IFF: The Responsibility Session – Festival power
The power of festivals on performers, audiences and communities was explored in a panel at this year’s International Festival Forum (IFF).
Hosted by ILMC chief operating officer Jonathan Lomax, The Responsibility Session: Festival Power brought together agents Clementine Bunel of Wasserman Music and ATC Live’s Will Church, alongside festival bookers Pavla Slivova of Czech Republic’s Colors of Ostrava and Michal Kaščák, founder of Slovakia’s Pohoda.
The session began by stressing the need to look at the bigger picture when it comes to booking lineups, rather than placing too much emphasis on headliners.
“Obviously, headliners want to get the biggest fee possible for their performances, but it’s crucial that there’s money still left in the pot for artists lower down the bill,” Church said.
“You want to pick a headliner that will guarantee an audience, but we have a responsibility to accommodate artists regardless if they’re the main act or are in the middle or the bottom of the bill,” added Slivova. “It’s always about communicating the balance of the other costs between production, artist fees, and everything else, and eventually a compromise can be had.”
Despite the role festivals have in platforming and furthering performers’ careers, Bunel indicated the relationship between festivals and major artists has changed in recent years.
“We are seeing more huge names venture towards big money tours over taking a prime slot at a festival”
“Nowadays, we are seeing more huge names venture towards big money tours over taking a prime slot at a festival,” she said. “At a certain level, some of them have fallen out of love with festivals.”
Kaščák flipped the script somewhat when talking about the responsibilities of festivals and performers.
“You’re paying them to play, but some artists still aren’t willing to promote your festivals,” he explained, adding that he has encountered this behaviour more from mid-level acts rather than bigger names.
Regarding festivals’ responsibilities towards fans, topics such as rising ticket prices, audiences’ expectations, and health and safety came into the fore.
“People just want to see value for money,” suggested Church, citing the debate over Glastonbury’s prices.
Bunel added that due to the fierce competition in the market, “higher standards” are demanded by the audience.
“The demographic isn’t what it was 10 or 15 years ago, and festivals like Glastonbury aside, they usually won’t attend the same festival twice unless they’ve had a spectacularly good time,” she said.
“Sometimes, as festival organisers, we think we’re James Bond who will be able to fix anything and everything, but we can’t”
Crowd safety was an especially pertinent topic for Kaščák, given that this year’s Pohoda was brought to a premature end due to a severe storm, injuring 29 festivalgoers.
“Sometimes, as festival organisers, we think we’re James Bond who will be able to fix anything and everything, but we can’t,” he said. “You can have the best procedures in the world, but there will always be risky situations that we’ll be forced to deal with. So it’s our responsibility to reduce risks by using all the tools at your disposal to keep audiences safe even under extreme weather conditions.”
Inclusivity and accessibility were other considerations, with Slivova emphasising the importance of looking after fans with disabilities.
“At Colors of Ostrava, we launched a project called Colors Without Barriers after we noticed an increase in the number of attendees with a mobility impairment,” she explained. “We reduce the price of fees, we have assistance, they can call a taxi, they can call for help, the venue’s wheelchair-ready, and so on. They can get anywhere around the festival site.”
Meanwhile, with the heightened awareness over current geopolitical issues and festival sponsors and their affiliations towards certain entities, Bunel noted that agents nowadays can’t book gigs for the sake of booking them.
“For the 2025 season, there’s been an increase in the number of artists asking who’s sponsoring which festival and to make sure the festival partners aren’t investing into arms or anti-LGBTQ+ associations,” she said. “We have to be very knowledgeable about our artists, where we see them play, and be quite thoughtful about whether this festival is really for them.”
In closing, Kaščák added it was vital that festivals are fully aware of who they choose to partner with.
“We’ve been working with NGOs since 1998, and we’re in a perpetual conflict with our politicians,” he said. “But while it’s not easy, it’s a testament to the importance of a festival’s role towards the wider community as a whole.”
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Indie fests fear financial impact of severe weather
Organisers from Pohoda Festival (SK), Art Rock (FR) and InMusic (HR) have discussed the perils of maintaining independent festivals in the current climate.
“Unexpected things happen all the time,” Ivana Jelača, programming director for InMusic, told delegates at the recent SHIP conference in Croatia.
