Barikada
- World Of Music - Svastara |
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SZIGET
2007
The 15th Week Together
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Sziget 2007
The 15th Week Together
Sziget Festival is celebrating its 15th anniversary with its
best ever line-up and a concert from Hungary’s LGT on the eve of the festival.
True to Sziget tradition, there are loads of other things beside music... Theatre,
dance,
classical music, cabaret, performances, films, fine art, crafts, literary presentations,
programs for kids, sports and other free time activities - basically everything
that makes Sziget a unique event in the firmament of international festivals.
The 15th anniversary event takes place between August 7 and 15 (including "day
zero").
Services on the Sziget
To provide the most comfortable entertainment for festival-goers,
Sziget is offering a whole range of facilities and services from laundry and
left luggage
to day care for kids and a post office. ATM machines are available on the site,
and you can pay for entry by credit card at the ticket booth next to the entrance
of the festival. There is a pharmacy, a lost and found, a safe deposit, a 24-hour
medical service, a "language first aid tent" (a multilingual information
centre), information desks and several other services that can make a visitors’ week
on the Sziget more comfortable. Organisers encourage festival-goers to take
advantage of public transport, and they also provide shuttle buses, ferries
to Pest and Buda and a taxi service with discount transfer prices for the Sziget
visitors. A rent a bike service is also available on the island; moreover you
can leave your own bike at a designated bike shed, where if necessary, you
can ask for small repairs. Besides the information desks, this year new information
boards will help you find your way around, and you can also turn to the “mobile”
information stewards. This year there is also improved lighting.
As for food, the catering areas introduced two years ago
remain, which means that five such culinary centres will serve the visitors.
These dish out a great
variety of food from hot-dogs, doughnuts, popcorn, corn on the cob, fruit,
pastries, kebabs, sandwiches, sea fish, pizza, mixed grills, pancakes, jacket
potatoes, vegetarian, health and bio food, dried fruit, ice cream, and many
more. The colourful world of the “nations’ kitchen” is boosted by Mexican cuisine,
Brazilian sweets, Italian pastas and traditional "ancient" Hungarian cuisine.
And the good news is: the milk bar reopens this year.
Main Stage
Let's celebrate the jubilee with international Superstars, the most actual
bands of the present music scene and the best performances of the past years.
Nine Inch Nails (USA)
One of the most influential bands of the last 20 years
that has managed to survive a plethora of different styles, fans, stages and
member changes is
basically the musical ego trip of the musical genius Trent Reznor. Reznor is
an innovator who can tackle eighties synth-new wave, EBM, industrial music,
alt-rock, Peter Gabriel style art-rock, disco or country, and the result will
always be typically Nine Inch Nails. The world of NIN matured to perfection
through legendary concept albums, such as the early Pretty Hate Machine, The
Downward Spiral, The Fragile or With Teeth. They topped the Billboard chart
and received two Grammys for Best Metal Performance. Their greatly anticipated
new album Year Zero is due out in May. The recent line-consists of Alessandro
Cortini, Josh Freese, Aaron North, Trent Reznor and Jeordie White.
Razorlight (UK)
Razorlight is one of the most exciting and successful British
guitar pop bands to have emerged over the last couple of years. The band, fronted
by vocalist/guitarist
Johnny Borell (known for his eccentric and obnoxious behaviour) was often considered
to be the British little brother of the American Strokes in their early days.
However, since having defined their trademark sound and becoming successful
in their own right during the last few years, they’re now comparable to nobody
else on the current scene. Their unique sound manifests itself in fun and clever
pop songs, in which influences of both British and American pop music of the
last few decades, like that of Talking Heads, Blondie, Bruce Springsteen, Patti
Smith, Bob Geldolf, Police, Clash, Pulp and Blur can be heard. To date Razorlight
has released two albums: their 2004 debut, Up All Night and their sophomore
self-titled LP which hit the stores last year and turned out to be even more
successful than their impressive first effort.
Faithless (UK)
No wonder that the fundamental band of the British house-pop
wave is going to play for the fourth occasion at the Sziget Festival. This
is the band that
needs no introduction, as all their concerts have been great success. Moreover,
they were able to outdo their previous show each time. In 2005 all signs showed
that the original members of Faithless, founded in 1995, Maxi Jazz, Sister
Bliss and Rollo, came to a halt of their career at its climax. Their Greatest
Hits tour, however, proved its contrary. As a positive response they came up
with their latest album last autumn, titled To All New Arrivals, which is recorded
in a lower key, ambient-dub style. The band often has various people do one-off
features on their tracks, this time the vocals of Robert Smith of post-punk
group The Cure. We can expect that together with the brand-new hits, the house
mega-tracks – Insomnia, Salva Mea, Reverence etc. - are going to be played
and we can bet that the Faithless being at its summit is going outshine all
its previous performances.
Sportfreunde Stiller (D)
The German band is slowly becoming regular at Sziget,
these huge fans of their hometown’s TSV 1860 München and of course, Bayern
München. Sportfreunde Stiller
(Florian Weber – drums, Rüdiger Linhof – bass, Peter S. Brugger – vocals, guitar)
had been dubbed back in 1997 after an old friend, Hans Stiller, the coach of
the local footballteam of Germering. Beside football, the sportsfriends’ main
pursuits are guitar-pop and indie-rock. Their sound is somewhat similar to
Tocotronic and Die Sterne although Freunds’ less profound lyrics are more available
to foreign speakers of German, as all their songs are written in their mother
tongue. The early ones of their four critically acclaimed albums had been produced
by Uwe Hoffmann (producer of Die Arzte), while 2004's "Burli" rocks
harder and displays strong British influence with a special German twist to
it. It
came as no surprise that their last year’s World Championship-anthem „’54 ’74
’90 2006” landed at the top of German charts and when the National Elf got
beaten by Italy in the final the guys kept their perfect cool and immediately
re-wrote the lyrics and the title as the following: "'54 '74 '90 2010".
The Sportfreunde were also nominees at MTV MUsic Awards 2006 as Best German
Act.
Long live Hungarian-German Sportfreundschaft!
!!! (USA)
A band with a name not exactly easy to handle. The odd name (say:
chk, chk, chk) covers a group that plays the smartest dance grooves and which
– although
formed back in the mid-90s and debuted in 2000 – made its way into the limelight
of the mainstream in the past few years. What the eightpiece mainly reminds
us is the good old eighties when the noisy and broken beats of new wave melted
into funk, like it did with Public Image Limited, Pop Group, Happy Mondays
and Gang Of Four and also with the contemporary likes of The Rapture. !!!’s
brandnew, dancefloor-shaking, radio-hitbunch of songs „Myth Takes” has just
been released.
Tool (USA)
Few bands in this world can fill the concept of art-rock with
true meaning these days. Tool do. Tool means real message, gift, songwriting
talent and
overwhelming performance. No wonder if each and every gig they do is a world
sensation and a massive sellout, a subject of conversation between music-lovers
even years later. The band that saw their ascent in the early 90s heavily shocked
the rockers of post-grunge era with their layered, multi-dimensional and instantly
recognizable music which easily bore Jane's Addiction-like edginess, thrash-metal,
prog-rock flavours, Peter Gabriel-esques and Native-American shaman-chants
alike. After "Undertow", "Aenima" and a five year long
break (which held singer Maynard Keenan James' extremely successful project,
A Perfect Circle) Tool released "Lateralus" and last year's "10000
Days", both of which considered as milestones of rock-history by fans
as well as critics.
Eagles Of Death Metal (USA)
Eagles Of Death Metal started out as a hobby
band from the desert, just like the Queens of the Stone Age did once. However,
the success of the latter, who
managed to redefine the rock music map of the world, overshadowed the jokes
of Eagles Of Death Metal. So what does the Californian band have to do with
the QOTSA? Well, Josh Homme, Queen’s front man/ guitarist is sitting behind
the drums, while his old schoolmate, Jeff Hughes takes over the microphone.
EODM first appeared in 1998 on Desert Sessions, a compilation album edited
by Homme, yet they needed a few more years to come out with their first full
length album of garage rock. 2004’s Peace, Love, Death Metal was a record of
dirty, powerful desert rock spiced up with a bit of humour. They returned with
a similar sound and approach on their Death by Sexyn, which was released last
autumn.
Chris Cornell (USA)
Throughout Chris Cornell's twenty-year career one great
thing has been followed by another. Between 1984 and 1997 he fronted Seattle-based
Soundgarden, which
was one of the key bands of the grunge wave, as well as one of the most influential
American rock bands of the last couple of decades. In 2001 together with three
ex-members of Rage Against The Machine, he formed Audioslave, which existed
for six years, and made three outstanding albums before calling it quits this
year. The former members of Rage Against The Machine announced the re-birth
of their legendary and revolutionary rap-rock unit, while Chris Cornell decided
to continue his solo career, which he started in 1999 with his Euphoria Morning
album. Cornell’s new album, Carry On hits the shelves on July 5, but without
any doubt, he will revisit the repertoire of his earlier bands on his Sziget
gig, something which nobody will really mind.
Juliette and the Licks (USA)
No coincidence of names, as it turned out at
Sziget 2005. She's none other than the extravagant heroine of such cultmovies
as "Natural Born Killers".
Juliette Lewis is as suggestive, genuine and fascinating when she rocks on
the front of the stage as when she's on film. Her act in Budapest counts among
the most memorable gigs ever taken place on Sziget Main Stage. The debut album
of the five-piece formed in 2003, "You're Speaking My Language" hit
the stores just before Sziget 2005 containing straightforward, cool tunes recalling
the late 70s and early 80s along the lines of such artists as Patti Smith,
The Pretenders and Iggy Pop. The current album "Four On The Floor" came
out late 2006 with the prestigious contribution of Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo
Fighters) playing on drums who also gave the Licks two hands and feet on the
last tour.
The Killers (USA)
Let’s face it: The Killers are one of the biggest bands
in the world these days. Brandon Flowers and Co. had already made it with their
debut „Hot Fuss”
– strange outside their homeland, in England first – before securing their
place among the elite league of pop-giants with 2006’s "Sam's Town".The
new album added magnificent moods along the lines of Bruce Springsteen and
U2 to
indie-rock and eighties retro sounds which make the band THE quintessential
stadiumrock band of the world of now making ten-thousands of people dance in
any part of the world with catchy, dynamic and smart pop-anthems. No doubt:
the same is going to happen at Sziget Main Stage.
Nitzer Ebb (UK)
Nitzer Ebb, the synonym of the electronic-industrial and
electric body music (EBM), is a music group formed in 1982 in Essex. Their
music was in tune with
the outstanding representatives of industrial music (Test Dept, Einstürzende
Neubauten), the giants of keyboard new wave (Depeche Mode) and with the dark-EBM
party hymns (Nine Inch Nails, Front 242, Frontline Assembly, Ministry, Skinny,
Puppy) and drew from these diverse trends built upon each other. Douglas McCarthy,
Bon Harris and David Gooday mastered keyboard, rhythm and vocal at the highest
standards, they achieved a hypnotic effect by manipulating beat in a repeated
manner, as best described by one of their tracks titled Let Your Body Learn
and inspired their fanatic fans, the Ebbheads, by applying extreme tunes and
volume in their art. The group ground to a halt in the first years of the nineties,
they even disappeared for a while, but they came to the limelight again in
the past few years. Besides the nostalgic feelings they induce, the band created
and continues to create value following their reincarnation.
Mando Diao (S)
Mando Diao is one massive spearhead of the potent Scandinavian
altrock army, a fellow-troop of The Hives who also visit Sziget this year.
