EXIT Festival adds French Montana, Joseph Capriati and ZHU to its star-studded bill
Straight from the top of many international charts, rap superstar French Montana joins the bill of EXIT, the officially Best Major European Festival, which will take place from 12th to 15th July at the spectacular Petrovaradin Fortress in Serbia. He will join the already announced lineup with Migos, Grace Jones, David Guetta, Martin Garrix, Ziggy Marley, Fever Ray, LP, Alice Merton, Nina Kraviz, Richie Hawtin, Maceo Plex, Amelie Lens, Ben Klock, Slaves, Jax Jones, Ofenbach and many more.
The famous rapper from Bronx has chart topping albums and singles along with three BET awards, three Grammy and one Billboard nomination. Last year, his multiplatinum hit, “Unforgettable”, dominated radio stations worldwide and today is only a step away from 700 million views on YouTube! He has collaborated with dozens of international music stars such as Migos, David Guetta, The Weeknd, Kanye West, Jennifer Lopez, Miley Cyrus, Wiz Khalifa, Jason Derulo, Afrojack, Cardi B, Drake, Rick Ross, while his publisher is none other than P. Diddy. Hollywood didn’t manage to resist him either – the soundtrack for Deadpool features French in one of YouTube's most trending hits - “Welcome To The Party”!
The list of EXIT 2018 headliners just got bigger: https://youtu.be/Ea-bl1LUba4
The festival's mammouth closing party on Sunday, July 15th features pretty epic lineup with David Guetta, Marin Garrix, Alice Merton, Nina Kraviz, Tale of Us, Red Axes and many others, but this grand finale bill just got much bigger! First to join the party on the fourth day at EXIT's Main Stage are the mysterious American hitmaker ZHU and the Dutch hit band My Baby, who have played Glastonbury six times! At the same time, the closing party at the spectacular mts Dance Arena will see one the next-gen techno leaders Joseph Capriati, the charismatic Danish producer Kolsch and one of Berlin's finest selectors Dana Ruh, supported by the excellent Bosnian duo After Affair! On the day before, the true Saturday's night fever will be brought by Solomun and Boris Brejcha, who will be joined by British hit trio Disciples, who have managed to introduce new megahits since their last EXIT performance, such as the summer anthems "On My Mind" and "Jelousy"!
The authentic spirit of Bronx, where French Montana grew up, and Morocco, where he was born, are more than obvious in his catchy numbers which have been driving the world crazy in the past couple of years. He landed into the spotlight after publishing “Casino Life 2: Brown Bag Legend”, which featured “Moses”, a huge hit and collaboration with Migos. He shook the music scene again when he published his second album “Jungle Rules” which immediately reached the third place of the prestigious Billboard Top 100. The main single, “Unforgettable” made it to the third place of Billboard Top 100, as well as the first place on the US Hip-Hop chart, achieving platinum in over 20 countries worldwide! He has a will of steel, gigantic ambitions and a busy schedule – aside from collecting billions of hits on streaming services, multiple awards and nominations, French Montana proved to be a great humanitarian and advocate of free health insurance. He also initiated a global campaign for building of a hospital for mothers and children in Uganda.
EXIT Festival will be held from July 12th to 15th at the Petrovaradin fortress in Novi Sad and feature some of the most sought after international stars such as Migos, Grace Jones, David Guetta, Martin Garrix, French Montana, Ziggy Marley, Fever Ray, ZHU, LP, Alice Merton, Nina Kraviz, Richie Hawtin, Adam Beyer b2b Ida Engberg, Maceo Plex, Solomun, Amelie Lens, Ben Klock, Joseph Capriati, Dog Eat Dog, Slaves, Idles, Jax Jones, My Baby, Carl Craig, Tale of Us, Kolsch, Sevdaliza, Helena Hauff, DJ Tennis, Daniel Avery, Rødhåd, Ofenbach, Disciples, Burak Yeter, Madball, Brujeria, Mahmut Orhan, Slapshot, Asphyx, Bombers and many, many others.
Tickets are sold via exitfest.org, while the official tourist agency of the festival, exittrip.org, offers tourist packages containing tickets, as well as accommodation and transport options.
Contact:
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
Bands to watch this summer: Sigrid, Superorganism and Zeal & Ardor
With a record-breaking 19 ETEP festival bookings, indie-pop revelation Superorganism is the ETEP band to watch this year. Playing in 14 countries, they have the perfect European festival tour mapped out; Les Rencontres Trans Musicales de Rennes (fr), Iceland Airwaves (is), Zürich Openair (ch), Grape Festival (sk), Øyafestivalen (no), Provinssi Festival (fi), Paléo Festival Nyon (ch), Melt! (de), Les Eurockéennes De Belfort (fr), Siren’s Call (lu), Roskilde Festival (dk), Europavox (fr), INmusic Fesitval (hr), Metronome Festival (cz), Best Kept Secret (nl), Primavera Sound (es), Les Nuits Botanique (be) By:Larm (no) and Pukkelpop (be).
14 ETEP festivals opened their hearts for Zeal & Ardor this year. Additionally they have just announced a US tour consisting of 18 shows in 15 different states. Proudly taking European music outside Europe and successfully breaking borders.
