanoia, Metempsicosi, MIAMI, Mist Erya, Mister Do, Mosquito Acid Valley, Motion Club, Movement, Nicola Parente, Night Management, NOI Techpark Alto Adige, Noise Lab, Number One, Olstad Sound System, Outlaw Sound, Palladium Club, Papastuff, PATHE STUDIOS, Phenomania, Piranha Club, Plus 8, Polaresco, Quasar, Radar Concerti, RAM Studios, Redz Production, REIBU レイブ, Rensi Club, Rete Neurale Milano E.S.T., Rione Rosso, ROBOT Festival, Royalton, Satanika, Sheds, SIMPSON TRIP, sparta. nel bosco, Spiral Tribe, Spray, Stay Calmo, Summer Teknival Italy, Teatro del Falcone, Palazzo Reale, Teatro Principe, Tempio del Futuro Perduto, Tenax, Terraforma, Tête à tête, The Exhibition, The Italian New Wave, The Kings Rave, Transart, Tunnel Club, Twist And Shout, Ubiq, Under Construction – Italian Hardcore Movement, Under Music Club, Upstairs, VialeRossiProject, Villa Arconati, Vox Club, Warp, We Are The Gang, Wed Floor and Zen.