The fourpiece
mix savage sixties beat and rhythm and blues with the pure rock sound of the
seventies adding the energy of punk and nineties britpop pastures in the vigour
of recent years' "back-to-roots" tendencies. The Who, The Stooges,
Oasis and The Strokes in one tasty cocktail. Mando Diao's three albums ("Bring
'Em In", 2003 - "Hurricane Bar", 2005 - "Ode To Ochrasy",
2006) were released on Mute. The band is extremely popular with German-speaking
audiences due to their ballsy stage presence. We expect them by rights to shake
the ground of the island in August as regular headliners of the most prestigious
festivals in and outside Europe.
Kaizers Orchestra (N)
When it comes to pop or rock Norwegians always have
some surprise up their sleeve. If there is surprise, Kaizers Orchestra definitely
is. The sextet have
recently become an elemental attraction with their terrific compound of Eastern
and North-European folk and rock. Tin Pan Alley meets Misfits, Ennio Morricone
meets Supergrass, oil-cans and violin, accordion and double-bass, reed organ
and guitar, gas-masks and smash-hit choruses in such manner that their 2001
album, „Ompa til Du Dör” immediately got the Norwegian Grammy. Kaizers also
produced the best selling record in Norwegian language ever thus proving that
the language of pop is really universal. Their last album „Maestro” came out
in 2005, while the next recording session is scheduled after Sziget. Let’s
see what the Kaizers think about Sziget and the year of 2007: „People have
always told us that we should get around to touring in eastern europe, but
we´ve never been able to, due to lack of finances, but we´ve always wanted
to get down there and see how our music works out down there, says Janove The
Jackal Kaizer. 2007 is a live year off for us, we start recording our next
album in september, so we want to be real fresh for that, but this offer from
Sziget was too tempting to turn down. Sziget is one of the biggest festivals
in Europe, and we have been offered a spot on the main stage on thursday, august
ninth, so we´re pretty excited about that!”
Gentleman (D)
Ever since Sziget audience had fallen at Seeed’s feet we all
know that the best reggae in Europe is made in Germany. Last year's Sziget
gig proved that
not only Seed can flow so genuinely Jamaican: German fellow-rasta Gentleman
is just as exciting and rocking, a real „journey to Jah” as his website's name
announces. This Cologne youth whose proper name is Otto Tillmann is permanently
touring all across Europe and beyond with his dancehall-seasoned roots reggae
music inspired by Bounty Killer and Capleton and of course he is calling at
Sziget in August.
The Good The Bad and The Queen (UK)
The Good, The Bad and The Queen is the
greatest music splash of 2007. The new project of the Blur superstar and Gorillaz
brain trust, Damon Albarn, is
simply a super group. Why? In his new group the singer is accompanied by the
former Clash bassist and now painter, Paul Simonon; one of the best drummer
in the world, drummer of the world-music pioneer Fela Kuti, Tony Allen, and
the guitarist Simon Tong, who plays on Blur’s latest, as well as on both of
the Gorillaz albums. The Good, The Bad and The Queen offers you a kind of multi-coloured
and -cultured musical tour to Western London, merging the classic British lyrics
composition with a touch of Kinks and David Bowie, reggae, dub, afrobeat, guitarpop
and electronics. The untitled debut album - which is moody, sensitive, intellectual,
loving and political, subtle and experimental, private and public – was celebrated
even by the scrupulous pop critics all over the world.
The Chemical Brothers (UK)
An old debt is going to be paid when the long-awaited Chemical Brothers are
coming upon stage on Sziget 2007. It was exactly ten years ago that Mancunians,
Tom Rowlands and Ed Simmons changed the world to a gigantic dancefloor with
their album-monster "Dig Your Own Hole" which remains an eternal trademark
of electronic dancemusic, a dethroneable Majesty of the genre. Fortunately,
their subsequent albums and remixes has kept on fulfilling the pemanent promises
ever since, as did their last "Push The Button". Who could ask for more?
Gogol Bordello (USA)
Gogol Bordello are real freaky renegades and also one
of the most remarkable new companies on the contemporary music market whose
Sziget-debut at WAN2 Stage
last year was a massive success. As far as we can tell the „gypsy punks” did
have their fun after „work”, as they were dancing and screaming int he frontline
of Iggy Pop’s audience. Eugene Hütz, the head of this band blending Gipsy-folk,
punk and Brechtian music-hall, finally arrived at Gogol Bordello’s birthplace,
New York, after a quite tortuous journey. After 1986’s tragic atomic-disaster
of Tshernobyl, the singer was evacuated from his home to Western-Ukraine, which
he later left for Poland, and after calling at Hungary, Austria and Italy,
it was in 1993 when he finally made it to the American metropolis. There he
founded the band with Russian, Ukrainian and local musicians, initially playing
„simply” Russian-Gipsy wedding-music. It took a few changes in the line-up
(two Israeli musicians joined the group) and some years spent in the fertilizing
aura of NY’s underground scene to develop their colourfully and excitingly
versatile style of today. 2002’s debut „Voi-La Intruder” (produced by Nick
Cave’s drummer Jim Sclavunos) was followed by four studio-albums, the last
one of them being last year's "Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike".
Laurent Garnier (F)
The act of the French techno-god is an exclusive event
in every respect. His name recapitulates several decades of techno-history,
dating back as early
as the good old "madchester" days when his music influenced such
bands as Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses, through the work of his own label "F
Communication" up to this very day, when the "French Connection" is
still intact. This time
Laurent Garnier invites a complete band onto stage.
Pink (USA)
Get the party started! When cool-chick image goes along with considerable
talent heaven might award the chick with cosmic fame. Alicia Moore aka Pink
has always interfered with music since she can remember so she became a popstar,
tomboy and diva rolled in one. 2000 was definitely her year as her album „Can’t
Take Me Home” approached wide audiences above dance-pop and r’n’b lovers and
three singles were camping simultaneously in the top region of the charts.
The overnight smash was even outdone by the "Moulin Rouge" soundtrack
theme
"Lady Marmalade" performed in the company of Christina Aguilera,
Mya and Lil’
Kim. The record „Misundaztood” proved to be her most definitive album with
such co-writers as Linda Perry, Steven Tyler and Richie Sambora nevertheless
the Grammy came „only” with 2003's "Try This". The current album "I'm
Not Dead" was released last year and kept on repeating the immense success of a natural
born talent who wraps you around your finger playing live before you know it.
Madness (UK)
What can we say? Madness, they call it Madness! Surely, the
greatest party band of all time and one of the most original and eccentric
bands of the post
punk pop scene, Madness made its very own music blended from influences of
British beat, cabaret and Jamaican ska, which has retained its creative edge
until today. The seven member band (Mike Barson - keyboards, Mark Bedford -
bass, Chris Foreman - guitar, Graham "Suggs" McPherson - lead vocals,
Chas Smash - vocals, Lee Thompson - saxophone, Dan Woodgate - drums) appeared
at the time of the ska-revival in the late 70s, and became the leading band
of the 2Tone label, and the scene of the same name. Their first LP, One Step
Beyond came out in 1979, and they released five more albums until they split
up in 1985 (which was preceded by Mike Barson’s, the band’s main composer’s
departure). In 1988 four Madness members (Foreman, Thompson, Smash and Suggs)
reformed the band under the name The Madness and put out an untitled record.
The classic Madness line up was reassembled in 1992 for a one off grandiose
show. The event's name and songs have passed into folklore on the live album
entitled Madstock. After another long pause, Madness released new material
on 1999's Wonderful, which was followed by The Dangermen Sessions, Vol. cover
album six years later, in 2005. The band have remained active since then, touring
from the summer to the winter in 2006, and has promised an album with new songs
for the summer of 2007.
The Rakes (UK)
These Londoners are one of the best and most popular bands
on recent years’ thriving and exciting British popscene. The debut of the fourpiece
"Capture/Release" (2005) invoked and recycled the dancey and massive
new wave/post-punk sound of the early eighties which caused a refreshing surprise
and high sells-figures.
The following "Ten New Messages" (2007) proved to be just as enjoyable. So
what’s gonna be the first word from your lips the morning after The Rakes gig?
"We danced Together" of course, as their new hitsingle suggests.
Mika (UK)
No doubt, this youth is the real new sensation of the year, and
if one has the urge to categorize him, he's moving somewhere around the smart,
double-sided
and humorous fields of "camp" which offers an extremely colourful
smorgasbord of styles, best described by the Scissor Sisters. A real freak
he is with an American father and a Lebanese mother who is residing in London
but who had lived in Beirut and Paris, attended school in france, studied singing
from a Russian mistress, had been Royal Opera's choir-member just like he played
in musicals and studied at the Royal College of Music. His debut "Life
In Cartoon Motion" resembles Freddie Mercury, 70s classic disco and 80s
soft-rock at the same time, let alone funk and soul influences included. Mika's
world is a suitcase with double-bottom: kitschy, funny and entertaining but
also profound and thought-provoking, bound to become a very special attraction
of Sziget 2007.
Babylon Circus (F)
Babylon Circus brings a familiar sound to the Sziget;
an exciting and recognisable sound –which is so close to our hearts - and
which most of us would identify
with Les Negresses Vertes, Mano Negra or Manu Chao; a sound that blends a whole
spectrum of music genres ranging from ska, punk, funk, chanson and folk to
afro-beat and reggae. The ten-member band was formed in 1995 and like their
renowned “forefathers” they are entertaining, amusing and funny, and at the
same time opinionated and vocal.
Sinéad O’Connor (IRL)
Sinead O’Connor is one the most important, most exciting
and most uncalm female pop-artists of all times. Her wonderful reggae album
"Throw Down Your Arms" (2006) was the last one of her several comebacks
and revivals since her debut in the eighties. The self-willed Irishwoman first
made it in 1987, in a period
swarming with pop-divas, with "The Lion And The Cobra". 1990's subsequent "I
Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" featured the smash.hit Prince-cover "Nothing
Compares 2 U". In the early 90s Miss O’Connor co-operated with The The
and wallbreaker Roger Waters, her own solo career took, however, the wrong
direction:
her swing-record of 1992 "Am I Not Your Girl?" proved a failure and
the scandals around her were not much use, either. After this break she stood
up being guest
star on Peter Gabriels' "Us", singing a remarkable song on "In
The Name Of The Father" soundtrack written by Bono and releasing a new
album, "Universal
Mother" in 1994, which became more of a fans' favourite than box office.
2000's
"Faith And Courage" ended another period (boasting of Wyclef Jean
and Dave Stewart as songwriters) since the following "Sean-Nós Nua” (2002)
seemed to begin a new daredo-era of returning to roots, O'Connor singing Irish
folksongs
in Gaelic. Even more surprising was her announcement of withdrawal in 2003.
It took three long years before she returned with the fascinating new album
"Throw Down Your Arms" which includes reggae-classics covers featuring
such guest musicians as Sly And Robbie. The new album proved to be a definitive
album of 2006. Either Miss O'Connor will sing her new album or gems of her
oeuvre the audience is guaranteed to have a wonderful time and soaring experience.
iWiW World Music Main Stage
Here comes the full line-up of iWiW World Music Main Stage. Newcomers and legendary
world music heroes from all around the globe!
It’s the first time in Hungary for Japan’s Gocoo, one of today’s most unbeatable
percussion bands. Celebratory and moving in equal measures, they are an ideal
opening act for the World Music Main Stage. The band of eleven drummers has
been together for ten years, and with their three records (Healing Asia Vol.
2 feat. Goco.o, Live 01, Lovebeat) and live shows, they’ve already left an
undeletable mark on the visual and acoustic book of "percussion literature".
