Edgar: The Mayan calendar ended in 2012.

Climate change is transforming the atmosphere.

You never know when the end of civilization will come.

[ Techno music playing ] And yet, here people are partying like it's their last day on Earth.

Here in this coastal paradise, it's all about enjoying the moment.

After all, you never know what tomorrow will bring.

Man: Flight 5-2-7 ready for departure.

♪♪ ♪♪ You may think you've heard everything, but the world is full of surprises.

And when you're hanging out with musicians, nothing is off-limits.

Is this what you guys do every weekend?

Every night.

Every night!

Yeah.

My name is Jacob Edgar.

Music is my life, and life is short.

So crank up the volume and let the voyage begin.

♪ Reste au pres de moi ♪ ♪ Une nuit avec ramon le guerrillero valiente ♪ ♪ Amigo ♪ ♪ Reste au pres de moi, cette nuit on va danser ♪ ♪ Tout pres de la muerte ♪ ♪ Amigo ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ There are plenty of places in the world to spend some quality time at the beach.

But there are a lot fewer that combine diverse culture, vibrant nightlife, exotic cuisine, natural beauty, and ancient archeological sites that have been around for thousands of years.

I'm not in Southern France.

I'm not in the Caribbean.

I'm not in Rio.

I'm actually in Izmir, Turkey's third-largest city, and the gateway to some of the hottest destinations on the Aegean Sea.

In July and August in Turkey, people head to the Aegean Coast to relax, spend time with family and friends, and party like there's no tomorrow.

And they bring the music with them.

The coast is dotted with venues that present Turkey's top pop stars and DJs.

One of my favorite music clubs in Istanbul, the world-famous Babylon, closes up shop in the big city and sets up in a beautiful beachside location in the resort town of Cesme, about an hour West of Izmir.

Tonight, a rising alternative pop star named Can Bonomo, who grew up around here, will hit the stage.

But before I head to the show, I stop by a restaurant in Cesme to link up with an old friend, Ahmet Ulug, whose company, Pozitif, owns Babylon and is one of Turkey's biggest concert promotion companies.

Welcome!

Thank you, Ahmet.

It's so wonderful.

[ Speaks Turkish ] Thank you.

[ Speaks Turkish ] It means "to your honor."

Edgar: And when you meet an old friend in Turkey, you must partake in the local alcoholic beverage -- raki.

Now, somebody told me that raki is called lion's milk.

Yeah, you have to have manners and wisdom to drink it.

I don't know if I'll be able to drink it, then, because I have neither manners nor wisdom, so... That's okay.

We'll teach you tonight.

All right.

Thank you.

The first glass you have to drink very slowly.

It's very nice.

It has, like, a licorice flavoring.

And, actually -- Little water, please.

Actually, you chase it with water.

Hmm.

The food in this region shares a lot with the cuisine of nearby Greece -- plenty of fresh fish and succulent lamb dishes, often grilled and generously lathered in olive oil and spices.

A wide variety of delicious local vegetables, cheeses, served on small plates that are shared with the table.

That's good, huh?

That's amazing.

Oh, my God.

Why is that so good?

You can go next door to the other restaurant.

It can't be so good.

Really?

All right, so I'm gonna go see Can Bonomo in concert.

What should I expect?

Young audience.

Young people?

So he's popular with the kids.

Yeah.

He's still "cooking."

This is what we call in Turkish.

He's still developing.

He got a big experience by going to "Eurovision," and he's got a good band.

"Eurovision" is a televised musical competition that is massively popular across Europe.

And, let's be Frank, it's massively cheesy, as well.

Each country sends one artist to represent their nation, so it's a bit like "American idol" crossed with the Olympics.

Many future stars first became internationally known at "Eurovision," including ABBA and Celine Dion, although it's mostly no-hit wonders lip-synching to forgettable saccharine pop songs.

Turkey, however, takes "Eurovision" very seriously, and they have actually sent some excellent artists to compete over the years.

This year, their entry is Can Bonomo, an indie rocker who grew up in Izmir.

♪ And sail away ♪ ♪ Hop on to my ship, baby ♪ ♪ I'll make you fly ♪ ♪ You love me, and you know that, baby ♪ ♪ Don't you lie ♪ ♪ Like me like I like you ♪ ♪ And say "nonny nonny nonny nonny na" ♪ Edgar: And even though his English-language "Eurovision" song "Love Me Back" aims for the middle of the road, he is actually an off-the-beaten-path choice for the conservative song contest.