“No one predicted the pandemic. No one predicted a war in Europe in the 21st century. Organising a festival is a year-long job and things can dramatically change in that time. There are a lot of factors at play such as political factors, social factors, health and safety factors, weather factors and climate factors. There are a lot more dangers that have appeared in recent years.”
A primary danger for these organisers is inclement weather, as well as the resulting hike in insurance premiums.
Pohoda booking manager Barbora Bodnárová discussed the most recent edition of the three-day festival in July, which was curtailed after a thunderstorm caused a large tent stage to collapse and injure 29 people.
“Weather is getting more and more severe and you never know what is going to happen”
“I have never experienced such a storm [as the one this year] and we have storms at the festival almost every year and ways to deal with them,” said Bodnárová. “But we were in a situation where you couldn’t do anything. The policy we have in place wasn’t applicable for 20 minutes because you just had to take care of yourself and the people around you.”
“Weather is getting more and more severe and you never know what is going to happen. We just need to make sure we prepare ourselves the best we can in advance and assess it year by year.”
Though the Slovakian festival doesn’t have insurance for cancellation or inclement weather, it does have some cover.
“We have materials and structures insurance,” said Bodnárová. “Fortunately, we had a really good policy that was not that expensive… though I don’t think it’s going to be [that cheap] anymore.”
InMusic’s Jelača says she’s seen insurance fees for inclement weather “go through the roof” in recent years and points out that it’s a “security issue as well as a very big financial issue”.
“Insurance companies say that they will stop covering climate-related events because it’s becoming systematic and it’s not economically viable for them”
Carol Meyer, director of the French non-profit festival Art Rock, reiterates the point, adding that the cost of a severe weather event could end the long-running festival.
“Insurance is a huge issue in France,” she said. “Now, we hear from the insurance companies that they will stop covering climate-related events because it’s becoming systematic and it’s not economically viable for them. This is a real danger because if what happens at Pohoda happens and you’re not covered, you can kill a festival that is 42 years old.”
Bodnárová says that Pohoda is still weighing up the financial impact of the cancelled 2024 festival.
“It’s a slow process,” she said. “Many people are waiting for their money. We haven’t yet made a decision on whether to return a portion of the admission fee to those who would ask. We paid most of the artists their full fees, though some were able to settle for lower fees.”
Even without severe weather events and unaffordable insurance premiums, festivals are still struggling to balance the books.
“We are an independent festival and we’d like to stay independent”
“We almost never break even and we still need to find the ground after Covid,” says Bodnárová. “Finances are the number one concern for us as we are an independent festival and we’d like to stay independent. Plus, we need to attract younger generations so we can’t just keep raising the ticket prices.”
Meyer says that since Covid, Art Rock has to sell out to break even, and that finances are exacerbated by the concentration of major companies in France.
“Live Nation or AEG have relationships with the big artists and own the venues, the ticketing, and now they own festivals,” she said. “They can afford to lose money because the festival is a showcase.”
Croatia’s InMusic has also had its fair share of financial difficulties, some of which caused organisers to pull the plug on the 2023 edition.
Looking to the future, Jelača urged live music fans to support homegrown events and venues.
“Stick by your smaller events,” she said. “Stick by your local pubs. Stick by these grassroots movements because they do, in turn, give you bigger festivals or bigger events that will gather momentum.”
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Slovakia’s Pohoda confirms 2025 return
Promoters of Slovakia’s Pohoda Festival have put speculation about the event’s future to rest after confirming it will return in 2025.
The most recent edition of the three-day independent festival in July was curtailed on its second night amid adverse weather after a thunderstorm caused a large tent stage to collapse and injured 29 people.
Scheduled sets by acts such as Royal Blood, Morcheeba, Nia Archives, Black Pumas, Mount Kimbie and Ezra Collective were unable to take place as a result.
“The safety of our guests is our priority, and therefore we believe that our decision, made with great regret, will be understood by everyone,” said organisers at the time.
However, it has now been announced that the 30,000-cap event will take place at Trenčín Airport from 10-12 July next year.