Being the number 3 most booked ETEP-artist with 10 ETEP shows, Sigrid is also concurring the world on the internet. After releasing her brand new song and videoclip 'High Five' on YouTube it gained almost 3 million views within three weeks time. Watch video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6A2LHGx8_A
Summer update
With most festivals around the corner a good number of ETEP acts have been confirmed. Currently 137 acts from 24 countries will make their way across Europe to perform 395 shows. The top acts:
Superorganism (gb) - 19
Zeal & Ardor (ch) - 14
Sigrid (no) - 10
Tshegue (fr) - 9
Altin Gün (nl) - 8
Dermot Kennedy (ie) - 7
Tamino (be) - 7
Alma (fi) - 6
Alice Merton (de) - 6
Cari Cari (at) – 6
A full overview of all ETEP acts and where they are performing can be found here < https://esns.nl/etep/etep-results/ >.
About ETEP
The European Talent Exchange Programme (ETEP) was introduced in 2003 to stimulate the exchange of European artists across Europe. An initiative of ESNS, ETEP facilitates the bookings of European acts on European & international festivals outside their home countries and generates extensive media exposure for these artists in cooperation with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) public radio stations, the European export offices and national and international media. This way, ETEP aims to give a boost to the international careers of European artists and highlights the participating ETEP festivals.
Contact
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
OFF Festival Katowice 2018: Final Acts Announced
Here at the OFF Festival, we always enjoy reminiscing: there’s the 2007 debut by Muchy, and the songs of our forefathers as reinterpreted by the Warsaw Village Band. But we also look boldly into the future, as personified by a pair of excellent debut artists: Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and Fontaines D.C.
Warsaw Village Band – mazovian re:action
No one has done more to demystify folk music in the ears of popular young audiences than the Warsaw Village Band (known in Poland as Kapela ze Wsi Warszawa), who often resort to audacious experiments that draw the ire of their own musical milieu. No one has been bolder when it comes to combining local roots with musical shoots growing all over the world and in all eras. Only they could spice up a Slavic melody with a voice from India, a solo by an Iranian virtuoso, and a electronic beat lifted from a London dance club. On Warsaw Village Band’s latest album, mazovian re:action (a late 2017 release that’s already scored a Fryderyk Award), the artists head home from their distant travels, playing Mazovian songs learned from old masters and sharing those tunes with the world.
Muchy performing Xerroromans
This Poznań band made their memorable debut in 2007 with Terroromans, an album that launched Muchy into immediate indie-rock stardom. More than a decade later, the group returns with the same lineup, the same material (and an extra track on the re-edition of Terroromans), and the same drive. Their “Xerroromans Tour” is stopping at the OFF Festival, and what makes this show special is that it takes place almost exactly ten years after Muchy’s first appearance at our festival, in Mysłowice in 2008. An audience of hundreds gathered in the Radio Three Tent to witness a concert that would become a milestone in the band’s career. This might be another one.
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
A long name from a faraway land (Australia), but you’d better remember it, because their upcoming album Hope Downs, slated for release in mid-June on Sub Pop records, is expected to be the new hope of guitar rock. On the heels of two critically-acclaimed EPs, Talk Tight and The French Press, comes a release by a band that’s already earned a reputation as the best indie-rock phenomenon Down Under since The Go-Betweens — have a listen to their excellent songs, and you’ll agree. They say their live shows is where this Melbourne trio truly shines.
Khidja
Behold the power of multiculturalism! Flore and Rusu come from Romania, but they met in school in Germany. Their collaborative project Khidja draws on traditional Romanian music with nods to the Turkish sounds brought along by the Ottoman Empire when it conquered the duo’s homeland. Khidja is also clearly inspired by the dark sounds of Krautrock and the club sounds of Berlin, i.e. house and techno. This is neither old or new: it’s entirely unique.
Daniel Spaleniak
Life is Somewhere Else, the title of Spaleniak’s latest album announces, but that’s not true. This music is steeped in life, even if it is obscured by a thick layer of gloom and inspired reflection. Daniel Spaleniak is among Poland’s most charismatic young songwriters, and he has the international acclaim to prove it: his work has been featured on the soundtracks of several American TV shows. And with music this vivid, suggestive and imaginative, it’s really no wonder.
Fontaines D.C.
A Dublin quintet that causes quite a stir wherever they take their rascally punk’n’roll. They’ve yet to record an album, but thanks to their successful singles and KEXP video sessions, this Irish band is the season’s hottest festival attraction.
Panieneczki
Five feminine personalities with a range of experience: from jazz explorations to TV talent shows. Together they discovered the musical power of the Polish countryside. Their original interpretations of Kuyavian melodies combine tradition and modernity, violins and synthesizers, but what really matters is their sheer energy.