♪♪ Oh, yeah!

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hop on to my ship, baby ♪ ♪ I'll make you fly ♪ ♪ You love me, and you know that, baby ♪ ♪ Don't you lie ♪ ♪ Like me like I like you ♪ ♪ And say "nonny nonny nonny nonny na" ♪ ♪ Nonny nonny nonny nonny na na na na ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ [ Applause ] Is that good?

Edgar: I make plans to link up with Can in the morning at his hotel in the nearby town of Alacati.

But he's a 25-year-old pop star, so I'm not that surprised he's still asleep when afternoon rolls around.

So I set off and do some exploring on my own.

Alacati is a small, picturesque village with winding cobblestone streets, whitewashed buildings, and an excellent farmer's market.

It's a timeless little place, mixing old-world charm with a stylish beach-community vibe.

And amongst its many antique shops and cafes, I make an exciting discovery.

[ Woman singing in Turkish ] I think I found my favorite shop in the entire town.

This place specializes in antique radios, antique record players, and they have a great collection of vintage Turkish vinyl.

"Disko-Kebap."

Look at this guy!

Is this music for eating kebabs to or something?

And here we have the legendary Baris Manco, legendary hairdo and moustache.

These are original plates.

I think this is what they used to use to actually press -- press the LPs.

I mean, these are probably really worth something.

Back at Can's hotel, we finally sit down to discuss his music and his explosive rise to fame.

What's it like being a star in Turkey?

It's weird.

Yeah?

Because, like, people constantly talk about you.

[ Chuckles ] Right now, I'm a trending topic.

A trending topic on Twitter.

On Twitter.

Yeah?

And they are... telling that I'm in a coma.

Now, you seem a little slow, but I wouldn't say a coma.

Yeah.

I don't know why.

I don't know.

That's weird.

I'm usually like that.

[ Laughs ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Singing in Turkish ] ♪♪ ♪♪ Now, when I was listening to your show last night, I heard kind of a real mix of genres and styles.

Is that intentional?

Yeah, that's why we had to, like, come up with a name.

We say "Istanbul music."

It's actually rock but with ethnic instruments.

And it has a pop in it but in a healthy dosage, not like pop-pop, you know?

Is "poppy" a word?

Yeah, "poppy" is a great word.

I use it constantly.

Not like a little dog one.

Not a puppy.

[ Singing continues ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ "Mix Up"?

Is that the name of the first song?

How do you say it?

No, good try, though.

[ Both laugh ] It's "Meczup."

"Meczup."

Yeah.

"Meczup."

It's a really old word, which means a person who went crazy because of loving something so much.

They have a word for that?

Yeah.

Weird, right?

Edgar: Can is known among his peers as a poet, and they say he has a real gift with the Turkish language.

His non-"Eurovision" music often goes in surprising and edgy directions, although with just enough rock and pop flavors to attract a young audience.

So the funny thing -- You know, when I was at your show last night, there were just a lot of teenage girls up front, you know, like, a lot of teenage fans, and they were singing along.

And if I had looked at the audience, sometimes I would have thought I was at, like, a Justin Bieber concert.

Whoa.

And then if I look at the stage and hear the music, I was like, "Wow, these kids are enjoying something that, to me, sounds pretty complicated."

Like, what we want to do is come up with a music that no one is doing and make it fat and big.

We're not there yet, like, because, like, we're really young musicians, and we don't know what we're doing yet.

[ Laughs ] Can takes me out to show me some of his favorite hangouts, and once he is spotted, young fans quickly flock to him.

So where are you taking me?

I'm taking you to the best kumru place in Cesme.

Ooh!

So what makes it so special?

Ah!

'Cause I've been there, like, a lot when I was a kid.

So you used to come here when you were a kid growing up?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

It was like a meeting point with my friends.

Jem.

Jem.

I'm Jon.

Jon.

Sam.

Sam.

Axel.

Axel.

A.J.

Yes.

A.J.

And what was Can like growing up?

Just like this.

Did you know he was going to be a superstar?

We knew.

Yeah.

You knew?

You could tell?

He always -- Because he was always with his guitar, writing songs.

Yeah?

So what makes one kumru better than another kumru?

Like, why would you come here and not to, like, the other ones that are all up and down the street?

Yeah.

The bread.

The bread?

We usually eat kumru after we party.

Oh, so it's like a hangover recovery tool.

It's like a late-night snack.

Turns out drunk food isn't that different here than back home.