“We still have a lot of work ahead of us to complete the prematurely ended 2024 edition”
“We still have a lot of work ahead of us to complete the prematurely ended 2024 edition, and there are many questions to which we do not yet have answers,” says the festival team. “Nevertheless, we look forward with hope to the coming days, weeks and months as we prepare the new edition of the festival for you.”
Led by CEO Michal Kaščák, the music and arts festival was launched in 1997 and has featured acts such as Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Pulp, Kraftwerk, The xx, Liam Gallagher, Wolf Alice, The Chemical Brothers, PJ Harvey, The Prodigy, M.I.A. and The Libertines.
A campaign, set up in the aftermath of this year’s cancellation to help ensure Pohoda’s survival, has raised more than €140,000 to date. A series of fundraising gigs have also been held.
“We thank you for all the support you have shown us, whether it be through positive messages, tributes, Concerts for Pohoda, donations or other acts of solidarity,” add festival organisers. “Each act of kindness and support has touched us deeply, and we receive them with heartfelt thanks. They give us the strength to begin preparations for Pohoda 2025.”
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Pohoda: ‘We leave with a strong sense of hope’
Pohoda festival organisers have offered an update after the 2024 event was curtailed by a thunderstorm that caused a large tent stage to collapse and left 29 people injured.
The 30,000-cap festival was due to run at Slovakia’s Trenčín airport from 11-13 July, but was suspended on its second night amid extreme weather, before the decision was made to cancel the remainder of the event.
According to the festival’s chief physician Jaroslav Vidan, 28 of the injuries were minor while one was of “moderate severity”.
In a statement almost two weeks on, promoters thank fans for a “wonderful opening day”, and say they are confident the decision to end the event a day earlier than planned was the correct one.
“The safety of everyone at Pohoda is our priority, so we believe ending the festival on Friday was the right decision, and we stand by it,” they say. “We missed the usual feedback we receive after smooth-running editions, but we received another, equally powerful kind in the form of solidarity, support, and encouragement.
“We are grateful for the way our visitors handled the Friday storm, and we know of many powerful stories where the Pohoda community showed its resilience.”
Artists booked for the event included Peggy Gou, James Blake, Skepta, Pendulum, Black Pumas, Thievery Corporation, Arlo Parks, Ezra Collective, Nia Archives, Royal Blood and Morcheeba. Evacuation buses were arranged to transport people from the site.
“We will soon inform you about the next steps following the packing up of Pohoda 2024”
“We are proud of the rescuers, security personnel, inspection team members, firefighters, and all other units involved in managing the situation,” add organisers. “We especially appreciate the dedication of our part-time workers, volunteers, and the extensive Pohoda team.
“We also thank Trenčín Airport for their excellent cooperation, which reinforces our belief that Trenčín Airport is the best festival venue in the world.”
The independent music and arts festival was launched in 1997 and has featured acts such as Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Pulp, Kraftwerk, The xx, Liam Gallagher, Wolf Alice, The Chemical Brothers, PJ Harvey, The Prodigy, M.I.A. and The Libertines.
In closing, the festival thanks its supporters and pledges to give an update on the future of the festival as soon as possible.
“We will soon inform you about the next steps following the packing up of Pohoda 2024,” conclude the team. “It is easier for us to leave thanks to the unwavering support from those who attended Pohoda, as well as from many who have never visited it. We value every form of help and support, from concerts and fundraisers to encouraging words. Thanks to this, we leave with a strong sense of hope.”
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Pohoda cancels after 29 injured in extreme weather
Slovakia’s Pohoda has been brought to a premature end after one of its large tents collapsed due to a severe storm, injuring 29 festivalgoers.
The 30,000-cap 2024 edition was set to run at Trenčín airport from 11-13 July, but was suspended at 8pm on Friday before the decision was made to cancel the remainder of the event.
Spectator reports that dozens of people were inside the tent at the time of the collapse. Police are investigating the incident.
“Twenty-eight injuries were minor, mostly lacerations, and one injury was of moderate severity, involving a hip fracture,” says the festival’s chief physician Jaroslav Vidan, who adds that all casualties were taken to hospital.
Artists booked for the event included Peggy Gou, James Blake, Skepta, Pendulum, Black Pumas, Thievery Corporation, Arlo Parks, Ezra Collective and Nia Archives, while scheduled Friday night performances by Royal Blood and Morcheeba were called off because of the adverse conditions.