This year’s edition of the OFF Festival also features the following artists, previously announced:
M.I.A, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Grizzly Bear, Jon Hopkins Live, Ariel Pink, Aurora, John Maus, Turbonegro, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Kult performing Spokojnie, David August, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah performing Some Loud Thunder, Skalpel Big Band, Marlon Williams, Zola Jesus, …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead performing Source Tags & Codes, Big Freedia, Egyptian Lover, Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares (The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices), Oxbow, Bishop Nehru, King Ayisoba, Housewives, Or:la, Jacques Greene, Harry Merry, Gary War, coL, The Mystery Lights, DJ Paypal & DJ Taye, Wednesday Campanella, No Age, Unsane, Sensations’ Fix, Derya Yıldırım and Grup Şimşek, Hańba!, Furia, The Como Mamas, Coals, Moses Sumney, Yasuaki Shimizu, Yellow Days, Legendarny Afrojax, Adam Strug, ARRM, Wojciech Bąkowski, Nanook Of The North, Bass Astral x Igo, Sorja Morja, Sonbird, Good Night Chicken, Min t, tęskno, Pokusa, Lonker See, Sierść, and Meek Oh Why?
The 2018 OFF Festival Katowice will take place August 3–5 at Three Pond Valley.
Three-day passes are now available at the OFF Shop for 330 PLN. This price lasts until June 10 or until the third batch of tickets is sold out! Campground tickets are also available for 70 PLN.
Contact:
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
David Lynch Foundation UK teams with New Artist for Benefit Auction
David Lynch Foundation UK teams with New Artist for Benefit Auction
In aid of the David Lynch Foundation UK to raise funds to introduce Quiet Time with Transcendental Meditation (TM) in schools for children and teachers.
The auction has been spearheaded by one of the DLF UK’s official advocates for young people, burgeoning artist Kim Anna Smith. Working closely with Deirdre Parsons, the head of UK Foundation, Smith was inspired to arrange the auction to help bring Transcendental Meditation to as many school children as possible in the UK, having practiced TM for several years she realised how beneficial it has been in her life, particularly after becoming a mother last year.
Parsons described DLF UK Quiet Time as “ a highly effective programme, which has been well researched in the US to show stress reduction and an increase in happiness, readiness to learn and creativity amongst school children.
The programme has been very successful in the US and now we have many schools in this country who would like to implement the programme into their school day."
There will be 15 artists exhibiting their work including David Lynch, film maker and founder of the Foundation. In support of the auction Lynch said “Art is in the middle of earth. Buy this art to support peace on earth.”
Smith adds “As a new mother, to protect and nurture the wellbeing and happiness of the next generation is of endless importance; and being able to galvanise those efforts with art is like magic to me."
A week long exhibition of the works will be shown at Golborne Gallery with a silent auction event taking place on the evening of Tuesday 26th June.
Artists: David Lynch, Kim Anna Smith, Cherelle Sappleton, Alex Sain, Jess Albarn, Euan Roberts, Elise R Peterson, Rafal Zawistowski, Zoe Grace, Nina Mae Fowler, Charlotte Colbert, Schoony, Ben Moore, MJ McNeill
Notes to editors
Dates
Online auction live at ARTSY -12th - 26th June
Exhibition open to the public, Golborne Gallery 20th June - 26th June
Silent Auction event (RSVP essential) - Tuesday 26th June 6pm-9pm, Golborne Gallery.
Links
http://davidlynchfoundation.org.uk
https://www.golbornegallery.co.uk
https://www.artsy.net
http://kimannasmith.com
https://www.instagram.com/artsy/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/davidlynchfoundation/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/kimannasmith/?hl=en
About Artsy
Artsy is the leading resource for learning about and collecting art from over 2,000 galleries, 700 museums and institutions, 60 international art fairs, and 25 auctions houses. Powered by The Art Genome Project, a classification system that maps the connections between artists and artworks, Artsy fosters new generations of art lovers, museum-goers, patrons, and collectors.
JoyCut to perform at Meltdown Festival curated by Robert Smith
JoyCut have been invited to play at this years Meltdown festival at the Southbank curated by Robert Smith on Friday 15th June.
Making music for the future, JoyCut weave sounds from a mass of electronics and two drum kits, with orchestral breathings, cinematic saturations, tribal drumming and industrial percussion. They will also be playing new material making it an extra special performance not to be missed.
Designing atmospheric layers of sound with a dark edge, the three piece band seamlessly blend big drum rhythms with a twitching melancholy and inventiveness that makes them hypnotic in their power.
Watch them live here: http://bit.ly/AUDIOTREEWir
The last album, PiecesOfUsWereLeftOnTheGround took the band to new heights, evidenced by the album’s continued success, with a never-ending tour of over 300 dates across North America, Asia and Europe. With the digital mantra #JoyCutNeverStops the band touched more than 60 countries, culminating in a Top 5 European Talent Exchange Programme [ETEP] position.
Following a successful TEDx performance in Verona and inspired by their recent travels to the East, JoyCut played a sold-out Venice Biennale show debuting their new six-act “Opera” K O M O R E B I, a soundtrack tribute to Japan: a combination of their dramatic music with visual art chapters that created a world to get lost in.
Commitment to environmental issues has also led JoyCut to participate in many sustainability green projects and campaigns. The band are now working on their fourth album and plan to release in 2019.