According to the reviews what we can expect to hear and see from these "acrobats
of rhythm” is "the traditional Taiko drumming and earthquake” that has the
power of "doom and purification" and is just the stuff for fans of traditional
culture, pop, rock and even techno.
One of the main institution's of Cuban music, Sierra Maestra
named themselves after the mountains located on the western part of the country,
which is
also the birthplace of the most famous Cuban music called son. Tres player
Juan de Marcos González formed his band in 1976 with them aim to bring son,
which reached its height in the 20s and 30s, back into the limelight. Soon
he was joined by his cousin, trumpet player Jesús Alemany with whom he started
to have lessons from classical son musicians such as the Septeto Nacional
band. They made the traditional son line up (tres, guitar, trumpet, bongo,
guiro, vocals) more dynamic by using electric bass and extra percussion,
and thus achieved their first success. Soon they became one the most famous
Cuban bands. They started making records in 1981 in Cuba, and continued making
them in the West (Sierra Maestra Liego con el Guanjano Relleno, Y Son Asi,
Idundubanza, Tibiri Tabara). Despite the fact that Jesús Alemany and Juan
de Marcos left the band (Jesús started Cubanismo and Marcos formed Afro-Cuban
All Stars), they lost none of their creativity and stamina. Since the start
of the millennium they have proved their worth with two new albums (Rumbero
Soy and Son: Soul of Nation), and we will also be able to witness their sublime
talent at their first Hungarian show.
In the 90s world music got hooked on the trance that can
be stirred up by gnawa, the ritual music of the slaves who were taken from
West-Africa to the north
of the continent. This genre hit the heights in Paris via the captivating
and joyous musical blend of gnawa, rai, rock and reggae created by Algerian-Moroccan-French
Orchestre National de Barbés. The cult status of the band is further enhanced
by the fact that they rarely give concerts and throughout their ten-year
existence
they’ve only released two albums (En Concert, 1997 and Poulina, 1999). Following
their 2004 show, they return to the Sziget this year – to give a concert
that’s definitely not to be missed.
Salif Keita has been on the top for thirty years now. An extraordinary
lifestory and oeuvre is his. „I was made for subversion” – he declared on his
first visit in Hungary and Sziget on the summer of 2000. And indeed, as descendant
of the
founder of Manding Empire, Sundyata Keita, he defied the caste system by his
choice of becoming a musician, for which act he had been disowned by his family.
What more, he had been born albino which even multiplied his abandonment as
native beliefs had it that albinoes bring curse on their tribes. This is how
his career began after which he moved on to Bamako to become the lead-singer
of bands like Le Super Rail Band of Bamako and Les Ambassadeurs before moving
to Paris in 1980. That was where he made it by producing a series of afro-pop
records between 1987 and 1999 ( Soró, Köyan, Amen, Folon…The Past, Sosie, Papa)
the pioneer success of which paved the way and served as reference points to
many West-African ensembles. And later on as the world made its turns, after
the rise and fall of synths and electronic gadgets a new "neotraditional" movement
arose similarly to sixties post-independence movements. This new-old tendency
strongly influenced the album "Moffou" and imprinted even deeper
on 2004's
"Mbemba". The traditional instruments (kamélé n'goni, n’goni, tama,
kora, calebasse) seem to speak the language of timelessness. Keita’s compositions
simultaneously hold the memory of Mali music and flow freshly in their own
right justifying
that real dance music means profundity and perspective, jauntiness and gravity.
Before dreaming up Ska Cubano, Peter A. Scott had spent
years researching music in Jamaica and Cuba, where he had to realise, among
other things, that
before
the Cuban revolution there was a strong overlap between Cuban music and other
forms of music from the Caribbean region. (As an example, Compay Segundo
also had a calypso band.). To enliven this tradition Scott teamed up with
one of the main figures of the London ska circles, Natty No, who is also
obsessed with Cuban music. They gathered together a number of open minded
musicians, such as the mambo singer Beny Billy, and by the unlikely marriage
of mambo, ska, rumba, son and reggae, Ska Cubano was born. They released
their self titled album in 2004 and !Ay Caramba! two years later. It’s due
time they showed their amazingly entertaining fusion live on the Sziget.
It seems almost impossible to imagine World Music Stage without
Besh o droM, they’ve been a massive success here since 2000. Don’t even think
about self-repetition
or boredom as the band’s current album "When I catch the Devil..." is another
warranty for the "merciless" experience of "elaborated grind inspired by Balkan".
Tinariwen orchestra were formed at a Lybian military base
in 1985. Each member was trained to be a soldier and fought in the civil and
tribal war in the Mali
mountains between 1990 and 1996. The fact that the ancient melodies, revolutionary
lyrics, Mali blues and psychedelic electric-guitars that characterize the band
happened to become the biggest world music sensation of the millenium is due
to french Mali-experts, Lo’Jo. They presented Tinariwen to Europe and it wasn’t
long before Robert Plant claimed: "When I first heard them I instantly
knew that this is the music I've been looking for all my life". Led by
singer-songwriter-guitarist Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, the band had already mesmerized
Sziget with the live version
of the smash-album "Amassakoul" in 2005. This year we are about to
face a brandnew material with the album "Aman Iman".
The islands of Cape Verde were liberated from Portuguese sway in 1975, which
also marked the beginning of the serious decline in sea-trade (which had always
been extremely prosperous here earlier) as the revolutionary government scared
international firms away from the isles. Drought, famine and unemployment were
the calamities that made the majority of the population escape across the ocean,
so that unbroken families are scarcely ever found on the islands nowadays.
This nostalgic, bittersweet pining is perfectly mirrored by the main musical
style of the isles, morna, the „musical ambassador” of which is none other
than Cesaria Evora who actually travels with diplomat-passport. Born in 1941,
Cesaria started singing encouraged by his uncle, the composer B. Leza, and
though she even did some radio-recordings, she never thought of music as a
means of earning a living, so much not that she retired from singing in the
mid-seventies. She returned to stage only ten years later when every singstress
on the isles was asked by the government to perform at a state ceremony subsequently
she got talked into a brief tour by an ex-patriate living in Portugal. This
is when she made friends with Cape Verde fellow-immigrant, José da Silva who
eventually coaxed her to fly to Paris for a recording session. Eighteen albums
had been recorded since 1988 (La Diva aux Pieds Nus, Distino di Belita, Mar
Azul, Miss Perfumado, Cesaria, Cabo Verde, Café Atlantico, Sao Vicente di Longe,
Voz d’Amor, Rogamar) which made the „barefoot diva” one of the most sought-after
performers of world music. She easily fascinated the audiences of the world’s
most prestigious concert halls with her outstanding voice and free and easy
performances and her return to Sziget World Music Stage is bound to turn out
a massive success.
The history of the Hungarian-Russian ethnopop group Baba Yaga dates back to
1990 when the band of Hungarian new-wave godfathers KFT were touring in Sicily
and got mesmerized by the voices heard from a Russian folkband. They made friends
and there was no stopping them from that point. The crew were Tibor Bornai
and Jamie Winchester from KFT, four Russian singers, Mihály Huszár and Zsolt
Galántai who made two succesful albums in the nineties (Baba Yaga, Secret Combination).
They were cruising around European festivals for six or seven years on but
eventually lost momentum and it’s not very often these days that we can catch
them playing live!
The core trio of Mau Mau (vocalist Luca Morino, accordion
player Fabio Barovero and Cameroon percussionist Bienvenu Nsongan) started
as street musicians in
the early nineties. In Piedmontese slang their name is used for tramps, gypsies
and immigrants, while in Kenya it was the name of the independence movement
in the 50s - implying that Mau Mau is an explicitly street level phenomenon.
They soon expanded to seven members, but continued to play acoustic music,
which was more appropriate in the world of squatter houses and small clubs.
As far as their music is concerned, Mau Mau was Italy's clear answer to the
wave which was started in France by Les Negresses Vertes and Mano Negra. However,
Mau Mau emerged in a parallel phenomenon, rather than in a case of epigonism.
Following their 1992 debut Sauta Rabel, they kept releasing amazing albums,
such as Bass Paradis, Viva Mamanera, Eldorado, Marasma General, Safari Beach
and Dea – the last one featuring Brazilian musical inspirations. They have
also been playing live with Moroccan and Indian musicians (R@dio Trance) and
under the name Banda Maulera they also took part in a brass wind-based carnival
project. The last time they played on the Sziget was in 2000, the year the
World Music Stage was launched, so it was high time they came back to give
us a second helping.
Ska was an immense explosion in Jamaica after 1962, the year of independence,
which mixed rhythm and blues, jazz, african beats and the calypso tradition.
The best musicians were employed by Studio One, the most-most excellent of
which created Skatalites in 1964. There’s no end to the list of those who owe
them credits – suffice it to mention Lee Perry, Bob Marley or Ernest Ranglin.
Although the band made a considerable pause between 1969 and 1983 their legend
always remained undiminished. Three members of the original line up are still
playing as we could hear it on Sziget 2003 and as we are about to this year,
this time as part of their new album’s tour.
Racid Taha was born in Algeria in 1958, but has been living in France since
1968. He made his name in the early ’80s with his novelty rai rock band called
Carte de Séjour. After the break up of his band he started his solo career,
and developed his very own rock and techno style rai music. However his biggest
success came with his nostalgic acoustic album, 1998’s Diwan in which he paid
tribute to his masters and merged various North-African styles. The album was
followed up by Diwan 2 last year, which lead him back to the Egypt and Algeria
of the past – radio hits reminiscent of Taha’s childhood dusted and refreshed
in his own manner. One for fans of traditional flesh and blood instrumental
music and those who prefer techno programming (e.g. Made in Medina or Tékitoi).
Paradox Trio -to avoid any confusion: this is a quartet. The band of Matt
Darrieu, known as the sax and clarinet player from Klezmatics, made it in New
York in the mid-90s. Their first three albums (Paradox Trio, Flying at a Slant,
Source) were released by Knitting Factory, the avant-garde and typically New
York label (and club) whose vision is in common with the band comprising saxophone,
clarinet, electric guitar, cello, percussion, whose main musical direction
is the fusion of klezmer and Balkan music. Paradox Trio’s last album was made
in the same vein: 2005’s Gambit was put together in collaboration with the
Bulgarian kaval player, Theodosii Spassov.
Pannonia Allstars Ska Orchestra is the engine of Hungarian ska life: its members
organise ska camps, host ska clubs, edit ska compilations, and invite international
ska bands (such as Toasters, Bad Manners, Rotterdam Ska-Jazz Foundation, and
New York Ska Jazz Ensemble) to play in Hungary. They have a live album (All
Night Long – Live At Artemovszk) and a studio effort (Budapest Ska Mood) behind
them, and they managed to carry away thousands of people with their cloudless-palm
tree performance last year on the Sziget. No doubt, they will hit the roof
again this year...
Fanfare Ciocarlia: these Roma living to the North of the Carpathians whose
musical roots stem from Turkish military bands can sure blow the brasses like
Serbs and Macedonians. This brass-band named after the “Skylark” comes from
Zece Prajeni a Moldovan village with only 400 gypsy inhabitants who all play
music. However, Ciocarlia hasn’t had to worry about competition since they
were accidentally discovered by a French TV-crew in 1996. Since then they haven’t
had time to catch their breath as they’ve rushed from festival to festival,
though they wouldn’t want it any other way. Fanfare Ciocarlia are not only
set apart from their Balkan relatives by the fact their repertoire is mainly
based on Roma dances, but also by their amazing tempo, not to mention the vocal
pieces and instrumental solos. On top of this in 2007 they made an album (Queens
and Kings) which features several distinguished gypsy singers including the
likes of Macedonia’s Esma Redzepova, Bulgaria’s Jony Iliev, France’s Kalooma
and Florentina Sandou, the latter who will to sing with them on the Sziget.
