Nine venues and dozens of artists spanning genres and nations is what the Move Festival offers as it opens a new season of rock 'n' roll in the city. For this fest, organizers are turning the spotlight on Prague's blossoming music scenes and micro-scenes. Sharing the stage with local acts will be a number of UK, French and other international bands and DJs. It's a great opportunity to see local stars playing alongside their new global collaborators.

One Prague band that stands out on any bill is Ohm Square. On the group's recent Universal release Love Classics, 12 tracks sizzle with vocals, synths and expertly applied arrangements of strings, driving guitars and drums. The band, which formed in Prague in 1997, features singer Charlie One, who hails from the UK. Like everyone in the local music scene, she's noticed dramatic changes.

"It's evolved and changed a lot — I suppose it's more global now," she says. "The whole showbiz side of music has come in line with other, more Western countries. But generally, people are making great, quality music here, better and better."

As the dynamics of the business change, bands like Ohm Square are playing locally but thinking globally. "We are keen to perform and be heard outside of the Czech Republic, but it's important for us to support the local scene now too," Charlie One says. "We're happy when our music touches all people irrespective of which country, culture or background they're from. We are a global band. Give us a cool venue, large or small, and we'll be happy to play."

The Move Festival opens Thursday, Sept. 15, with a night of contrasts. Experimental world-music ensembles Czech Camael and Mercan Dede, a Turkish-Canadian group, are at Palác Akropolis, while at Kain an all-Czech show titled "Metal Breath Tour VI" features Sorath, D.A.D., Plastic Grave and Laniena Mentis banging the proto-thrash. Czech brass sections Sly Rabbits and Kupé will serve up the funk at Cross, while an open-mic session shares the stage at Guru with neo-folk rockers Selfbrush.

Friday night Abaton ramps up with "scratching, beat-juggling and x-perimental" turntable action that includes an appearance by Slovak hip-hop practitioner Moja Reé. More danceable spinning will be happening at Cross, with DJs with monikers such as Agent, Toky and Dialect providing the beats. (Weirdly, Cross will also have Kabaret Caligula performing Hamlet on its theater stage.) While Czech metal units Ké and Orient are raising the Kain roof, Matrix will host a VJ battle with promising futuristic video projections by the likes of VJ Jarin and Hedonix. Wannabe VJs are invited to sign up for the competition. At Akropolis, Portugal's The Gift will open for the ever-evolving sounds of Prague's Ohm Square.

Saturday night brings "the real hip-hop" to Central Europe, with Abaton hosting a CD release party for Cherry Hill's For the Love of the Art. Emblematic of Prague's emerging global scene, Cherry Hill's previous addresses include Brooklyn, Mexico City and Seattle — but the band's new release is on the Prague label Bbarak. Other highlights from the closing night of the festival include experimental electronics with M83 from France and Soldout from Belgium at Akropolis. Those with a taste for reggae might enjoy spending the evening at Roxy with three bands from Lyon, France: High Tone, Le Peuple de l'Herbe and Mei Tei Sho.