“We expect to be able to provide information shortly about the extreme weather that affected our festival and the consequences it had on the festival structures”
“After careful consideration of the time constraints for inspecting the safety of the festival structures, we have decided that we must cancel Pohoda 2024,” organisers posted on social media on Saturday. “Based on the available information, inspecting all the structures could not be completed in less than 24 hours, which makes it impossible to continue with the festival programme.
“The safety of our guests is our priority, and therefore we believe that our decision, made with great regret, will be understood by everyone. We expect to be able to provide information shortly about the extreme weather that affected our festival and the consequences it had on the festival structures.”
Evacuation buses were arranged to transport people from the site.
“We would like to thank SAD Trenčín, Slovak Lines, Railways of the Slovak Republic, and Slovenská Sporiteľňa for organising special transport during the evacuation,” say organisers in a message to attendees. “We would also like to thank all our suppliers, partners, artists, non-profit organisations and catering teams for their understanding and various forms of assistance in dealing with the situation.
“We will keep you updated on the next steps and the overall future of our festival”
“Due to the immense effort, dedication and support, the impact of Friday’s extreme storm has been minimised. Our thoughts are with all those injured and we wish them a speedy recovery. Our thoughts are also with all those who have been affected in any way. For those travelling home, we wish you a safe return. We miss you all greatly, but you have left behind a sense of hope.
“We are now focusing on the aftermath of the event and will be staying at Trenčín Airport for many days to pack up the prematurely ended Pohoda 2024. We will keep you updated on the next steps and the overall future of our festival.”
The independent music and arts festival was launched in 1997 and has featured acts such as Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Pulp, Kraftwerk, The xx, Liam Gallagher, Wolf Alice, The Chemical Brothers, PJ Harvey, The Prodigy, M.I.A. and The Libertines.
Previously, two people were killed and dozens injured after a stage tent collapsed on them during a rainstorm at the 2009 festival.
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Euro festival preview: EXIT, Mad Cool, Montreux & more
Continuing our weekly preview of European festivals, IQ gives readers a glimpse of what’s in store this week…
Serbia’s EXIT Festival (10-14 July) kicks off today at Petrovaradin Fortress, Novi Sad, under the slogan “Awakening our Superpowers Together”.
Black Eyed Peas, Tom Morello, John Newman, Gucci Mane, Carl Cox, Artbat and Maceo Plex are among the headliners of the 2024 edition.
Meanwhile, the 47th edition of North Sea Jazz (12–14) will take place at Rotterdam Ahoy with 150 acts including Sting, Raye, André 3000, Corinne Bailey Rae, Masego, Sampha, Noname, Jessie Ware and Jamie Cullum.
Festival director Jan Willem Luyken recently spoke to IQ about the secret behind the Dutch festival’s decades-long legacy.
The swansong edition of Germany’s MELT festival will launch tomorrow
From one stalwart festival to the next, the 58th edition of Montreux Jazz Festival is already underway and will run until 20 July.
The Swiss event, which typically draws 250,000 people over 16 days, features Jon Batiste and Henry Moodie and runs until 20 July. More than 30 shows will be livestreamed for free on the festival’s YouTube channel. Read IQ‘s recent interview with organisers Mathieu Jaton here.
Across the continent, Mad Cool (10–13) will return to the Iberdrola Music Venue in Madrid, Spain. Top-billing acts at the festival are Dua Lipa, Pearl Jam, Måneskin and The Killers.
Mad Cool’s Javier Arnáiz and Cindy Castillo recently spoke with IQ about the various changes they have implemented to improve the customer experience, as well as the event’s evolution during its first decade.
Meanwhile, the swansong edition of Germany’s MELT festival (11–13) will launch tomorrow. The 20,000-capacity event will return to the Ferropolis open-air museum, near Gräfenhainichen, Saxony-Anhalt, where it has been held since 1999.
Queens of the Stone Age were forced to pull out of their headlining slot at Pohoda
Over 120 artists will bid farewell to Goodlive’s longstanding event, including Sampha, James Blake, Sugababes, DJ Koze, Romy, Marlon Hoffstadt, Overmono, James Blake, Obongjayar, Romy and Skepta.