Manu Dibango (born in Cameroon in 1933) was only 15 when his parents sent
him to Paris to continue his musical studies. He studied piano at first, but
when he was lent a saxophone, his future was sealed. In 1957 he moved to Brussels
where he became member of the rumba king Joseph Kabesele’s band. They toured
Africa for two years, during which Manu got back to his roots and soon found
his own voice, culminating with his very own makossa. Makossa is a fast tempo,
urban dance in Cameroon, but what Manu conjured out of it on his 1972’s Soul
Makossa album had as much in common with other Camerooni styles as with music
originating from other African countries. Not only did it sell millions of
records, it also became the hymn of cosmopolitan Africans all around the globe.
Later Manu re-recorded a salsa version of the album with Fania All Stars, a
reggae version with Sly & Robbie, an electro-funk version with Herbie Hancock
and a rumba version with Eliades Ochoa. His contribution extends much further
than this landmark work for Home Made(1978), Fleurs Musicales du Cameroun (1982),
Wakafrika (1994) and CubAfrica (1998) are all masterpieces. Manu has already
appeared on the World Music Stage of Sziget festival – last year as a guest
of Italian Enzo Avitabile & Bottari. This year he is coming with his own
band and will presents his 2003 The Very Best Of Manu Dibango.
Through its ten year long term Söndörgő has grown up to become a strong man
from the bunch of kids and disciples of Vujicsics Orkestar what it once was.
These heirs of South-Slavic folk project immense scorching energy on their
current album „Javorfa” again which instantly flies the listener to the Dalmatian
shores, like it will at Sziget along with Ferus Mustafov the chochek-king of
Macedonia.
Muzsikás, the best know Magyar ensemble, has been playing Transylvanian village
music for 34 years, and has proved to the world that Hungarian folk music is
equal to any of world’s musical genres. Lately, they achieved outstanding success
by merging contemporary classical and traditional folk music, while collaborating
with such artists as Alexander Balanescu, Jenő Jandó, the Bartók String Quartet
and the Keller String Quartet. Their records are significant pieces in music
history: on Szól a kakas már they excavated Transylvanian Jewish folk music,
which had been considered non-existent until then. On their Bartók Album, they
reconstructed the collected folk tunes of Bartók, and Hazafelé is probably
the best album that shows the almost extinct traditional Transylvanian music
in its crystal clear form. They will definitely make one Sziget day the festival
of Hungarian music.
Seydou Koné of Ivory Coast adopted stagename Alpha Blondy when he started
singing on his return from his US studies. Although brought up a Muslim, the
reggae singer nevertheless had been heavily influenced by Islam, Christianity,
Judaism and Rastafarianism alike and as a result he has been preaching the
future unity of all these religions. His obsessed political attitude up against
racism, violence and corruption earned him the tag of „West-African Bob Marley”
in his homeland in no time. So much so that it was not long before Bob Marley’s
band The Wailers contributed on two Alpha Blondy albums („Cocody Rock”, 1984
and „Jerusalem”, 1986). The groundstone-band of African-reggae, Alpha Blondy
have produced more than a dozen albums up to this day contributing such gems
to fans’ record collections as „Massada”, „Grand Bassam Zioin”, „The Prophet”
and „Akwaba”. We’re about to face a serious concert by a serious man.
Eddie Palmieri was born in New York in 1936 into a Puerto Rican musician family.
At the age of 25 he formed the band La Perfecta, and made his first album,
which has been followed by another 31 to date. Pianist Palmieri is just as
much a master of the classic jazz school pioneered by the likes of Thelonious
Monk, McCoy Tyner and Herbie Hancock, as of salsa and Latin jazz. Over the
last 30 years he has received 9 Grammy Awards (the last one for Simpatico;
a work created in conjunction with trumpet player Brian Lynch), which makes
him the most successful Latin musician of all time. Palimeri is coming with
his band La Perfecta, which reformed in 2002, so that he can show us what steamy
salsa is really about.
Sidestepper: this definitive band of Latin electronic scene began to draw
attention in 1997 with their maxi-single „Logozo”. The enterprise run by Englishman
Richard Blair and Colombian Ivan Benavides and working along the Bogotá-London
axis has created three albums since („More Grip”, „3 AM: In Beats We Trust”,
„Continental”) and has grown into a remarkable live act with an everchanging
line-up under the trinity of salsa, cumbia and drum and bass.
Szájról szájra („Hearsay”) singstresses have contributed a lot to folk music
earlier. Szilvia Bognár’s way led from Anima Sound System through Makám to
a solo-career. Agnes Herczku shone bright as the soloist of Hungarian State
Folk and Fonó band whereas Agi Szalóki made it in Ökrös ensemble, Beshodrom
and Szalóki Ági Quintet. On this special occasion they will sing together accompanied
by a bunch of topnotch folk and jazz musicians.
Mari Boine is the brave new messiah of Lappish musical culture in Norway.
He’s got the historical perspective (the religious and cultural revolution
of
Lapps in Norway), the unworldliness, the extraordinary voice, let alone the
inevitable magic the speaks of the safe competence with the desert ice-plains,
the grim and fathomless forests and the language of galloping reindeers.
Boine has been on his mission for more than fifteen years. Since Peter Gabriel’s
label released his debut „Gula Gula” he has created a half dozen of masterpieces
including such highpoints as „Leahkasin” or „Eight Seasons” (with Jan Garbarek).
His current record „Idjagiedas” proved to be another revelation, being the
most intimate piece of his art, fusing the North-Pole with Africa, ancient
Lappish tradition with electonic sounds, passion and repression and while
the powers of nature are made to dance, Boine’s own dark demons are invoked
just as moving.
Bruno Garcia became a household name as the front man of Ludwig Van 88 in
1997 on the Morning Club Latin music festival. At that time he was still into
his sound system mixing punk, reggae and Latin melodies. Despite his immediate
success, he started a new band within a few weeks. The result was Sergent
Garcia, and the new genre “salsamuffin” (mixing ragamuffin with salsa). Their
1999 debut, Un poquito quema’o made them one of the most popular bands in
France as well as one of the most in demand on the European Latin music scene.
Their shows became synonymous with sunny carnivals and freedom, in which
all kinds of Latin music from ralsa, son, cha-cha, rumba, cumbia as well
as raga, ska, reggae and even gypsy and North-African styles can be heard.
His last album, Mascaras, was released last year and was full of Mexican
colour. We can count on a merciless party with endless dancing.
Even the closing day has something up its sleeve. Napra presents their new
album „Jaj, a világ!”. This fresh and impressive synthesis of folk and raw
rock appeared during last year with Miklos Both in the lead. Their significance
is also indicated by the fact that their album was produced by none other than
the prestigious Englishman Ben Mandelson.
Motion Trio was formed in 1996 in Krakow by Janusz Wojtarowicz and two of
his fellow music academy mates. By then they all had been playing the accordion
for some 20 years, so they knew exactly what they wanted; nothing less than
to achieve something in the “accordion-business” that had never been done
before. They didn’t have to wait long. In 2000 they won the “Grand Prix”
in the trio category at the Krzysztof Penderecki International Competition
of Contemporary Music, and their first album, Pictures from the Street was
voted as the “best debut album of the year.” In the same vein their 2005
Play Station oozes a crystal clear acoustic accordion sound. It was characteristically
delivered with humour and ease, free of any laboured effort – the way they
do everything from heavier rock sounds to fragile Mediterranean melodies,
from nostalgia to searching new ways, from busking to the music halls and
the biggest festivals.
At the end of the 90s a new band popped up in the clubs of Saint Petersburg
and Moscow, and in no time the old empire was seduced. There was no doubt
about it that Leningrad became the flag bearer of the 21st century underground
scene in the region. “I’ve drunk everything / Beer, wine and brandy / Still
I want to fuck / I might be a sex maniac”– says a typical Leningrad verse,
and the music beats out a similar tune, accompanied by the kind of penetrating
distress without which it’s hard to imagine any captivating Russian works.
This almost bestial elementary force is mainly owing to the singing of front
man Sergey Shnurov and his equally worthy band which boasts a hard core wind
section and guitars. The band’s main thrust is ska spiced with punk, but
also with Russian marches, dance and folk songs. In 2006 their music was
a huge success on the World Music Stage, and since then we’ve been longing
for it as for some Hleb (“bread”), the title of Leningrad’s last album.
It was in 1983 that Varttina were formed in the Finno-Ugrian village of
Raakyla, Carelia as a kind of youth society for preserving folk traditions.
As they
grew up the members of the band moved to Helsinki for their musical studies.
The changes in membership gave way to the integration of different new musical
styles thus „unpolluted tradition” changed into authentic covers described
by critics as the following: „The point where ABBA, Fairport Convention and
Le Mysere des Voix Bulgares meet.” 1994’s „Aitara” was the start of another
new period characterized by self-penned compositions which met the expectations
of acoustic ethno-pop in a way that was also true to the musical and textual
records of East-Finland’s female vocal-traditions. This is reflected on their
current record „Miero” (2006) as well. The lively dynamism and fierce temperament
are present as always: the three singstresses full of witchcraft, the breathtakingly
poetic settings of stories and sinister lyrics.
WAN2 Stage
For the 15th jubilee event, Wan2 Stage has put together an international line-up
of upcoming bands from which many acts will be performing in Hungary for the
first time.
UNKLE (USA)
A collective that is hard to define, U.N.K.L.E. is one of the
few bands that’s
been able to create something truly original within the electronic genre. It
all boils down to James LaVelle, an amazing musical talent, who does not think
in terms of genres, but instead deals with music in the easiest possible way
by distinguishing good music from bad music. He takes on anything he likes,
and that makes everything that he puts into the big melting pot of U.N.K.L.E.’s
records unquestionably his own. U.N.K.L.E.’s suspiciously flawless debut, 1998’s
Psyence Fiction was put together in three years by two figures of the holly
trinity of the underground hip-hop movement: DJ Shadow and James LaVelle. (The
third member, Krush was not involved since his lone Jakuzza-image wouldn’t
allow him to participate in such a collaboration.) Shadow and Lavelle mixed
the trepidation of psychedelia with the dynamism of hard rock and the pulsating
beat of rap and hip-hop with the almighty break beat, and sculpted it into
a unique final product. To reach perfection they collaborated with an all-star
lineup; including Kool G, Richard Ashcroft, Mike D and Thom Yorke and others
who lent their voices to this classic masterpiece which is supposedly an inner
voyage. With Shadow’s departure and Richard File’s arrival U.N.K.L.E. gradually
drifted away from hip-hop towards rock, house and psychedelia. In the mid-90s
from about Ł1000 LaVelle started MOWAX for experimental hip-hop acts, and the
label quickly gained a cult status. Besides acts discovered by LaVelle himself,
he also lured big names such as La Funk Mob, Carl Craig’s Innerzone Orchestra,
Air, DJ Krush, Beastie Boys’ keyboardist Money Mark, Luke Vibert, Andrea Parker,
Blackalicious and Quannum to his label, even if as in some cases just for a
few EPs. U.N.K.L.E.’s next album is due out in the first half of 2007.