Website: http://www.joycut.com
Get Tickets: https://joycut.lnk.to/MeltdownTickets
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2055283464714849/
Contact
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
Dave Clarke announces Sam Paganini, Rebekah, Octave One and more for his legendary ADE night at Melkweg
Marcel Fengler, Mark Broom, Anetha, B.Traits also play the multiple room club event
Dave Clarke Presents returns at ADE 2018 for its 14th edition, with a some of the biggest names currently in techno. On the line up we will see the likes of Sam Paganini, Rebekah, a live performance by Octave One, Marcel Fengler, Mark Broom, Anetha, B.Traits, Dutch techno veteran Estroe and Mr. Jones. They will all play Clarke’s multiple room club event at Melkweg on ADE Friday, October 19th.
The ticket sale starts at May 30th at 10 a.m. and tickets can be bought via Ticketmaster.
Many know Dave Clarke as the Baron of Techno, but with his ever expanding encyclopedia on everything dance related, he is also the Lord of Electro, with his popular ‘Whip It’ night being one of his most recent endeavors. Whip It proved just how irresistible the electro genre can be, so watch out for that ADE line up announcement.
Headlining this edition of Dave Clarke Presents is Sam Paganini, who built his name in the underground circuit and will be bringing his powerful grooves to the Melkweg dancefloor. Then there’s the return of the infamous techno queen Rebekah. Known for her dark and relentless style she brings havoc all around the globe with faster and harder sounds. Fans of the Detroit techno sound will be happy to see the return of Octave One, who will once again bring their amazing set of hardware to the Melkweg for another high energy performance. Also returning artist is crowd favorite and Berlin legend Marcel Fengler. Notorious for his dynamic marathon sets it’s obvious he really knows his craft. Then there’s the British techno veteran Mark Broom. Mark has had a string of high-class releases over the last 12 months and collaborated with artists like Gary Back and James Ruskin.
Anetha (whom Dave was very impressed with at a recent Amsterdam Boiler Room set) and B.Traits (whom Dave considers to be an important techno ambassador on BBC Radio 1) will make their debut at Clarke’s legendary night. Both are inspired by the new wave of electronic music. Anetha is a prominent figure in the Paris underground scene and B.Traits is known for showcasing the best of dark house and techno on her label In Toto and BBC radio show. The line-up is completed by Dutch techno veteran Estroe and Clarke’s studio buddy Mr. Jones.
Tickets:
Normal presale tickets are €29
http://www.ticketmaster.nl/event/222727?brand=nl_melkweg
Facebook event:
http://www.facebook.com/events/174238026574821/
Contact:
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
OFF Festival Katowice 2018: Holding a power saw up to the sun!
Improvisation, psychedelia and noise are always welcome at the OFF Festival. And as you’ll find out in today’s announcement, these artistic techniques can take myriad forms, from jazz to hardcore to hip-hop.
No Age
“It sounds like holding a power saw up to the sun” is how one Pitchfork reviewer welcomed the release of the American band No Age’s fourth album, titled Snares Like a Haircut, early this year. This record sees bandmates Dean Spunt and Randy Randall freely navigating the triangle of noise rock, shoegaze and hardcore. No Age takes the best of 1990s guitar rock and enriches it with a modern feel and witty, topical lyrics.
Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek
Ex oriente lux. This musical project owes its sound to a unique blend of Anatolian roots music and trippy psychedelia that, while invented in the West, has always been inspired by the spirituality and aesthetics of the East. The charismatic singer and multi-instrumentalist Derya Yıldırım is without a doubt the driving force behind this ensemble, but she is supported by an equally noteworthy cast of musicians. Featuring artists from Turkey, Germany, the UK and France, Grup Şimşek performs bold reinterpretations of Turkish standards, original compositions, and stratospheric improvisations.
Lonker See
Lonker See started out as an ambient duo comprising guitarist Bartosz “Boro” Borowski and singer/bassist Joanna Kucharska, of 1926 and Kiev Office fame, but soon expanded to include a saxophone, keyboard (Tomasz Gadecki) and drums (Michał Gos), while augmenting the palette of colors the band use to paint their abstract soundscapes. Their music evades all attempts at description, flowing freely between psychedelic rock and jazz, but who needs labels? Having heard Lonker See’s captivating new album One Eye Sees Red (Instant Classic), we know that the record is a mere starting point for the sensational concerts that are the trademark of this Tri-City quartet.
Meek Oh Why?
He’s made quite an impression with his records, and it’ll be nice to finally meet him in person. Everything from his EPs Księżniczka i Buc and Rękopisy nie płoną to his full-length debut Miło było poznać (Nice to Meet You) and his recently-released concept album Płyta rodzaju make this artist stand out in the world of Polish hip-hop. What makes Mikołaj (that’s meek-OH-why) Kubicki unique is his literary sensibility (comparisons to Łona are warranted, if incomplete) and musical versatility (more than just a rapper, he’s a producer and trumpet player, and has performed with artists like Voo Voo and DagaDana). Meek Oh Why? is more than just a rapper: he’s a visionary, and we’re eager to be swept away by that vision.
Pokusa
Natan Kryszk (baritone sax), Tymek Bryndal (bass) and Teo Olter (drums) record for the label Lado ABC, so rest assured that there’s something going on here. On Einz, Pokusa’s sophomore studio release, that something is improvisation, drones and noises, all blended into a consistent musical amalgam. This isn’t 20th-century smooth jazz: it’s more like smart jazz that’s charging into the future — that is, if you can even put Pokusa in any genre pigeonhole to begin with.
