Creating Alpha

Building the Visual Identity of Alpha Show

In 2022, while working at RedCloud, I had the opportunity to contribute to what would later become one of the largest music festivals in Albania: Alpha Show.

At the time, the project was still taking shape. What was certain was that Noizy wanted to create a large-scale live music experience, and that the event would be called Alpha. Beyond that, many of the creative and communication decisions were still open for exploration. Several agencies and creative teams were involved in developing concepts for the event's visual direction, promotional materials, and overall identity.

RedCloud gave me the opportunity and creative freedom to develop a visual proposal for the project.

Creating Alpha

My first step was designing the original Alpha logo. From there, I developed a visual identity inspired by neon cyberpunk aesthetics, drawing influence from Japanese classics such as Akira. Rather than relying on the standard artist photography commonly used across concert promotions, I wanted Alpha to establish its own visual language through original illustrated artwork.

The result was a bold identity built around intense red neon lighting, dramatic contrasts, and illustrated portraits. The first key visual featured Noizy emerging from darkness, illuminated by a striking red glow, combined with the custom Alpha logo. The concept immediately resonated with the organizers because it gave the event a unique personality and made it instantly recognizable.

The objective was simple: create a visual world that felt larger than a concert.

From Concert Branding to Festival Identity

The initial response to the visual direction was overwhelmingly positive.

Following the presentation of Noizy's artwork, Universal Music requested additional illustrated posters for artists who would be joining the event. The first two artists I illustrated were Ghali and Loredana.

The impact of these posters exceeded expectations.

Shortly afterward, I was asked to expand the concept across the entire lineup. What initially appeared to be a concert was rapidly evolving into something much larger. The artist roster kept growing until it eventually reached nearly 30 performers, transforming Alpha from a single-headliner concert into a full-scale festival.

Around this stage, Noizy requested one final adjustment to the identity. The word "Show" was added to the logo, turning Alpha into Alpha Show. This helped position the event more clearly and connected the brand directly to the ambitious festival experience he was building.

Illustrating an Entire Festival

The following month became one of the most intensive production periods of my career.

For nearly 30 consecutive days, I illustrated artists for the Alpha Show campaign. The challenge was not only the volume of work but also the constant changes to the lineup. Artists were added, removed, updated, and rescheduled, requiring continuous adaptation while maintaining visual consistency across the entire campaign.

Each poster had to feel unique to the artist while still belonging to the same visual universe.

By the end of the process, Alpha Show had developed an extensive collection of custom artwork that distinguished it from virtually every other music event in the region.

The Launch

Thirty days before the event, Noizy announced Alpha Show during an Instagram Live session watched by more than 80,000 viewers.

That evening, the full campaign launched across social media.

For the first time, the complete lineup was revealed through a unified illustrated system. What had started as a logo exploration had grown into a full festival identity spanning dozens of artist posters and communication assets.

With the lineup revealed, the project moved into its next phase.

I continued developing supporting materials including:

Ticket communication campaigns
Event maps and wayfinding graphics
Digital platform banners
News and announcement graphics
Lineup assembly visuals
Social media communication assets
Supporting promotional materials

Every touchpoint needed to feel connected to the Alpha Show visual language.

Results

Alpha Show became one of the most talked-about music events in Albania.

The festival brought together some of the biggest Albanian artists alongside international guests and attracted thousands of attendees. Reports from the first edition cited approximately 15,000 attendees, while later editions expanded significantly, with Alpha Show evolving into a recurring festival brand that continues today. Estimates for subsequent editions have ranged between 25,000 and 35,000 attendees depending on venue and year.

More importantly, Alpha Show established a recognizable visual identity from its very first edition. Instead of relying solely on artist photography, the event launched with a distinctive illustrated aesthetic that helped differentiate it from other festivals and concerts in the region.

For me, the project demonstrated how strong visual design can help shape not only the look of an event but also its perception, scale, and cultural presence.

What began as a logo proposal ultimately became the foundation of a festival brand.