IAMX (UK)
IAMX is the solo project of Chris Corner, a well known figure of
the electronic and pop scene, who first reached prominence as the member of
Sneaker Pimps
in the mid-nineties. Since then he has collaborated with several artists, including
his girlfriend Sue Denim’s electro-clash band, Robots in Disguise, whose albums
he produced. According to Corner, IAMX is pushing the limits with the subjects
of its songs, which are completed with dark, erotic fuelled, ‘80s inspired
electro music. IAMX’s debut Kiss and Swallow was released in 2004, followed
by The Alternative in April 2006.
Sud Sound System (I)
Jamaican vibe from the Med. Reggae, dancehall, hip hop
and ragamuffin in Italian colours. Sud Sound System’s history dates back almost
two decades. They released their first album in 1991 and have since released
14 others for their fans.
Guaranteed hot dancing for a sizzling Sziget night.
Fun-Da-Mental (UK)
Fun-Da-Mental are one of the most definitive and grooviest
ethno-techno, ethno-electro acts of the nineties. The Asian-Brits are very
groovy and very political, mixing
the flavours of the East and the West, simultaneously witnessing electronic
beats and the folk music of the Indian subcontinent. Fun-Da-Mental’s base are
Propa-Gandhi and Impi-D who are complete with rich accompaniment when playing
live. They have released seven albums so far, the last one of whose (All Is
War, The Benefits Of G-Had) deals with the respon.sibility of the Western World
and severely criticizes War on Iraq. The album can only be downloaded as the
record-company denied the physical release because of the risky lyrical content.
Cassius (F)
The existence of Cassius proves the fact of France being an electronic
music super-power. The music duo comprised of veteran producers, Philippe Zdar
and
Hubert Blanc-Francard, (better known as aka Boombass) participated in several
successful collaborations alias La Funk Mob before, for example with McSolaar.
Their first single track, in 1998, under the name Cassius, entered the UK Top
20 chart immediately. Their trademark is jazzy-hiphop and acid-laced disco
music, which is synthesized in three consecutive albums, as well as in numerous
tracks. Their latest album titled 15 Again, was released in 2006.
ROIA (A)
ROIA, a band of young Austrians who have been making music together
for seven years, play a kind of melodic music that is basically trip-hop-cum-electronica,
which is sometimes happy, other times sad. ROIA is becoming more and more successful.
They played with Zagar in Budapest this summer.
Beat Assailant (USA-F)
Beat Assailant is an American rapper who has been
living and working in Paris for some years now. His band consists of French
musicians, who add a European
sound to his American rap style. After putting his last album out, he hit the
road with a new stage show, a wind section, keyboard players and vocalists
that are bound to make every hip-hop and funk fan jump around.
Ministere des Affaires Populaires (F)
A band mixing French chansons and hip-hop,
Ministere des Affaires Populaires have an incredibly energetic stage presence.
Chanson-hop!
Hooverphonic (B)
After dEUS, Hooverphonic is here to prove that pop legends
can indeed come from Belgium. Their ambient trip hop music gained international
recognition
after their track “2Wicky” was featured in Bernardo Bertolucci’s Stealing Beauty
which was followed a year later by their debut album New Stereophonic Sound
Spectacular. Geike Arnaert who replaced original vocalist Liesje Sadonius,
guitarist /multi-instrumentalist Alex Callier, keyboardist Frank Duchene and
guitarist Raymond Geerts, made four more outstanding records up until 2005.
GusGus (Iceland)
We do not remember having seen a band from Iceland on any
of the stages during the fifteen year history of the Sziget Festival. Well,
it is high time to meet
one: the GusGus is not simply an electronic band from Reykjavik, but one of
the most well-known dance music formations. Taking a glance at their concert
calendar, the abundance of locations supports the fact that they are welcomed
all over the world starting from the Glastonbury Festival, through Vienna,
Kiev, Saint-Petersburg, Moscow, Munich, Cologne, to the Spanish Benicassim
Festival or to the Sziget Festival in 2007. At the beginning of the year they
released their fifth album including a maxi since 1997. All are recognised
by public and professionals alike.
Dobacaracol (CAN)
The band came into being after the two founding members
Doba and Caracol (Doriane Fabreg and Carole Facal) met by chance in 1998. After
several years, they managed
to put their first album out on an indie label, and later another on a bigger
one in 2004. The bands’ body and soul are the two girl vocalists, who are cute
and also sing beautifully, thus providing the full experience.
Hyper (UK)
DJ Hyper was first known as a producer/DJ who brought many original
works to the electronic music world. His breakthrough solo debut We Control
hit the
shelves in 2005. Tracks from the album were featured in episodes of C.S.I.
and used in the international promotional campaign for the Peugeot 207.Thanks
to the album, Hyper the band came into existence, delivering successful shows
all around the globe. Playing breakbeat live, Hyper’s suggestive dynamic performance
is guaranteed by Hyper, Ronnie, Leeroy Thornhill (ex-Prodigy), and Jim Davies
(Pitchshifter, Prodigy).
K'naan (SOM)
K'naan, the Somali rapper who dubs himself the “Dusty Foot Philosopher,” once
had the idea and moved to Canada, where he recorded his first album, which
immediately won the award for the best hip-hop album of the year, even if musically
it hardly ranks among the best. To support the album’s European release they
set off on a huge tour, during which K’naan has also been opening for Stephen
Marley and Damian Marley.
HammerWorld Stage
As the Sziget craze takes hold once more, they put up the Hammer Stage again,
on which such performers as Soulfly, Hammerfall and Napalm Death will appear
in 2007.
The international acts of the Hammer Stage include Within Temptation, the
Dutch masters of Goth metal whose last album The Heart Of Everything came out
this
spring. Soulfly (USA), the nu-metal creation of ex-Sepultura front man, Max
Cavalera (singer/guitarist) will also perform, just like their follow countrymen
Nevermore (USA), whose concert was a huge success earlier at the Hungarian
Metal Mania festival. Representatives of extreme death/ grinde Napalm Death
(UK), black metal’s notorious Satyricon (NOR), avant-garde industrial Skinny
Puppy (CAN) as well as Killing Joke (UK) will also set feet on the stage.
After the groundbreaking gig they gave in Budapest earlier this year, we
hope to have the same kick ass heavy metal experience again at the Hammerfall
(SWE) gig. Other acts from the international scene include Negative (FIN),
Drill (USA), Altar (RO) and Hanoi Rocks (FIN).
As for the Hungarian artists, we’ve compiled the line-up in such way that
fans of different styles of rock and metal will be able to find something to
their taste every day. Beside Ideas, an excellent band of melodic metal, De
Facto, the leading representatives of the Hungarian dark era, we will see many
young, dynamic bands. One of them, Depresszió, is a genuine live band delivering
masterful and powerful shows adored by a huge following, who have just finished
a successful tour. Folk metal’s unbeatable (Echo Of) Dalriada, whose 2007 album
was voted as the year’s most anticipated record, will also perform on the HammerWorld
Stage. The same is true about Nevergreen, the band that has been reformed recently
after a several-year absence, and will come out with their new album soon.
Naturally, there is no way, such classic favourites as Beatrice, Pokolgép,
Kalapács, or Deák Bill Gyula could be omitted from the line-up. The third day
of the Sziget will mostly favour the groups belonging to the so called Budapestrockandroll
underground movement: we can mosh to Watch My Dying, Blind Myself, Superbutt
and Subscribe. Gyöngyvér mixing Goth rock with modern metal brings a completely
different sound, just like the all-star group, Hard who also came out with
new material. We can also expect a tremendous show from Moby Dick who celebrated
their 25th anniversary last year with a jubilee album, and also from 10-year
old Demonlord on the HammerWorld stage.
Party Arena
Fans of electronic music will surely not be disappointed by the line-up of
the Party Arena, as the world’s best DJs will be spinning their records at
this year’s jubilee Sziget Festival.
Timo Maas (D)
German Timo Maas is one of the world’s most prolific and most celebrated producer/DJs.
Credited on over a 100 releases, he’s remixed Depeche Mode, among others, and
has been nominated for a Grammy. In 2006 he launched his own label called 99
Percent. He’s resident DJ at Pacha in New York and at DC10 in Ibiza. His sets
combine pop, house and electro are real rarities in the electronic music world.
Silicone Soul (UK)
The name of Scots Craig Morrison & Graeme Reedie might not sound familiar
to anyone, but their collective moniker of Silicone Soul immediately strikes
a chord with every house-loving youngster. The two lads belong to the circle
of Soma Recordings. Their current releases are to be found in all cool DJs’
bags, and their sets can transform the audience into a euphoric mood whether
they’re playing a 200 capacity club.
Plump DJ's (UK)
It is hard to find anything more danceable and fun than their
music; whether it’s their own records or the DJ sets they’re playing. Wherever
they go they attract a huge crowd, and no one leaves their shows without being
100 per cent
fulfilled. Plump DJs (Lee Rous and Andy Gardner) first appeared on the scene
with their 1999 release: Plumpy Chunks/Electric Disco, which came out on kick
ass label Fingerlickin'. Success was instantly tangible: their 2000 debut album,
A Plump Night Out, became an immediate hit as people got hooked on their upbeat
funky-break, and that hasn’t changed much in the last seven years. Their 2003
Eargasm further strengthened their position, while 2005’s Saturday Night Lotion
finally lifted them up to the league of the biggest artists.
Annie Nightingale (UK)
In Annie Nightingale’s case without being offensive we can say that we are
talking about an old institution of the music business. The 65 year old lady
has done everything that is possible in the biz. She was the first female DJ
on BBC Radio, before becoming presenter of the BBC programme called "Old
Grey Whistle Test". She made an award-winning documentary about the breakbeat
scene, and in 1998 she received Woman of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2004 she was inducted into the Radio Academy Hall Of Fame. In the meantime
she continued playing the clubs to show what her idea of a breakbeat set is
about. It was her radio show that introduced tracks from such artists as the
Chemical Brothers and Basement Jaxx. After John Peel’s passing, she became
the oldest active DJ on the British airwaves. She knows everything about music
that is possible and she is respected in her country like the Queen. Annie
Nightingale is 100 per cent vitality, 100 per cent breakbeat.
Goldie (UK)
This British daredevil needs no introduction. The term Drum ‘n’ Bass, coined
by the British electronic music press, was first used to describe his 1993
hit, Angel. He’s one of the fathers of Drum ‘n’ Bass and all of his released
works are treated like the Bible by his fans. He’s won many awards as a DJ
and also with his labels Timeless, Metalheadz and Platinum Breakz. Despite
his success, he is still full of fresh ideas, and is always looking for new
ways to demonstrate his artistic qualities. Thanks to his global popularity,
he even caught attention of Hollywood and has appeared in several movies, among
others in Guy Richie’s Bluff as well.
Blame (UK)
There aren’t many drum’n’bass producers who can boast having climbed to the
top of the British dance chart. Blame is one of the rare few. Conrad Shafie,
as he was called at school, was only 17, when he wandered into his mate Tony
Justice’s basic studio, and threw a track together which was later to become
the anthem of the drum’n’bass cradle of the British hard core scene. “Music
Takes You” surged to number one on the British Dance 40 chart, and Blame’s
future was assured. Following the success of the track, young Blame focused
all his attention on making music, while at the same time, his tracks caught
the interest of the famous Moving Shadow label.
Simon Bassline Smith & Youngman
MC (UK)
Funk, soul, hip-hop oriented
Simon “Bassline” Smith embraced the world of
vinyl and illegal parties at a very young age, and his nickname originates
from these times when on almost every occasion he managed to ruin the subwoofers.