Slovakia’s biggest festival, Pohoda (11-13), returns to Trenčín Airport including James Blake, Skepta, Royal Blood, Arlo Parks, Pendulum, Black Pumas and more.
Yesterday (10 July), it was announced that Queens of the Stone Age were forced to pull out of their headlining slot at the festival due to frontman Josh Homme requiring “emergency surgery”.
And Wireless Finsbury Park (12-14) takes over London’s Finsbury Park this weekend featuring performances by Nicki Minaj, Future, 21 Savage and Doja Cat.
The bill also features special guest Future, plus Ice Spice, Sean Paul, Asake, Gunna, Rema, Tyla, Digga D, Vanessa Bling, Veeze, Ragz Originale, DJ Target and Remi Burgz. Sexyy Red, Fridayy, Skillibeng, Byron Messia, Shallipopi, Strandz, Kenny Allstar, Seani B, Uncle Waffles, Ruger, Teezo Touchdown, Nadia Jae and Snoochie Shy.
Other festivals taking place this weekend include Slottsfjell (NO) 2000 Trees (UK), NOS Alive (PT), Bilbao BBK Live (ES), Cruilla Barcelona (ES) and TRNSMT (UK).
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Pohoda festival shifts 500 lifetime passes
Slovakia’s biggest festival Pohoda has sold 500 lifetime passes in less than seven days, grossing almost half a million euros.
The Pohoda Forever ticket, priced at €999, offers infinite access to the festival as well as merchandise discounts, fast-track entry and priority parking.
The limited edition passes went on sale on 15 December and sold out a week later, prompting organisers to release a final round of 277.
“Thank you for your confidence and support, it gives us strength and optimism for the years to come”
“We are thrilled that the Pohoda Forever has had such an amazing response,” organisers wrote on the website. “Thank you for your confidence and support, it gives us strength and optimism for the years to come. Together we are building a strong community that we will actively communicate with.”
Pohoda Forever ticketholders receive a customised stainless steel card as well as their festival wristband in advance. The lifetime membership can be inherited free of charge, while the wristband can be temporarily gifted if the original ticketholder cannot attend the festival.
Pohoda festival returns to Trenčín Airport on 11-13 July, with acts including James Blake, Queens of the Stone Age, Skepta, Royal Blood, Arlo Parks, Pendulum, Black Pumas and more.
Three-day tickets to the festival, which includes camping, are currently €139.
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Pohoda boss: ‘This year was about surviving’
Pohoda organiser Michal Kaščák has shared his optimism for the Slovakian festival’s future after navigating tricky waters this summer.
The most recent edition of the 30,000-cap event took place at Trenčín airport from 6-8 July, featuring acts such as Wet Leg, Central Cee, Jamie xx, Sampa the Great, Ben Howard, Caroline Polachek, Sleaford Mods and Suzanne Vega.
But Kaščák tells IQ that ticket sales fell short of previous levels, with the Slovak market being slower to recover from the pandemic than its western European counterparts, exacerbated by other external factors.
“This year was about surviving, to be honest,” he says. “We are in a very difficult situation after the pandemic and so our starting position for this year was very difficult. Slovakia is not in the same situation as western countries – people are not coming back to clubs, pubs and even festivals – so it is much harder to persuade people to come.
“We saw that this year – we were not sold out and the margins are becoming so thin that we need to be sold out to be in the black, so it was not easy.”
“From an artistic point of view, it was the best festival in our history”
Despite the commercial struggles, Kaščák says the proudly independent music and arts festival, which was launched in 1997, was a creative triumph that was received well by those in attendance.
“On the other side, it was a fantastic year because we had an excellent line-up,” he says. “We had excellent reviews, we had excellent weather and we had an excellent atmosphere. So from an artistic point of view, it was the best in our history and that was an important message for our audience and the whole society.
“The pandemic was managed super-badly and the economic situation is tough, with the war and energy prices, and the politicians are not bringing any vision. They are only speaking about problems, so a lot of people are a little bit scared what will happen in future so are thinking about where to spend their money much more carefully.
“We are not in an easy economic situation but it isn’t the first time [that has been the case] in our history, so we will get through it. We will do our best to keep our approach, to keep our attitude and continue like we started. In general, I’m optimistic. I’m sure that we will survive.”
