Beebox Launches Honeypot Techno and Art Series in Rijeka

Rijeka's electronic music scene has welcomed a new creative concept as local DJ Beebox launches Honeypot, an event series combining underground techno with visual art, photography, fashion and performance. After attracting more than 100 visitors to its debut at Manual, the project is preparing a series of new events designed to connect emerging artists and bring fresh energy to the Croatian city's nightlife.

A new creative initiative is taking shape in Rijeka's electronic music community, bringing together DJs, visual artists and other emerging talents under a single concept. Honeypot, founded by local DJ and music enthusiast Bruno Pavlić, better known as Beebox, aims to move beyond traditional club events by creating a space where music and different artistic disciplines can interact. The project reflects a growing interest in experiences that combine underground electronic sounds with exhibitions, performances and opportunities for creative collaboration.

The initiative has already made an encouraging debut, with its first event, TECHNO meets ART, attracting more than 100 visitors to Rijeka's Manual venue. Organised in collaboration with artist Doris Lenarčić, the gathering brought together local DJs and contemporary visual artwork in an event designed to showcase the city's emerging creative community. According to Croatian electronic music publication Klubska Scena, the turnout exceeded the organisers' expectations and provided a promising foundation for further editions.

For Beebox, Honeypot represents both a personal artistic project and an opportunity to strengthen connections between different parts of Rijeka's cultural scene. Rather than building another conventional techno party series, he wants to establish a platform where music, visual expression and creative experimentation can develop together.

From Mathematics Classroom to Underground Techno

Bruno Pavlić's journey into electronic music follows an unconventional path. Originally from Varaždin and now based in Rijeka, he works as a mathematics and physics teacher while developing his career as a DJ. Although he began performing publicly towards the end of 2024, his interest in music dates back much further and was initially shaped by genres outside electronic dance music.

Growing up, Pavlić listened to a wide range of pop and rock artists, including David Bowie, Lady Gaga and The Prodigy. Those influences helped shape his appreciation for music that combines strong artistic identities with energetic performances. During his university years, he became increasingly interested in techno, discovering a musical environment that offered opportunities for experimentation, personal expression and interaction with audiences.

His current sound brings together hypnotic techno, hardgroove and hardpop, creating a style that combines underground rhythmic structures with elements influenced by pop and rock. Rather than following a strictly defined genre, Beebox favours musical combinations that allow different influences to coexist, creating sets that move between immersive grooves and more intense dance-floor moments.

Until August, he was involved with Rijeka-based electronic music collective Peak Time, gaining experience within the local scene before deciding to pursue an independent direction. The launch of Honeypot marked the beginning of that next chapter, allowing him to develop a concept reflecting both his musical preferences and his broader interest in contemporary art.

His transition from collective member to independent organiser demonstrates the role that smaller creative initiatives can play in a city's cultural development. By creating opportunities for collaboration, emerging performers can build networks and reach audiences without relying exclusively on established clubs or larger commercial events.

Honeypot Debut Combines DJs and Retrofuturist Art

The first Honeypot gathering established the project's artistic direction by combining a carefully structured musical programme with a visual exhibition. Held at Manual in Rijeka, TECHNO meets ART was designed as an experience that gradually developed in intensity throughout the evening, beginning with accessible house rhythms before moving into deeper and more energetic electronic music.

The DJ lineup featured Lemm, Petlja, Skarros and Kizo performing back-to-back, followed by AgressoR and Beebox. Their performances introduced different musical approaches, ranging from hypnotic grooves and underground techno to harder techno and harddance. This progression allowed the event to showcase the diversity of younger artists working within Rijeka's electronic music community.

Alongside the performances, visitors were introduced to Futural, a visual art collection conceived as 21 pages of an imaginary comic book. Inspired by retrofuturism and the Space Age aesthetic, the project explored historical interpretations of the future through references to fashion, design and popular culture.

The collection drew inspiration from influential designers Pierre Cardin, André Courrèges and Paco Rabanne, whose work helped establish the visual language of futuristic fashion during the twentieth century. By reinterpreting those influences, Futural connected the optimism and experimentation of earlier design movements with the experiences of contemporary young people.