Being present at the big British rave events (Perception, Methology, Raindance,
Worlddance), he made friends with names such as Grooverider, Fabio, Mickey
Finn and Jumping Jack Frost, with whom he started spreading the jungle sound
that was shaping up at the time. As the result of their success, Simon quickly
put together his label, called Absolut 2, and started releasing records by
such artists as Doc Scott, Nookie, Ray Keith and Danny C (Twisted Anger). Later,
in 1998, with other producers, he started another label called Technique Recordings,
which is still successful today. From the jazzy, double bass sound through
tougher music to happy jump-up, the label represent many different styles – what
matters is that it should be danceable. During the last couple of years, Simon
Bassline Smith has been travelling around the world with Youngman MC,
who according to Simon, really knows what makes a good MC.
Dave Clarke (UK)
Dave Clarke is regarded in the electronic music scene as
one of the world’s
best techno DJs. From his stormy childhood in the ‘80s to his recent media
scandals, he’s always been a rebel and an outsider. By the millennium, most
of the first generation techno DJs had disappeared, but Dave Clarke’s sets,
his unique mixing technique (blending techno, electro, hip-hop and ‘80s new
wave with masterful skill) is still as successful as ever. Throughout the years,
he has published many mix CDs, and proved to be a representative of several
different styles and genres, while remaining one of the leading international
ambassadors of techno.
Motor (UK)
American Bryan Black and Frenchman Olivier Grasset met up at the
end of the nineties in a smoky pub in dear old blighty. Bryan – former producer
for Prince
- instantly recognized Grasset’s talent and one year later they formed Xlover
which was supposed to be the next big electro-rock thing but it unfortunately
failed to bang.
Beside Xlover they also established another project in common "Motor" which
was intended to operate just for fun. Novamute, however, dicovered the underlying
potential in the project immediately and contracted them without much ado.
Xlover stopped existing at that very moment.
Thanks to Novamute’s network of contacts they got to remix such songs very
soon as "Personal Jesus" by Marylin Manson and "Persuasion" by
Throbbing Gristles. Success came to stay and their record "Stuka Stuka" proved
a dancefloor-explosion. Played by Sven Väth, Dave Clarke and Miss Kittin it
turned out to be the big thing in that year on electronic scene. After Depeche
Mode and T. Raumschmire
remixes the time for their first self-penned album was more than due: "Klunk" came
out in 2006. Motor’s individual mystic sound makes everyone move in New York, London or
anywhere else.
Satoshi Tomiie (J)
Besides being Japan’s most successful, internationally acknowledged DJ and
house producer, Satoshi Tomiie is one of the worlds most sought after DJs.
His debut alum, Full Lick came out on Sony Music in 2000, and continues to
be considered as one of the very best house albums by the critics. In 2001
he launched his own label called SAW.RECORDINGS. Thus, in realizing his dream,
he provided the biggest possible platform for new, creative ideas, experiments
and naturally for the underground. He was the first foreign DJ living in the
States who was commissioned by Global Underground to make a CD for the NuBreed
series. The last few years were all about DJing for the Japanese New Yorker,
who has been performing at every possible place lately. Perhaps that’s why
he keeps reclaiming his place in the higher realm of DJ Magazine’s Top 100
DJ Chart. Satoshi is a quiet and modest person, who is undoubtedly one of the
most outstanding creators of underground dance music, which is something he
is ready to prove on a daily basis at different corners of the globe.
Booka Shade (D)
Walter Merziger and Arno Kammermeier, better known as Booka
Shade, were one of the big breakthroughs of 2006. Together with three of their
producer mates
they have started their own label, Get Physical, through which they put their
records out. Their music is celebrated by critics and there is no DJ who wouldn’t
play at least one Booka Shade track. The first success of these two talented
producers came with the release of their 2004 Memento album. The album remained
at the top of the dance charts, which caught the attention of big artists and
the duo were asked to do remixes for such artists as Depeche Mode. After a
few singles, they released another album at the end of 2006. Movements was
even more positively received than expected. What’s Booka Shade’s secret? Musically,
by mixing house, techno, minimal and their very own style, they have been pushing
electronic music in a new direction. After releasing their latest album, they
embarked on their world tour, and will stop by at the Sziget 2007 festival.
Even though they are new in the business, there are several thousand waiting
for the Booka Shade live show, which will undoubtedly be one of the main attractions
of Party Arena.
DJ Hell (D)
For the last 25 years DJ Hell has been an eminent member of the
electronic music elite. DJ Hell and his label, International Deejay Gigolos,
have collectively
been responsible for much of the electro wave that has been rampaging worldwide
over the last couple of years. His approach is more modern than that of any
20-year old. He has worked with Donatella Versace, played at a private party
of Mr Playboy, alias Hugh Hefner, and has surprised the world with his curious
looks and eccentric style.
Philipp Straub aka Felipe (A)
Philipp
Straub, aka (DJ) Felipe first encountered electronic music in 1992 at different
techno and house parties, and as he became addicted to it, he
started collecting records. Over the following years he grew to be the most
popular DJ in Austria, and in 1998 he started “Titan Production”. In the last
few years he’s been touring with such stars as Faithless, Underworld, Chris
Liebing, Sven Väth, Laurent Garnier, Pascal FEOS, Westbam, Paul van Dyk, etc.
He has also appeared on several compilations such as Favorite Tools, Fab. Mix
II, Hyperspace II & IV.
Sharam - Deep Dish (USA)
Deep Dish does not seem to be fed up with their
workaholic lifestyle. After all the remix requests from superstars and Grammies
the work they invested
had obviously long paid off still there’s a lingering drive in Ali and Sharam
which won’t let them stop ever.
And how did the story of the most influential electronic dance duo begin? Ali „Dubfire” Shirazia and Sharam Tayebi met by chance back in 1991 and instantly
realized how much they had in common. Their main vision is a permanent urge
to bridge the gaps between the different brands of electronic music. To make
the long story short, Deep Dish Records was set up before long and the released
tracks caught the eye of the vanguard Tribal America Records very soon which
resulted in the release of the classic „Penetrate Deeper”.
Due to the upcoming DeLacy – Hideaway remix and their benefactor Brian BT Transeu
no doors were closed before them by 1995.
It was in 1998 that their self-penned debut „Junk House” was released as a
mix of sensuous house, dancey rock and jazzy soul. The single „The Future Of
The Future (Stay Gold)” turned out to be both club and FM hit.
Nothing could stop the flow of mixes from this moment on: Yoshiesque (1999),
Renaissance Ibiza (2000), Yoshiesque 2 (2001), Global Underground-Moscow (2001),
GU-Toronto (2003) all reflect eclectic Deep Dish clubsound. Meanwhile they
carried on making remixes with the same old zeal, be it mainstream or underground.
Memorable reworks of tracks by Brother Brown, Gabrielle, Morel, Beth Orton,
Sven Väth, Depeche Mode, The Rolling Stones, Madonna, ’N Syinc or even Justin
Timberlake granted Ali and Sharam the status of most wanted remix-makers. Small
wonder they got their first Grammy nomination in 2001 as „Remixer OF The Year”
for – amongst others – Madonna („Music”), Amber („Sexual”) and their very own
„Mohamed Is Jesus” reworks. 2002 bought another nomination – awarded at last!
– with Dido’s „Thank You”. This single is the par excellence example of their
way of blending pop and clubsound. It even topped the Billboard chart. The
next ones were P.Diddy’s „Let’s Get Ill” and „Say Hello” which were played
twenty-four seven by DJs all over the world.
It goes without saying their live-acts are held in high esteem and sold-out.
According to Los Angeles Times there is no DJ set that is comparable with Deep
Dish.
Sharam and Ali have been playing separately recently to give a taste of Deep
Dish to even more people. Sharam’s own Global Underground mix recorded in Dubai
has just been released as Vol. 29.
Cedric Gervais (USA)
His curriculum would do as a Hollywood script. By the
time most guys just kissed a girl for the first time he is already playing
to a crowd of four thousand
on France’s biggest open-air festival.
The fifteen year old Cedric found himself being resident in Paris’ hippest
club Queen in no time. He played back to back with such names as Sven Väth,
Carl Cox and Laurent Garnier. It was fair enough but Cedric wanted more so
he packed up his vinyls and left for Miami to chance it. It wasn’t long before
he made it to the legendary club Space. He began on the terrace where DJs hung
out after „work”. Roger Sanchez, Sander Kleinenberg and Deep Dish were regulars
during his sets.
Self-penned tracks began to see their release and remixes were requested by
such labels as Deep Dish’s own Yoshitoshi or Ministry. Nowadays Gervais travels
the world as the official warmup DJ to Deep Dish by Sharam’s and Ali’s side.
His new mix „Yoshitoshi:Miami” includes the best tunes of this year’s Miami
Music Conference.
Jazz Stage sponsored by Klubradio
In 2007, the Jazz Stage moves further up the ladder of the leading stages of
the festival, through showing the international audience the current trends
of jazz by presenting world famous artists.
In running themed days, and thus putting the performances into context, the
stage’s organisers also wish to call foreign jazz fans’ attention to the outstanding
Hungarian artists. Parallel to this, they open the gates of the genre as wide
as possible: offering in their program fusion jazz, danceable funky acid jazz,
swing, jazz-rock based on Cameroon folk music, crossover supported with distorted
guitar, and of course traditional big bands. Another new thing is that after
the concerts DJs will play fun and danceable tunes (funk, acid jazz, nu jazz,
soul, etc.), and by doing so the stage is hoping to provide a regular base
for jazz lovers, who can return to the stage anytime of the day.
This year the Jazz Stage has secured several excellent stars in their international
line-up. Mike Stern – who despite being 53 still has a face of a kid – is a
living legend. His rocky, jazzy guitar sound has been his trademark for 30
years. He was 20, when he became a member of Blood Sweat & Tears, which
he left to join Miles Davies’ group. Throughout his 20-year solo career he
has always carefully selected the musicians who he collaborated with; among
others, he’s worked with such artists as Jaco Pastorius, Bob Bergl, Richard
Bona and Me’Shell Dgeocello. He is accompanied at the Sziget by two other legendary
musicians, drummer Dave Weckl (former Chick Corea), and bass player Anthony
Jackson.
French trumpet player Erik Truffaz is one of the very few musicians who is
regarded as a prominent figure both by the jazz circles and the electronic
music world. His name can be found among the performers of jazz festivals as
well as hip-hop and drum’n’bass parties. During his teenage years Truffaz was
a both into jazz and rock, which resulted in a rare openness. On his records,
he is merging features of many different styles with elements of predominantly
acid jazz, funk and electronic music. His band is one of the most current exports
of French culture. They were the first French band to be signed by the legendary
Blue Note.
Etienne Mbappé, Cameroonian bass player/singer is one of the biggest of
the last decade’s newcomers. He spent his “apprentice years” with Joe Zawinhul
and Salif Keita, and there is not much he doesn’t know about jazz and world
music. As in folk tales, and in the music business, he hit the road in search
of his own sound and solo career. In his solo works jazz, African folk music,
funk, rock and classical music play an equally important role. He sings his
songs in the Cameroonian dialect Douala resulting in an amazingly clean,
yet exciting, immediate, and timeless music. It’s the first time we can see
him in Hungary.