“We are working really hard to be ready for for next year”
Next year’s Pohoda (peace) will take place from 11-13 July 2024, with three-day tickets priced at €129.
“I started booking two months ago and it looks promising, but it all depends on who confirms,” says Kaščák. “We are working really hard to be ready for for next year and to have it be the same quality or even better quality than in 2023 from all perspectives. Again, from artistic point of view, but also services: quality of sound, light, quality of food. We will also keep our approach of bringing important topics to the festival.”
Earlier this year, Kaščák spoke to IQ about his recent visits to war-torn Ukraine. Pohoda has pitched in to support the citizens of Ukraine with a charity concert and an employment initiative throughout the war.
Kaščák first visited the neighbouring country last December for a project organised by the Ukrainian Association of Music Events as part of the Music Saves UA initiative, realised in collaboration with the Night Ambassadors team from the city of Lviv.
He has helped Ukrainian crew, artists and musicians secure work at festivals and events around Europe, and has also played live shows in the country with his band, Bez Ladu A Skladu.
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Pohoda’s Kaščák pleads for more Ukraine support
Slovak promoter Michal Kaščák has spoken exclusively to IQ about his recent visits to war-torn Ukraine and he wants to remind people that those risking their lives to protect their homeland “are fighting for all of us”.
Pohoda Festival organiser Kaščák says he first visited the neighbouring country last December for a project organised by the Ukrainian Association of Music Events as part of the Music Saves UA initiative, realised in collaboration with the Night Ambassadors team from the city of Lviv.
“After that trip I decided I had to try to do more, so I’ve now been on personal trips to Kherson and other cities in south eastern Ukraine,” explains Kaščák.
Not content with helping Ukrainian crew, artists and musicians with securing work at festivals and events around Europe, Kaščák understood that people in the country who are simply trying to get on with their everyday lives are also in need of cultural entertainment, and as a result, he and his band, Bez Ladu A Skladu, undertook their own endeavours to play live shows in the besieged country.
“This is not just some Russians on an Imperial adventure in the neighbouring country. This is an attack on our civilisation and our values”
“It was very important and an honour for us to play there, so in May we played two shows in Kyiv – at a recording studio and on an open air stage next to Peppers club – and we also recorded a live video at the Olympic Stadium.”
Indeed, he reveals, “We are thinking about going back in autumn, again. People in Kyiv, they are doing their best to live as normal life as possible. But the whole country is in war now and even Kyiv is bombarded nearly every day. So there are many restrictions, many rules they have to follow. But I think that it’s very important not just to bring artists and people from Ukraine to our country’s our cities, but also to go there to show the support in the country.”
While Kaščák has integrated multiple Ukrainian elements into Pohoda Festival, which takes place 6-8 July, he would like to see others stepping up to support those enduring the everyday reality of life in Ukraine.
In addition to Ukrainian acts on the Pohoda line-up, the festival will see the Slovak National Theatre orchestra premiere new compositions by three young composers from Ukraine. “We also have debates, we have guests in literature, we have stands from Ukraine and also from Slovakia who are dealing with some of the issues caused by the war. And we’re also collecting money to pay for two ambulances, which on 17 July we are driving to the frontline to give to the soldiers fighting for Ukraine’s freedom.”
“It’s not a special war operation: it’s genocide – one country trying to destroy another nation”
Asked what he thinks the live music community can do to help, Kaščák says, “We should all speak more about it; we should use the power of our events, the power of our art, power of anything to try to change the approach to Ukraine. We should be more focused on what’s going on there and speak more about it as that creates pressure on our politicians.
“I’m afraid that people will come to the stage where we will think that the war is a normal part of our lives, as it’s not in our countries, it’s not so painful, and it’s not so horrible. But people in Ukraine dream about freedom. They can see absolutely clearly that it’s not a special war operation: it’s genocide – one country trying to destroy another nation.
“I know that European countries and the United States also have their own problems, but Ukraine is fighting for all of our freedom. There were similar happenings in the beginning of the Second World War and then it lasted seven years. So we cannot wait. This is not just some Russians on an Imperial adventure in the neighbouring country. This is an attack on our civilisation and our values. So we should all try to be more active.”