Unlike a conventional comic book, the exhibition did not follow a fixed narrative. Visitors were encouraged to explore the artwork in their preferred order, creating personal interpretations of the images and themes. The collection reflected everyday experiences, challenges and aspirations associated with growing up, while leaving space for imagination and individual perspectives.

That freedom of interpretation provided a connection between the exhibition and the electronic music programme. Both encouraged audiences to engage with creative material in their own way, whether through movement on the dance floor or exploration of the visual artwork. The combination helped establish Honeypot's identity as an event where different artistic forms complement one another rather than compete for attention.

New Events Will Introduce Photography and Performance Art

Following the encouraging response to its debut, Honeypot is preparing several new editions, each featuring a distinct musical direction and accompanying artistic programme. The organisers intend to continue introducing new collaborators while exploring different ways to connect electronic music with photography, fashion, visual installations and live performances.

The second Honeypot event is planned for late November and will feature performance artist Ethriiel alongside a photography exhibition by Anja Viktorija Peršić. The musical programme is expected to include Petlja, a back-to-back performance from Thea Kick and !va, Beebox and Satira. The combination will extend the original concept by introducing artistic disciplines that were not central to the first gathering.

Plans for the third edition include an appearance by Gianmarco Sillveti, a resident DJ associated with Berlin's renowned Tresor club. His inclusion would introduce an international dimension to the event series, connecting Rijeka's developing underground scene with one of Europe's most established techno communities.

A fourth edition is also planned, this time focusing on a harder and more intense electronic music sound. According to the organisers' plans reported by Klubska Scena, Honeypot Vol. 4 will take place at Rijeka's Crkva club, marking the project's first event at that venue.

The planned programmes demonstrate Beebox's intention to develop Honeypot as a flexible cultural platform rather than a series of identical club nights. By changing the musical direction and accompanying artistic content, each edition could appeal to different audiences while maintaining the project's focus on creative collaboration.

Although details of the future events remain subject to confirmation, the announced plans suggest an ambition to expand gradually while continuing to involve local artists.

A New Platform for Rijeka's Creative Community

Honeypot's broader ambition is to establish stronger relationships between Rijeka's electronic music scene and other creative communities. The organisers hope to involve painters, photographers, designers, fashion creators and performance artists, providing opportunities for collaboration that might not otherwise develop within conventional nightlife settings.

The concept responds to an important challenge faced by emerging artists: finding accessible spaces where they can present their work, connect with audiences and build relationships with people from other disciplines. By integrating exhibitions and performances into electronic music events, Honeypot aims to create an environment where creative work becomes part of the wider social experience.

Rijeka has a longstanding reputation for alternative culture and independent artistic expression, providing an appropriate environment for projects that challenge conventional event formats. Its mixture of music venues, creative spaces and local artistic communities offers opportunities for organisers willing to experiment with new approaches.

For Beebox, the goal is not simply to fill a dance floor but to encourage a network of people interested in shaping the city's creative identity. That ambition could help differentiate Honeypot from events focused primarily on headline DJs, particularly if future editions continue giving meaningful space to visual and performance artists.

The project's first gathering demonstrated that there is at least an initial audience for this approach. More than 100 visitors attended the debut, while the programme brought together several emerging DJs and an exhibition exploring themes beyond electronic music. Maintaining that interest over multiple editions will be an important test of the concept's long-term potential.

The next events will provide opportunities to assess how the project develops as new collaborators join and the artistic programme expands. Introducing international guests while retaining a strong connection with local talent could become an important part of that development.

Honeypot represents an encouraging new addition to Rijeka's underground electronic music scene. Through Bruno Pavlić's vision, the project brings together techno, visual art and creative experimentation in a format designed to encourage collaboration and support emerging talent. With its debut already attracting a positive response and several new editions planned, Honeypot has begun building a platform where music and art can develop side by side, offering a fresh direction for the city's independent nightlife culture.