This kumru sandwich has most of the same ingredients as a slice of pepperoni pizza, just configured a bit differently.

But this is comfort food at its best -- good for the soul, not so good for the arteries.

I don't know, man, I feel like you undersold this, because the grilled cheese, that makes a big difference in my book.

And we have tomato in it and then, like, that Turkish pepperoni and salami.

Oh!

And the bread is, like, heavenly.

Oh, I can see why you guys would eat a lot of these over a summer.

All right, here we go.

Ready?

This is the big moment.

First kumru.

♪ Ah ♪ [ A.J.

laughs ] Mmm!

What do you think?

Mmm!

I think I'm gonna go for a jog later.

♪♪ All right, so what's next?

This is the deal.

We're gonna drink some pickle juice.

We're gonna drink some -- Wait, wait!

Did you just say we're gonna drink some pickle juice?

Yeah.

There's this juice that you Americans put away, spill.

Yeah!

Yeah!

Well, we drink that.

Ew!

Now, is this a particularly good pickle stand?

It's an awesome pickle stand.

It's the best pickle stand.

This is the best pickle stand in Cesme?

Yeah.

All right.

Okay, here he is chopping the cabbage.

Nice!

Wow!

And you do this for pleasure or...?

Yeah!

Do you want a spicy one?

Yeah, spicy, spicy.

Is this also a good cure for hangovers?

I think so.

Must be.

Drink it.

You're gonna love it.

Oh, I'm the first victim?

Okay.

All right, here we go.

My first ever pickle-cabbage juice.

Yeah, it tastes like bloody Mary without tomatoes.

Wow.

Like it?

It's tangy.

A little bit spicy.

Kind of a sour taste.

It's delicious.

I like it.

Yeah, it's good.

What's the name of the stand?

Happy Pickle Man.

Happy Pickle Man!

It's the happy pickle man!

Edgar: For Can Bonomo, a visit to the Happy Pickle Man brings him back to his childhood.

With a hearty glass of pickle juice in his hand, Can is transformed from a pop star to a giddy kid scrounging up change to meet his fix.

Musicians are famous for having vices, but this is probably the most original pop-star addiction I've ever heard of.

All right so ask him, what is his secret.

Man: Lemon.

Lemon.

Lemon?

Hardal.

Hardal.

Mustard.

And?

Kuruk.

Anybody know what Kuruk is?

Nope.

[ Laughter ] So I guess the ingredient is gonna remain a secret.

You don't even know what that is, right?

That's the secret!

Nobody knows.

Edgar: It's a secret!

It's a secret!

Here we go.

Can Bonomo with his pickle juice, in Cesme.

♪♪ Edgar: With over 300 days of strong wind per year, Alacati is a mecca for windsurfing.

♪♪ [ Woman singing in Turkish ] With an entire bay set aside just for the sport, I figure, I have to give it a try.

♪♪ ♪♪ And when that doesn't work out so well, I move down the beach and check out Supper Club, the local branch of a trendy international chain that keeps the music going all day and all night.

DJ culture is huge in Turkey, and almost every night in the summer along the Aegean, you can dance until dawn to thumping electronic beats.

One popular DJ is Huseyin Karadayi.

I just missed one of his sets at a nearby resort town, so I arrange to meet up with him back in Istanbul.

But before I leave the Aegean, our local field producer, Samican Tandogdu, insists that I go see a pile of rocks.

Okay, they're actually ancient ruins.

Now, I'd rather spend my time at rock festivals than tourist sites, but Samican assures me the ancient city of Efes, or Ephesus, is not to be missed.

You know, it's estimated that around a half million people lived here.

Half a million people?

That's hard to imagine.

Yeah, it was like the capital of Anatolia, and it was one of the biggest cities in the Mediterranean during the times of Alexander the Great.

Ephesus fell victim to earthquakes, invasions, and a changing geology that eventually left it 20 kilometers inland from the sea that was once its lifeblood.

This is, like, the main road leading to the city center.

So where we now see trees, that used to be the sea.

Yeah, that part was the sea, the harbor.

[ Man singing in Turkish ] ♪♪ So what do we have here?

These are ancient public toilets.

These are the toilets?

They're so close together.

Yes.

There's barely room for your butt cheeks.

Come on, dude!

You can't say "butt cheeks" on television?

Of course you can say "butt cheeks" on television.

Man: They would put frogs in there.

In the toilet?

In the toilet area.

No, no, in the fountain.

In the fountain, in the middle.