Sierść
Sierść released a live album titled Spoko że wszyscy umrzemy (We’re all going to to die, but that’s cool). Let’s hope death doesn’t come before August, because this is one band you just have to see (ahem) live. The nihilistic title happens to mesh well with the trio’s sound, in which Scandinavian black metal meets garage noise rock. The trio features Jakub Lemiszewski, an artist with musical roots in Warsaw’s defunct club Eufemia (which OFF audiences will remember as the venue for Złota Jesień), a member of such acts as the shoegaze group Social Cream and the punk band Gołębie, and a dance music producer. But with Sierść, this dance leaves no room for the holy spirit.
M.I.A., Charlotte Gainsbourg, Ariel Pink, Grizzly Bear, Zola Jesus, Jon Hopkins Live, Aurora, Turbonegro, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah z płytą „Some Loud Thunder”, Marlon Williams, John Maus, ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead grają „Source Tags & Codes”, Big Freedia, David August, Egyptian Lover, Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares (The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices), Oxbow, Bishop Nehru, Kult gra „Spokojnie", Unsane, King Ayisoba, Housewives, Chastity Belt, Or:la, Jacques Greene, Harry Merry, Gary War, coL,The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Mystery Lights, DJ Paypal & DJ Taye, Wednesday Campanella, Sensations’ Fix, Hańba!, Furia, The Como Mamas, Coals, Moses Sumney, Yasuaki Shimizu, Yellow Days, Legendarny Afrojax, Adam Strug, ARRM, Wojciech Bąkowski, Nanook Of The North, Good Night Chicken, MIN t, tęskno, Bass Astral x Igo, Sorja Morja, Skalpel Big Band and Sonbird.
The 2018 OFF Festival Katowice will take place August 3–5 at Three Pond Valley. Three-day passes are now available at the OFF Shop for 330 PLN. This price lasts until June 10 or until the third batch of tickets is sold out! Campground tickets are also available for 70 PLN.
Festivals to Combine with a City Break
What better way to extend your festival escape than by planning a city break alongside it? Plenty of the world’s most sought-after festivals offer breath-taking nearby cities just waiting to be explored.
Explore the local area and indulge in culture and cuisine, visit landmarks and tourist attractions. The possibilities are endless, and can make your festival trip even more exciting.
Secret Solstice / Reykjavik
Set in the heart of Iceland’s capital city Reykjavík, Secret Solstice festival is surrounded by captivating scenery. Taking place during the summer solstice when the sun never sets, this unique festival offers an out of this world experience for attendees.
The festival is ideal for combining with a city break, with Reykjavíc offering breath-taking architecture nestled amongst the city’s incredible natural landscape. Reykjavíc is hailed for its incredible nightlife, with a vast array of inviting bars and clubs scattered across the city. Plenty of day trips are also available, including dolphin and whale watching boat trips, volcanic crater and glacier visits, and plenty more Icelandic adventures. The iconic Blue Lagoon is also within travelling distance, offering the ultimate geothermal spa experience. Truly bringing Iceland’s history and scenery to life, the festival even hosts a party inside Europe’s second biggest glacier, something that cannot be experienced anywhere else.
Secret Solstice takes place from 21-24 June 2018. More info available at secretsolstice.is
EXIT Festival / Belgrade
Just a short ride away from the Serbian capital Belgrade, EXIT takes place in the magical Petrovaradin Fortress set high on the banks of the river Danube in Novi Sad provides the perfect setting for the EXIT Festival. Started as a student protest in 2000 fighting for political change and freedom, EXIT continues to spread positive vibes, promoting change and positive education, supporting many community and humanitarian missions, while throwing a damn good party.
Belgrade has a reputation as an all-year party city, with a vibrant and diverse party scene with everything from jazz to Gypsy folk and techno, which has its roots in the 1990s where underground club culture provided a refuge from Milosevic’s regime. Local favourites include Underground Club and Drugstore and in the summer months, the parties move to the city’s waterways – the Danube and Sava rivers – where river boats provide the venues to dance the night away. As well as music the city also has a wealth of culture and mismatch of architecture. It still has many communist tower blocks but is also home to the world’s largest Eastern Orthodox church and the Wander Kalemegdan, which are ruins of a fortress built to defend the city from the Ottomans.
EXIT Festival takes place from 12-15 July. More info available at exitfest.org
Positivus Festival / Riga
Taking place in the picturesque coastal town of Salacgriva in Latvia, Positivus is the transporting chart-topping headliners, underground emerging talent and exciting art and dance stages to their unspoiled atmospheric coastal setting amid stunning woodland. Festival goers can dip their toes in the Baltic sea or take in the atmosphere in a hammock beneath the trees while enjoying a rich diversity of international chart toppers and underground emerging talent in this idyllic holiday location.