Gary Willis, the trendsetting former bass player of Tribal Tech, surprised
his fans with quite a bold piece of work last year when under the name Slaughterhouse
he teamed up with drummer Kirk Covington (former Tribal Tech bandmate) and
Spanish sax player Lliberty Fortuny, and put a completely mad, experimental
work together, in which the trendy jam band approach meets with the lo-fi
sound. They play their instruments without the least inhibition in a way
that would make any teenage kid shy away. They spice up the funky bases and
jazzy harmonies with noises and loops, but even hearing the most brutal sonic
parts, it’s obvious: this music is made by the most trained and skilful musicians
in the world. The outcome is a bit as if Primus made a cover version of Miles
Davies’ Bitches Brew album. This will be their first performance in Hungary.
Of course, we didn’t forget about the best representatives of our domestic
jazz scene. Beside the well-known names (Balázs Elemér Group, Babos Project
Special, Dresch Quartet, Modern Art Orchestra and Hot Jazz Band), the Jazz
Stage opened its gates wide open to different genres. As the 21st century is
all about mixing styles, the stage will proudly present Váczi Eszter és a Szörp,
the group that plays acid jazz; the unusual vocal-piano-horn band Borago which
incorporates Bartók’s heritage into jazz; or European Mantra, who empower their
fusion themes with guitar riffs borrowed from metal. Fresh acts that are still
searching for their own voice could be real specialties too: like Veronika
Harcsa and her Quartet, the talented young trumpet player Lőrinc Barabás and
his hip-hop acid jazz band Eklektric or the rhythm organ based ethno-fusion
of the two percussionists, Azuma Clan.
The line-up of the Jazz Stage was put together with the help of Smart Music.
Other Venues
In classical music, history, contemporary arts, rock, literally programmes
we trust! Other venues from Afro-Latin Stage to Talentum Stage!
Afro-Latin Stage and World Village
This venue was launched and became popular
with Sziget goers under the name of Village Africa, designed in order to let
people know about Northern- and
Black-Africa. Four years ago the programme got amplified with the hot and dynamic
musical culture of Afro-Latin and Carribean peoples and the name changed to
Afro-Latin stage. As World Music Stage is situated near Afro-Latin Stage and
as the target-group audience of the two stages are virtually identical organizers
chose to expand the venue in the „direction” of Asia, dubbed Afro-Latin Stage
and World Village. The concept proved extremely workable so the tag remained
the same unlike the widening choice of programmes and the development of the
venue itself which move forward without cease.
You enter the venue passing by an authentic fair offering an extremely wide
choice of special products from Africa, South-America, Morocco, Indonesia and
Thailand.
The world of Africa introduces the architecture and interiors of round-houses
and tents painted in original Ghana-patterns. Braid, stringing beads, afro
batik work, painting Ghanaian motifs, learning to play African boardgames,
Congo photo gallery, screenings and conversations are on the schedule complete
with an Eritrean coffee-rite and drum sessions by the fire at nights.
North-Africa displays the atmosphere of the Arabian Nights through genuine
Moroccan furniture, Arabian tents furnished with artifacts and ornaments, henna-painters,
Moroccan craftsmanship, kofi-writing course, waterpipe and mint-tea tents plus
a special Taola boardgame course.
The Afro-Latin and Caribbean feel to the venue is also emphasized by the bamboocane-built
Afro-Latin disco, the ever-winding Brazilian Carnival complete with Samba-dancers
in costumes and Batucada drummers, not to mention Afro and Jamaican cocktail
bars with hammocks and comfortable seats where you can taste the special drinks
of Africa and Latin-America with authentic music in the background twenty four
hours a day.
The world of Asia will be present with Thai and Indonesian furniture and artifacts,
Thai-massage tent, Indonesian game and vocal courses, craftsmanship workshop,
Indian henna-painting, batikwork and Indonesian dance-shows. Preserving the
ancient traditions, the hours after noon will offer various dance crash-courses
(samba, capoeira, bellydance, salsa, merengue, zook, african dances) and drum-lessons
to bring a little bit of Africa, the Caribbeans and Asia to Sziget, not to
mention the authentic danceshows in the evenings (maori dancegroup). Concerts
will take place between 7 and 8.30 PM offering different world-music ensembles
from the neighbouring countries (KDS, Emashie, Citi hlapci, Domingo Siete,
Joseph in Malala) followed by popular sound-systems integrating authentic motifs
into their live-acts between 9 and 10.30 PM (Irie Maffia, Gimmeshot, Bassrunner
Soundtribe).
Arany Ászok on Sziget
As the main sponsor
of Sziget 2007 is Arany Ászok again Sziget-dwellers days
will be cheerful with the golden sparkle of Hungary’s most popular beer. The
smooth Arany Ászok welcomes everyone with spectacular and enjoyable programs
on several spots: Arany Ászok Stage offers popular Hungarian bands while Arany
Ászok Sörömpark (Cheer and Beer Park) where such very special spectacle will
be available as the gigantic table-football or the karaoke show in costumes.
You can also win free entrance into Arany Ászok First Tier Beer Box where you
can enjoy the fabulous Main Stage gigs from the comfortable seats provided.
Already in the months prior to Sziget 2007 Arany Ászok will offer lots of surprises
and discounts, not to mention the hourly prizes to be won on each and every
Sziget-day.
Arany Ászok Stage
Bound to be the melting pot of big shots of the Hungarian
popscene. The majority of the performers in the line-up here had played Main
Stage several times like
Anima Sound System, Heaven Street Seven, Sziámi, Emil Rulez!, Sub Bass Monster,
Kistehén Tánczenekar, Zanzibár or Hiperkarma.
Bahia - The Gates of the East
Beside the vanguard of Hungarian alternative
scene this year Bahia stage will also feature many bands from Middle-Eastern
Europe. Slovakian, Czech, Polish,
Croatian, Ukranian, Bosnian, Slovenian, Esthonian, Romanian and Serbian artists,
most of them alternative stars in their homeland, will represent their countries
and a whole region before international Sziget audience.
Bahia will once again take on the hard yet challenging task of –true to what
it represents within musical culture – presenting off-the-mainline gems characterized
by low-profile in foreign lands but important values and credibility. This
year’s programme is a sea change with its daring and highly colourful schedule,
diminished in quantity but with a quality choice of bands to give a real taste
of the East. And what is so special about Eastern Europe? There are so many
things going on here the rest of the world never even heard about or very little
and superficially. Where else would you find a group so cheekily genuine and
bold as is Laibach from Slovenia? Most of the bands playing at Bahia have been
perfectly unknown to the world so far but with their honesty, non-conformism,
sense of humour and familiar flavours they will take us to an amazing musical
world never seen on MTV.
Blues Stage
It’s a feeling as olde bluesmen say. A lifestyle filling your days and whole
life. Blues Stage offers an unforgettable elusive atmosphere. 75 years old
living legend Jeanne Carroll will go onstage who used to play with the likes
of Ray Charles, Lester Young, Charles Mingus, sang for Count Basie, Art Blakey,
Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonius Monk and Duke Ellington. Also Paul Camilleri and
Memphis Gumbo from UK will be featured along with Dutch-Belgian Eelco Gelling,
Lefthand Freddy, the Dutch, the German B.B& the Bluesshacks and Hoochie
Coochie Band from Czech Republic. Also there will be a strong Hungarian offer
including Török Ádám and Mini, Hobo Blues Band, Takáts Tamás Dirty Blues Band,
Tóth Vera&the Superstars plus Boogie&Someday Baby.
Civil Sziget
One of the most special and colourful spots at Sziget. In the
course of Sziget history more and more civil organizations considered it essential
to be present
at the festival with programmes and services designed in order to get into
close contact with the young every year. The civil street had grown into an
island within the island where guests can get information, service and aid
in crucial issues and have the possibility to also contribute to the work.
The main and most important topics of recent years were natural and built-up
environment, the damage done by globalization, environmental awareness, protection
of human rights, the problems of handicapped people, legal and other matters
regarding young people, environmental protection and animal rights. Also theological
and philosophical issues were covered. Beside the serious open debates it is
games, films, live concerts, theatre, cabaret, dance, craftsmanship, conversations
and meetings that make being here an unforgettable experience. 2007 will have
a new feature: DUNA TV. Civil Stage will be renamed Duna Tér and a selection
of movies will be screened beside several other new programs organized by DUNA
TV.
Cöxpon Ambient Sátorkert
Cöxpon Ambient Company is about to move into its Sziget-headquarters from
its very own new Cultural Center this year. Hungarian agents of the ambient,
electronic and experimental branch will keep up the high standard for the seventh
time now. Wouldn’t you know, Cöxpon is not merely a venue or place for meeting
but also a resort within the hustle and bustle of the island where time passes
with a difference. No shoes are allowed within the tent so you can lie down
on the comfortable pillows barefoot with the fascinating scent of CHAÉ in your
nostrils. Something simple, familiar but elusive and inexplicable like life
within mother’s womb.
The company, this association that holds together more than 90 creative groups,
bands, DJs, visual artists and civil organizations focus on a brave new wave
of noise-experimental artists this year beside other performers, Eastern lifestyle-courses,
teahouse and the overwhelming sights and scents covering all. Ukranian one-woman
live-act Nadin, with her mindblowing dose of ruthless rattle trance, does take
you on a ride of everchanging rhythm-patterns. Caught up in the soundweb of
Secaj from Japan woven from some undescribable ancient ritual and the noises
of the modern world one gradually sinks into fearsome depths. Beyond the wormholes
of Hungarian Rovar and the minimalist delayed-guitar samples driven intoxication
of I.O.N. only the gentle acoustic experimentals of Limited Timpani are likely
to grant us absolution so that laid-back, we can enjoy the slackened throb
provided by French dubsystem Volfoniq...
K&H Games
It’s one of the traditional Sziget attractions with a row of
sports games and feats. Record attempts, tournaments of physical and psychical
skills every
day. On your marks
Logic Games Tent
The Chess and Go Department of Hegyvidék Sportclub welcomes logic games lovers
in 2007 as well. The tent will naturally feature games of chess and go and
as a novelty of this summer two chess grandmasters will be available for simultan
games by the courtesy of Hungarian Chess Association. Lady grandmaster Zsuzsa
Verőci calls for special emphasis as the holder of multiple Hungarian championship,
Olympic silver medal and member of the Hungarian Team at nine subsequent Chess
Olympics. Of course there will be an awesome variety of other logic games to
get familiar with as well. To name but a few: chess, go, nine men’s morris
in 3Ds, tantrix, amoeba, abalone, backgammon, halma, tangram, pylos, quatro,
quixo, puzzle, 3D puzzle, dominoes, Rubik games, mankala, katamino, goblette… The
tent will also present a photo gallery by Timea Palya displaying the chess
and go contests of 2006-7. Computer Container will offer fresh-cut and old
game softwares for solo and multiplayer games.
Luminarium
Architects of Air presents:
Enigma - the Luminarium
This will be the sixth time luminarium lands on Sziget. It’s like a cosmic
airballoon tailored from gigantic volleyballs. What makes this year’s luminarium
very special is the fact that no one ever has seen Enigma before and on her
very first trip from her „birthplace” Nottingham she’ll travel right to Budapest.
Enigma was put together handmade with special care in specified workshops
in more than six months time. The „walls” made of translucent plastic stand
tall with the aid of permanent hot air intake. Her siblings have all been
to Hungary before and keep on travelling around the world with no end. Luminarium
lovers are becoming more and more each year which is the reason why this
year she will operate nine hours a day instead of the previous six, 11 AM
– 8 AM. It’s all about you and the psychedelic light-phenomena filtered through
the translucent walls. The last time most people might have been exposed
to similar visual experiences was in the cradle when our mothers made some
flashy thing hover before our eyes trying to stop us from screaming. Lo and
behold, people really do keep silent within the big balloon.