In the fountain, in the middle.

Yes, yes.

And the reason was because, just like today... Well, there were two reasons.

Two reasons!

One reason was to catch the flies and mosquitoes.

All right.

And the other reason, which was more applicable to us, is that farting was a huge problem.

Uh-huh.

And they would blame it on the frogs!

"Ah, the frog!"

"The frog did it!"

"The frog did it!"

There you go.

"It was the frog!"

Edgar: Perhaps the greatest lesson one learns in a visit to Ephesus is that you never know what the future will bring.

Learn from the past but live in the moment.

It's a perspective that seems to have become part of the Turkish way of life.

How many people fit in this amphitheater?

25,000.

25,000 people?

That's bigger than Hollywood Bowl.

That's bigger than Madison Square Garden.

Sorry I doubted you, Samican.

This place is amazing.

I told you so.

[ Man singing in Turkish ] Edgar: I finally head back to Istanbul to meet DJ Huseyin Karadayi.

It's this guy's job to keep the party going.

[ Club music playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ Huseyin is known as a pioneer in the Turkish electronic music scene.

But it turns out it took a little coaxing to get Turkish listeners on board.

I've heard that you started by remixing and doing new versions of Turkish classic tracks -- pop songs from 30, 40 years ago.

Why did you start that way?

[ Speaks foreign language ] ♪♪ This is Tunel, a funky Istanbul neighborhood that's home to a number of musical instrument shops.

Huseyin is taking me to visit his favorite one.

You don't get famous for mixing Turkish classics and electronic music without knowing something about instruments and gear.

And this place has everything you need and some things you don't.

I'm trying to picture a guy sitting on a beach in Hawaii, you know, playing death metal on his ukulele.

Huseyin, who started his career as a drummer in his school orchestra, is like a kid in a toy store.

♪ Oooo ♪ That's all you have to do, right?

You just get one of these, do something with two fingers.

Want to try?

Let's go.

Yeah, yeah, I want to try.

Edgar: And I find out that some toys are better left for the big kids.

[ Beats play ] This is one -- Yeah.

Oh, so just close together.

You don't even have to move your hands.

[ Beat intensifies ] [ Laughs ] How about a Turkish beat?

What's a Turkish beat?

Yeah, this is Turkish traditional beat.

[ Plays Turkish beat ] ♪♪ ♪♪ Huseyin invites me to his home studio for a peek behind the curtain at his creative process.

But first, we refuel at Huseyin's favorite place for manti, a kind of Turkish mini ravioli, filled with meat or cheese and served with a yogurt and tomato sauce.

Oh, here's the manti!

Oh, wow!

The original.

Original manti.

That's the original.

That's not the fried manti.

So what makes this manti better than all of the thousands of other manti places in Istanbul?

Every hour, same manti.

Yeah?

It's always the same no matter what.

Yeah.

At night, same.

In the morning, same.

You come here -- When you come at 5:00 in the morning and have your manti, it's the same.

DJs like Huseyin Karadayi are specialists in helping people forget their daily lives and immerse themselves in a primal ritual of dancing and reckless abandon.

As with Can Bonomo, there's something more going on here than just superficial pop or dance music.

So, Huseyin, one of the projects that you worked on that was really interesting to me is this one, "Endorphin," with you and clarinet player Serkan Cagri.

[ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ You know, he's an innovative musician, but he comes out of a very traditional heritage.

How did you go about taking what Serkan's music is and giving it the modern, electronic touch?

[ Speaks foreign language ] And I think Serkan is the right person for this album, for this sound, for this project.

So let's hear Serkan's clarinet -- solo clarinet -- which he recorded right here in this room.

Yeah, right here.

All right.

So I can picture him standing there because he played the solo here.

[ Guitar joins mix ] Then you've got the guitar added in underneath it.

The guitar, you know, it gives the energy... Yeah.

...the rhythmic.

Right.

[ Drums enter mix ] Oh, nice.

Nice.

I like that.

And bass line.

♪♪ Yeah, yeah, I can hear it coming through.

[ Music continues ] ♪♪ For some reason, living in the moment seems to get a bad rap.

Think of your future, plan for tomorrow.

That's the responsible thing to do.

But for at least a couple of months in a Turkish summer, all of that is put aside, and the most responsible thing you can do is let yourself relax, eat, drink, love, and live life to the fullest.

Times may change, but that type of wisdom never gets old.

Don't run that credit card until next week, okay?

[ Singing in foreign language ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