With flights into Riga, Positivus is perfect for combining a city break in Latvia’s capital city. Riga is a hotspot of hip, bursting with alluring architecture and compelling culture an has a well-nourished art scene attracts creatives to it’s numerous galleries with Agija Sūna being the best for Latvian contemporary art. The city is also home to many Art Nouveau buildings, many of which can be seen while taking a leisurely stroll down Alberta Street, where the Riga Art Nouveau Museum epitomises the style. There is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Riga with buildings dating back to the 1400s and the old town is full of quaint cobbled streets filled with beer gardens and street cafes.
Positivus Festival takes place from 20-22 July 2018. More info available at positivusfestival.com
Lowlands Festival / Amsterdam
Get ready for A Campingflight to Lowlands Paradise, taking place next to the Walib Fairgrounds, Biddinghuizen with impressive installations plus unique covers for all stages so you can enjoy all the music rain or shine.
Just a one-hour car ride from cultural hotspot Amsterdam, Lowlands Festival is the perfect event to combine with a city break. Combining the spectacular festival performances with a trip to The Netherlands’ capital makes for the perfect extended trip. Absorb the city’s rich history in one of the many museums or soak up the location’s vibrant culture in the Van Gogh museum. Enjoy a serene canal boat ride or party the night away in one of Amsterdam’s diverse, intimate clubs.
Lowlands Festival takes place from 17-19 August. More info available at lowlands.nl
OFF Festival / Katowice
OFF is a festival for the discerning music fan and the place to discover the best alternative acts from around the world. A truly unique boutique music festival, OFF Festival takes place in ‘Three Lake Valley’, Katowice – a beautiful green oasis in the heart of industrial Silesia. From the greatest alternative music stars from around the world to the increasingly strong Polish scene, OFF festival has inspiring music in abundance and the organisers and crowd have one serious finger on the pulse when it comes to music.
Katowice, is the capital of the Silesian province of Poland, is famous for its industrial past and excellent art scene. It may not be the obvious tourist destination with no castles, ancient ruins or hip bohemian districts, but what you will find is a stack of Industrial Tourism that will take you underground and through the abandoned factory floors that were once the booming heart of Poland’s Industrial Revolution. The Nikiszowiec quarter offers you the best insight into this kind of architecture and history; it is listed on several heritage registers and there is a big chance it is going to join UNESCO’s World Heritage List in the future. There is a big street art movement in the city thanks to the Streets Art festival with dozens of large-scale murals, which have been created not only by local artists, but also by well-known street artists, such as American Axel Void, Australian Ian Strange (Kid Zoom), Spanish Escifa or SpY. A trip on the trail of Katowice murals is a great alternative way to see the city and its hidden treasure
OFF Festival takes place from 3-5 August. More info available at offsklep.pl
Iceland’s Secret Solstice Announces Final Lineup, Side Party Headliners and Daily Schedule
Secret Solstice Adds All Day I Dream with Lee Burridge and YokoO, Dubfire, Bjarki and more local Icelandic acts + all new geothermal pool party
Iceland’s Secret Solstice Festival taking place for the fifth time this June 21-24 during 96 hours of straight sunlight in the world’s most northerly capital city of Reykjavik is pleased to present its final lineup and daily schedule as well as announcing the much anticipated acts for their incredible once-in-a-lifetime side parties. Adding SCI+TEC techno titan Dubfire and Iceland’s very own Bjarki to the bill, also new to Secret Solstice this year will be a special add-on event, a geothermal pool party set in the stunning surrounds of Hreppslaug swimming pool. WIth several bucket list side events to choose from all boasting top international and local talent as well as the addition of single day tickets for the opening concert on Thursday June 21 and Saturday June 23, there are plenty of options to experience the enchanting midnight sun in the land of fire and ice.
Secret Solstice is pleased to welcome All Day I Dream as it makes its Icelandic debut on Friday, June 22. A further addition to the lineup, this event features as one of their bespoke offsite events. Lee Burridge and YokoO’s vibe perfectly compliments the magical surroundings of Hreppslaug, a geothermal swimming pool. Pool party ticket holders can look forward to complimentary drinks and lunch as well as weaving melodic melodies and infectious grooves under a sun that refuses to set.
On Saturday, June 23, Into The Glacier ticket holders will dive deep into Langjökull, Europe’s second largest glacier in a rare chance to catch Dubfire throw down his heavy-hitting techno 80 feet below the surface in a stunning blue ice cave deep inside the glacier.
For those looking for something more downtempo, The Lava Tunnel offers the perfect opportunity to explore the magic hidden inside Raufarhólshellir, a 5,200 year old lava tunnel filled with natural ice sculptures and stalactites soundtracked by some of Iceland’s leading acoustic artists. Saturday, June 23 will see soulful singer/songwriter Una Stef play to the sold out crowd, pop rock and folk singer Birgir and up and comer GDRN with her soothing and hypnotic vocals take to the intimate Lava Tunnel stage. On Sunday, June 24, 6 piece electro indie band Valdimar, the “Norah Jones of Iceland,” songstress Ása and local folk singer and feel good legend Teitur Magnússon will showcase their talents to The Lava Tunnel pass holders in what is sure to be a standout experience of the entire festival.