Kascak says that travelling to the Ukraine is not as difficult as people might imagine. “You cannot fly there, so my first three visits, I travelled by train, and it’s amazing how the railway works in Ukraine. When Kherson was liberated, the day after they sent the first normal train and now, they are working daily.
“People in in our countries can’t imagine sending your kids to school, and you are not sure if they will come back”
“On the last visit with the band we were travelling by van mainly through Western Ukraine and it looked like normal countries in Eastern Europe. The travelling itself was not so difficult. It maybe took a longer time, but it was worthwhile to do it.” But he adds that for the five band members who made the trip, “It was one of the most important events in our personal lives and of course in the history of our band.”
As a punk outfit, Bez Ladu A Skladu had numerous battles with Czechoslovakia’s communist regime in the 1980s, and they continued to be vociferous champions of human rights following the Velvet Revolution.
But Kaščák says the experience of visiting Ukraine hit hard with his fellow bandmates as parents.
“People in in our countries can’t imagine sending your kids to school, and you are not sure if they will come back. But the Ukrainians need to live life as normally as possible, so they do it and they do it with a bravery which I haven’t seen anywhere on the planet till today.”
“The targets of the bombs are not military complexes, it’s cultural places – the strongest part of identity of Ukrainians”
Urging everyone to help elevate the plight of Ukraine in the political agenda, Kaščák contends that the missiles and drone bombs are deliberately targeting cultural hubs and institutions.
“I have never seen such a strong connection between art and people and human rights like in Ukraine,” states Kaščák. “In Kherson, the city was being bombarded so much they don’t use warning sirens anymore because they would just be on air all the time. But when we walked around Kherson with the chief of the theatre, everyone was asking him when the theatre will start to play again.
“This connection with culture is such a strong part of the identity of Ukrainians – and the aggressors know that – they target the city halls, they target the schools and they target the theatres. I saw it for myself in Kherson. The targets of the bombs are not military complexes, it’s cultural places – the strongest part of identity of Ukrainians. But someone is not accepting the existence of another nation and another people, so that’s why it’s very important for us to deal with it in a more straight way, and to speak about it more and more.”
Bez Ladu A Skladu’s video from the Olympic Stadium can be seen here.
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Europe’s biggest festivals join sustainability pact
Sziget, Pohoda and Øya are among a slate of European events that have joined the Green Deal Circular Festivals (GDCF) sustainability pact.
Launched in 2019 by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, GDCF brings together participating festivals to share knowledge and experience on sustainability practices in a bid to become circular and climate-neutral by 2025.
Festivals from the GDCF, along with the municipality of Amsterdam and other European cities and regions, gathered at the ADE Green conference during the Amsterdam Dance Event on 21 October in Amsterdam, where 23 new festivals joined the initiative.
Mysteryland (NL), NorthSide (DK), Amsterdam Dance Event (NL), EXIT Festival (RS), Awakenings Festival (NL), Awakenings Summer Festival (NL) and Paradise City Festival (BE), join Sziget (HU), Pohoda (SK) and Øya (DK) in signing on to the cause.
With the 23 new additions, the number of participating parties has more than doubled to 43 festivals from 14 countries
Other new signatories include Boom Festival (PT), Castle Fest (NL), Department Festival (SE, DK), Georgie’s (NL), Komm schon Alter (NL), Lago Lago (NL), Le Guess Who? (NL), Meadows in the Mountains (BG), Orange Blossom (DE), Welcome to the Village (NL), Wild Paths Festival (UK) and Wonderfeel (NL).
With the 23 new additions, the number of participating parties has more than doubled to 43 festivals from 14 countries.
Existing members of GDCF are Amsterdam Open Air (NL), Best Kept Secret Festival (NL), Boardmasters (UK), Body & Soul (IE), Boomtown (UK), DGTL Amsterdam (NL), Down The Rabbit Hole (NL), Eurosonic Noorderslag (NL), Into The Great Wide Open (NL), Lowlands (NL), Mañana Mañana (NL), Milkshake Festival (NL), North Sea Jazz (NL), Pukkelpop (NL), Roskilde Festival (DK), Shambala (UK), Superbloom (DE), Vierdaagsefeesten (NL), We Love Green (FR) and Zwarte Cross (NL).
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