Magic Mirror sponsored by Story TV
Quality is the code word. Astonishing programmes,
party people, friendly bartenders, perfect hospitality. Films in the afternoons,
gigs and revues at nights with
actors, acrobats, trannies and DJs. Party til dawn!
Hungarian Ethnography Site
The daily bread which had been referred to with
the Hungarian equivalent of
„life” by the peasantry for long centuries, used to be the token of everydays
indeed. Its making and consummation was controlled by strict tradition. The
process which starts with the grain and ends with the loaf has been closely
examined by the Handscraft-team of Ethno Site. Guests can learn a lot about
the tricks and knacks of threshing, grinding, yeasting and kneading with the
guidance of the staff. They also straighten you out on straw-plaiting and making
straw-ornaments and harvest-wreaths. You can also see original photos of the
different phases of works in the fields in the activity tent. After tracking
down the strenuous path from the ear to the loaf in the oven everyone sees
daily bread in a different light, not to mention the amusement and the dance
in the evenings.
Octopus United Arts Venue
It is the fifth year of the venue as the home for
literature, fine arts and classical music. Beside arts college students and
young art-groups the top-institutes
of Hungarian arts wil also be involved (Szépművészeti Múzeum, Műcsarnok, Ludwig
Múzeum).
Main topic for fine arts: Water
Water is the source of all forms of life on Planet Earth but also mental and
spiritual source. Life is determined by its dependence on water and the future – as
some future-researchers say – will be defined by the secession from water.
Water is something we take for granted but never look after. This year’s installations
were mainly inspired by the concepts of water consumption, water-waste, its
essential nature and the possible prospect of its lack. Interactive artifacts
and installations have proved very successful in recent years so guests can
make artifacts and useful articles from used material regarded as rubbish themselves
with the guidance of activists and artists.
Recycled canvas workshop:
Street furniture, shades, personal articles made of recycled advertisement
banners.
Rec: record & recycling-control your future (HINTS project)
Make your own bag with us and take a piece of Budapest home with you!
MOME (Moholy-Nagy Arts Academy): Gravity and water chain-reaction
Students build a non-stop operating, 30 metres long interactive watermobile.
The installation runs with a bucket of water…
MOME filmclub: a collection of moving pictures made by the Communcation Department
students of MOME in the last fifteen years
TÁJÉK Landscaping Team: HYDRODEPENDENCE Installation: Displays the artificial
world trying to cut itself from water-dependence and the various forms of wasting
water sources.
British Council and British Embassy: Climate Change
The famous travelling photo-exhibition on climate change
LUMÚ - Ludwig Contemporary Arts Museum
1. Buoys on the island – a new artifact is created every day
2. Semicircle – conversations on water-related contemporary art-themes
3. Exodus on the Danube (documentary directed by Péter Forgács)
4. LUMÚ workshop
5. Collect your tears!
Weekly-passes allow free, daily tickets allow halfprice entrance to Ludwig
Museum during Sziget time!
Szépművészeti Múzeum (Museum of Fine Arts)
Creative courses, art quizzes, Inka table-soccer, winning games and art history
lectures are on offer along with the Gallery of artifacts you are allowed
to touch and jazz.matinee performed by talented young musicians between 5
and 7 PM every day. Programmes taking place in the tent resembling the Museum’s
facade tune the visitors for the current exhibition „… and then the Inkas
came”, those interested can also get familiar with the art-historical periods,
creative techniques of ancient Perou. At the same time visitors can create
their own works of art, painting, montages with the help of the colleagues
on the spot.
Szépművészeti Múzeum offers halfprice entrance in August with intact Sziget-wristbands.
Labyrinth:
The extremely popular spot awaits visitors this year, too. Guests shall choose
one of the twenty-four identical mirror-pads on entry, which symbolize our
roles taken during the course of our lifetime, the Grand Arcanums of the
Tarot-card. The task for every guest is to project the effect of the card
dawn and the image reflected by the inner mirror onto their very own present
stage in life to eventually analyze the condition of the self while wandering
through the labyrinth.
Classical music:
Nomen est omen: Audiovisual performance by János Nagy. Based on the textbook
„Impressions” by Orsolya Karafiáth, it is very likely to strongly impress
the audience, due to Bea Palya’s vocal performance and the instrumental play
by Four Bones Trombone Quartet and composer Tamás Kovács. Apropos of Bea
Palya, she will also contribute to a Spanish Piazzola-show accompanied by
Robert Sinha and Robert Vidák on guitars. Fugato orchestra based on symphonic
and progressive jazzrock-sound finished as the best Hungarian band at ABC
talent-contest in Vienna. The genre of opera will be represented by the youngster
and enthusiastic company of Opera Viva. And now something really serious:
Da Capo Al Fine – A new approach to „The Passion of John” by J.S. Bach. What
does the Passion mean to those who we reckon understand almost nothing of
what is going on around them? Music, dance, image and signs. Common endeavour
by Theatre Baltazar and SZÉF Foundation based on Balázs Erdős’s script, directed
by Gergely Paál and with essential help from J. S. Bach and Saint John. And
all the regular programs above that: films, afternoon concerts, baroque „Nachtmusik”
and last but not least, the most comfortable sofas of the island.
Crossover jams are organized by Fidelio-crew.
Literary programmes:
Literature tent awaits visitors with new initiations, a humorous and high-standard
schedule. The internationally acclaimed József R. Juhász of Érsekújvár and
his performance is likely to steal the show from music stages along with
the dramatized version of medieval obscene poetry called „Impolite Love”.
On our literary evenings fine young talents (Odett Király, Gergely Vida,
Dénes Krusovszky, Mátyás Dunajcsik, Katalin Juhász)and masters of avantgarde
soundpoetry (Endre Szkárosi) will be given the floor. The poetry series closes
with an evening of poetry reading served with jazz music (Gábor Gyukics and
Co.) where the lyricist audience will have the opportunity to unfold their
self-penned material as well. The cream of contemporary Hungarian fiction
will be present, too(Noémi Szécsi, Gergely Nagy, Pál Békés, Margit Halász,
Ottó Kiss).
Anagram-factory will also operate in front of the tent, manufactoring poems
of your name.
Medence Filmclub
A leporello of what Hungarian animated film has to offer, between 10 PM and
2 AM every day (Stúdió Varga, Pannonia, KGB). An archive compilation of the
festivalprogrammes of Mediawavw and Anifest.
Poker Tent
This year’s initiation is the new separate tent set up especially for the
extremely popular card game of poker. Also bridge and other card games will
reside here instead of Logic Games Tent. Competitors will play in two qualifying
rounds per day according to the rules of the seven card Texas Hold’Em game
(also called „Korda” poker). Minor prize-items to be won daily. Last day’s
finals go for highly valuable prizes.
Pesti Est Stage
Pesti Est has been the primary source of all kind of information
regarding Sziget since the very beginning. Beside that crucial role Pesti
Est was always
extremely proactive in organizing the cultural bustle of Sziget, too. Pesti
Est stage has been in operation for over a decade of Sziget-history with programs
as colourful and interesting as is the content of the programme-magazine itself:
pop and classical concerts, thematic lectures, sport-exhibitions and fashion-shows
always went together in blissful harmony, not to mention the openair parties
until sunrise and beyond… The stylistic range of live-concerts goes to bold
extremes as well: from acidjazz to freakout-guitarbands, from ska to wild electronic
gadgetry. Beside popular and well-known acts young bands also get the floor.
The cornerstones of this year’s daily timetable is as follows: Thai Chi exercises
from 11AM; interactive programs, games, easy listening acoustic sets to make
you feel relaxed until the afternoon; rocking out from 4PM to 11PM or until
you drop
Professional Area&Lounge
Press Conferences-room will share a building with
Professional Area&Lounge
run by Hungarian Music Export Office. This rather quiet and relaxed environment
provides a comfortable background for talks and conversations between parties
of European and home music industry visiting Sziget in large numbers.
Services are free access to Internet, luggage-room, lounge bar. Managers and
promoters get information on Hungarian groups. With the widened scope covered
by Bahia stage, European organizers’ demand for more performances from Eastern-Europe
will be perfectly fulfilled.
Talentum Stage
Talent-contest venue will host thirty-five bands (selected from
the registrated one thousand) each of which plays a 40 minutes long set and
a prestigious jury
is to select the very best. The winner gets signed to CLS Records, receives
the budget for a video from Sziget and features on a compilation designed for
international promotion by Export Office. Second and third runners win valuable
instruments by the courtesy of zenészklub.hu.
Terror Háza Múzeum (The House of Terror)
If you feel like taking part in
a time-travel and want to know what everydays were like for your generation’s
parents and grandparents in the communist block, come along with us. Make your
claim for a car or a simple telephone-line and
get them half a decade later! Be a news speaker in the seventies! If you want
to know about informers, put on old vinyls or would learn more about János
Kádár you can’t afford to miss the museum of terrors at Sziget. Make your arguments
and convince historians, celebs! You can even test your knowledge on historical
games. Leave a trace of yourself for posterity, tell the camera about what
you heard and learned about the past! Come and watch enjoyable and successful
historical movies (Untergang, Napola, Sophie Scholl, The Storm of Feedom).
See documentary „56 Flashes” by András Sólyom before its actual premiere! Get
a taste of socialism and cook with Hungary’s most famous stand-up comedian
Sándor Fábry!
Tibi Táncdalfesztivál Tent
There is no Sziget without Táncdalfesztivál (Socialist
Song Contest)! If you feel like dancing, singing along with old hit songs or
travelling in time,
this is the place for you! Dance and etiquette courses in the afternoons conducted by Attila László while
the old stars of sixties-seventies Hungarian song contests amaze you in the
evenings (László Aradszky, JuditH Szűcs, Eva Csepregi&Adam Végvári, Szandy,
Dolly Roll, György Korda&Klári Balázs!). PAPLAN disco until daybreak every
night!
Travelling Circus
Weird and amazing stunts are done in the traveling show.
No gravitation, only illusion here, where Impossible has to give up the ghost
and stop existing.
Puppetry, acrobats, jugglers, fairground attractions all seeking to entertain
you! Magicians and illusionists, acrobatic breakdance, tightrope dancers in
one circus melange. Get ready for the Argentinian Circo Mejunje with acrobats
walking on their hands, Christoph Engels the madman-juggler chainsaw-freak,
Bistrot of Frenchman Olof Zitoun in which waiters manipulate with trays, bottles
and cups in a dreamy way with Oriental live-music in the background. Three
sets by the professionals from the Toulouse School of Circus: Le Tennis, a
humorous imitation of a tennis-match. Diable du corps, the highs and lows of
a relationship expressed in the language of the circus and using almost unbelievably
difficult dual-acrobat feats. Company Douxfou, four artists; a musician, a
dancer and martial arts expert and two acrobats. The four characters meet in
order to deliver an astonishing poetic-comic performance. Last year’s debut
Antolio will be back with a new show inspired by his Latin-American journey
with such feats as sombrero-jugglery. Young talent Cechicha Company of Italy
are likely to put a spell on us with their air-acrobatics utilizing their fantastic
homemade machine and presenting an almost theatrical performance in fourty
minutes.
Jugglery is available from 2PM to 8PM every day in which hours you can hire
juggler’s tools.
Zúzda Stage
Last year’s debut stage is likely to become the main meeting point
for punk, hardcore and nu-metal fans. A minor change is to be initiated: ska-bands
will
be moved to Pesti Est Stage while Gorezone will be back at last after several
years to fray nerves with the most brutal underground and extreme metal grinding.
Further Information: Gergo Salamon /
PR and Press Coordinator /
http://www.szigetfestival.com
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