Rounding out the latest additions to the international lineup are the United Kingdom’s Maxxi Soundsystem back by popular demand, Anton Fitz & Martin Loose-Cuts, DJ Caspa, Cole, Colin Perkins, Daniel Hamilton, Dino Gardiakos, Get Funky DJs, Just William, Martin Marson, as well as Iceland’s Ateria, Intr0beatz, Mókrókar, Orang Volante (Live), PJ Glaze, Rix, Röskva, Skrattar, and Þorri.
Secret Solstice is also pleased to present the day-by-day schedule as well as releasing tickets to the Opening Concert to catch the likes of Bonnie Tyler, Jet Black Joe and Steve Aoki on Thursday June 21. Saturday passes are now also available via the Secret Solstice website (www.secretsolstice.is) for June 23 for heavy-metal fans wanting to catch Slayer on their first and last show ever in Iceland as part of their Final World Tour.
Tickets to Secret Solstice presents: Geothermal Pool Party with ‘All Day I Dream’ 2018 at Hreppslaug on June 22 are on sale now for $145 USD via http://secretsolstice.is/side-events/
Tickets to The Lava Tunnel on June 23, and June 24 2018 are on sale now for $236 USD via http://secretsolstice.is/side-events/
Tickets to Into The Glacier on June 23, 2018 are on sale now for $318 USD via http://secretsolstice.is/side-events/
Tickets to the Opening Concert on June 21 are on sale now for $96 USD via the Secret Solstice website.
Saturday festival passes are on sale now for $145 USD via the Secret Solstice website.
Festival passes to Secret Solstice Festival 2018 start at $241 USD. Camping, and VIP tickets including Odinn and Package of the Gods are also on sale through the Secret Solstice website.
Full tour packages including flights, tickets and accommodation with Iceland’s top services including hotels, rentals, and airport transfers are also available via the Secret Solstice website.
Secret Solstice 2018 Final Lineup*
*Indicates new additions*
Slayer [US]
Stormzy [UK]
Gucci Mane [US]
Clean Bandit [UK]
Bonnie Tyler [UK]
Death From Above [CA]
Steve Aoki [US]
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic [US]
Jet Black Joe [IS]
6lack [US]
GoldLink [US]
J Hus [UK]
Charlotte de Witte [BE]
Skream [UK]
Kollektiv Turmstrasse [DE]
Masego [US]
IAMDDB [UK]
Högni [IS]
GusGus (DJ) [IS]
Gentleman's Dub Club [UK]
*Dubfire [US]
*Lee Burridge [UK]
*Bjarki [IS]
Agent Fresco [IS]
Ali Love [UK]
Alvia [IS]
Andrea Jóns [IS]
*Anton Fitz & Martin Loose-Cuts [UK]
Aron Can [IS]
Artwork [UK]
Ása [IS]
*Ateria [IS]
Bensol [IS]
Between Mountains [IS]
Birgir [IS]
Birgir Hákon [IS]
Birnir [IS]
Captain Syrup [IS]
Carla Rosemary [IS]
CasaNova [IS]
Casio Fatso [IS]
Cell7 [IS]
*Cole [IT]
*Colin Perkins [IE]
Cosmic Bullshit [IS]
*Daniel Hamilton [ZA]
*Dino Gardiakos [US]
*DJ Caspa [UK]
DJ Frímann [IS]
DJ Karítas [IS]
Dream Wife [UK/IS]
Droog [US]
Earthgang [US]
Egyptian Lover [US]
Elli Grill [IS]
Ern [US]
Fever Dream [IS]
Flóni [IS]
For A Minor Reflection [IS]
Fox Train Safari [IS]
GDRN [IS]
Geisha Cartel [IS
*Get Funky DJs [UK]
Gísli Pálmi [IS]
GKR [IS]
Godchilla [IS]
Grúska Babúska [IS]
HAM [IS]
Helgi B X Igna [IS]
Hildur [IS]
Holmar [IS]
Huginn [IS]
Indigo Theory [HU]
*Intr0beatz [IS]
J.I.D [US]
J.Phlip [US]
JFDR [IS]
Joey Christ [IS]
John Acquaviva [CA]
Johnny And The Rest [IS]
Jóipé x Króli [IS]
*Just William [UK]
Kilo [IS]
Klose One [UK]
KrBear [IS]
Landaboi$ [IS]
Logi Pedro [IS]
Maher Daniel [CA]
MARBS (Desert Hearts) [US]
Marco Faraone [IT]
*Martin Marson [ES]
Matt Tolfrey [UK]
*Maxxi Soundsystem [UK]
Mighty Bear [IS]
Mike The Jacket [IS]
*Mókrókar [IS]
Mushy [UK]
Nitin [CA]
*Orang Volante (Live) [IS]
Petre Inspirescu [RO]
Pink Street Boys [IS]
Ragga Hólm [IS
*PJ Glaze [IS]
Raresh [RO]
The Retro Mutants [IS]
Reykjavíkurdætur [IS]
Rhadoo [RO]
*Rix [IS]
*Röskva [IS]
Ryan Crosson [US]
Rythmatik [IS]
Shaun Reeves [US]
Skaði [IS]
*Skrattar [IS]
Sprite Zero Klan [IS]
Stuðmenn [IS]
Sturla Atlas [IS]
Sura [IS]
Sweaty Records [IS]
Sylvia [IS]
*Teitur Magnússon [IS]
Úlfur Úlfur [IS]
Una Stef [IS]
Une Misère [IS]
Vala CruNk [IS]
Valby Bræður [IS]
Valdimar [IS]
Vicky [IS]
Vio [IS]
wAFF [UK]
We Made God [IS]
*YokoO [FR]
Young Karin [IS]
Yung Nigo Drippin [IS]
*Þorri [IS]
OFF Festival Katowice 2018: It’s OK, this isn’t a cult, it’s just a new batch of artists.
Kult performs the album Spokojnie, cult legends Unsane take no prisoners, and we broaden our cultural horizons with Good Night Chicken, MIN t and tęskno. We’re cultivating quite a lineup for this year’s OFF Festival.
Kult performing Spokojnie
Kult has never performed at the OFF Festival, nor has the band’s frontman Kazik ever played here with any of his many side projects, and that’s reason enough to catch up with him. But where to start? For us, the answer is clear: Spokojnie, the band’s third album, is regarded by many as Kult’s magnum opus. With music that’s mature, original and touching, the record boasts a post-punk sound and songs that are at once worldly and local, and with wise and timeless lyrics to boot. “Arahja,” recently revamped by the band HEY, stands alone in the history of Polish popular music as likely the best metaphor for the conflict that’s tearing apart our country, our cities and ourselves. “Do Ani” is among the most beautiful Polish love songs. “Patrz” deals with the intersection between the state and religion, a issue that remains as pressing as ever. “Tan”: Do we live to work or work to live? Is the Man subject to the same laws as we are? In the thirty years since the release of Spokojnie, not a single note has lost its urgency. For the first time in the band’s history, Kult will perform the album live in its entirety.
Unsane
Unsane has had a good year. They’ve come out with an excellent new album, Sterilize, accompanied by an enthusiastically-received promotional tour, and the Polish label Antena Krzyku released a double LP titled Shattered, Flattered & Covered — A Tribute to Unsane, featured covers of the New York band’s songs performed by a new generation of noise aficionados. That kind of homage isn’t for just anybody. Unsane is a cult phenomenon, a band uniquely adept at combining the intensity of the Swans with aggressive NY hard core and heavy metal. As we head into tough times again, Unsane’s furious, dirty brand of noise rock once again provides the perfect soundtrack to the world around us.
Good Night Chicken
Can you surf in a garage? You can in Bydgoszcz. Artur Kujawa and Tomasz Gołda have slapped their ridiculous moniker on a totally serious yet energetic and fun project that churns out noise rock with an admixture of rawness. It’s at once catchy and rackety, and there’s hardly a fan of guitar rock that could resist the charm of their new record, You Like the Taste, Don’t You. Just think how caustic these tracks must be live!
MIN t
Martyna Kubicz is a classically-trained musician and an experienced actress, but she plays no role when she takes the stage as MIN t, a project that’s contemporary in both form and content. Her late 2017 debut album Assemblage earned her a GaMa Award nomination and a finalist spot in a reader poll held by the daily newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza. That should be no surprise to anyone familiar with her explosive mixture of riveting r’n’b and dark, dense electronics. It’s got everything from dance rhythms to bold and progressive arrangements — everything MIN t needs to make her one of the most promising acts on today’s Polish music scene.
tęskno
A collaborative effort by Joanna Longić and Hani Rani, with a name that translates as “longingly.” The former is better known as one half of Bemine, a dreamy electronic duo co-formed by Coldair’s Tobiasz Biliński. Rani, or Hanna Raniszewska, is a pianist whose craft spans classical and popular music and who has collaborated with such acts as Domowe Melodie and Dobrawa Czocher, with whom she performs daring reinterpretations of songs by Grzegorz Ciechowski. What do Longić and Rani do together? “We write songs in Polish, combining the tones, melodies, and sounds we long for.” And it’s true: give it a listen, and you’ll always long for tęskno.
This year’s OFF Festival lineup also features: M.I.A., Charlotte Gainsbourg, Ariel Pink, Grizzly Bear, Zola Jesus, Jon Hopkins Live, Aurora, Turbonegro, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah performing Some Loud Thunder, Marlon Williams, John Maus, …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead performing Source Tags & Codes, Big Freedia, David August, Egyptian Lover, Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares (The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices), Oxbow, Bishop Nehru, King Ayisoba, Housewives, Chastity Belt, Or:la, Jacques Greene, Harry Merry, Gary War, coL, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Mystery Lights, DJ Paypal & DJ Taye, Wednesday Campanella, Sensations’ Fix, Hańba!, Furia, The Como Mamas, Coals, Moses Sumney, Yasuaki Shimizu, Yellow Days, Legendarny Afrojax, Adam Strug, ARRM, Wojciech Bąkowski, Nanook Of The North, Bass Astral x Igo, Sorja Morja, Skalpel Big Band, and Sonbird.
The 2018 OFF Festival Katowice will take place August 3–5 at Three Pond Valley. Three-day passes are now available at the OFF Shop for 330 PLN. This price lasts until June 10 or until the third batch of tickets is sold out! Campground tickets are also available for 70 PLN.
Contact
NIkki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk