10 — 12 July 2025
The best performances at Pohoda 2023

The best performances at Pohoda 2023

Twenty musicians, journalists and music experts rated this year's Pohoda Festival concerts. The performance by post-punk legends Sleaford Mods received the highest rating. Among the Slovak artists, Jana Kirschner and the Sun Salutation with Plantasia topped the list of Slovak performers. An overview of the ratings was published by Matej Kráľ from portal Hudba.sk.

14. July 2023

The British duo Sleaford Mods captivated everyone with their expression, as well as their characteristic (non)dance moves. “One of the best punk bands of today, both on record and on stage,” said Michal Berezňák from SHARPE Festival. Music marketer Ján Papač agrees, “It is rare for people with diametrically different musical tastes to be equally enthusiastic about the same band during retrospective concert discussions. Sleaford Mods weren't even supposed to play at Pohoda, and suddenly they became a huge ace up the sleeve of the opening day's programme. When someone puts a bottle on their head, I will always think of Jason Williamson and that wonderful Thursday night that gave us all such an energy boost.”

Sleaford Mods at Pohoda 2023

The second place of the TOP concerts belongs to four performers: the mesmerising Caroline Polachek, the captivating Wet Leg, the wonderful Perfume Genius and the father of Ethio-jazz Mulatu Astatke.

We are delighted that the third place in terms of number of positive reactions went to two Slovak artists: Jana Kirschner and Kristína Smetanová, who with their "crew" (Haimoni Balgavá, Peter Kunzo and Martin Majlo Štefánik) prepared a Sunday Sun Salutation with the project Plantasia. This Sun Salutation will go down in the history of Pohoda as one of the most beautiful and legendary. These reactions to Plantasia also encourage us not to leave it at just one public performance at Pohoda and to make the Plantasia project available live to a wider audience. Plantasia and Jana Krischner are joined in the number of enthusiastic reactions by Sampa the Great, Viagra Boys and Cakes da Killa.

Jana Kirschner (SK) at Pohoda 2023 (photo: Martina Mlčúchová)

You can find an overview of the top performances at the end of the article.

 

REVIEWS BY JOURNALISTS, MUSICIANS AND MUSIC EXPERTS

Caroline Polachek

Roman Samotný: "I hadn't known this artist at all, and judging from the description in the programme, I had underestimated her a bit, but the experience was all the more intense when I heard her sing live. The focused performance, the uplifting music and the well thought-out stage design made for an impressive experience.”

Tereza Odehnalová: "Caroline is an absolute queen..."

Valentína Vlková: “The confidence that Caroline had throughout the entire concert is something I would like to have every day. She immediately drew attention to herself and made it clear who is the 'boss’.”

Perfume Genius

Timea Gregová: "I had never heard of him before the festival, but he had an incredible stage presence! I trusted every tone, every move he made. He totally won me over.”

Wet Leg

Ján Papač: "The headliner I was most looking forward to did not disappoint. The future of indie rock is in good hands and I believe Wet Leg will only get better with more albums and performances on big stages. I would love for him to come back in five or six years.”

Jana Kirschner

Timea Gregová: “Jana is simply fantastic! She seems to me to be freely and uncompromisingly herself, and that is inspiring. Next to me an elderly man was crying, behind me 14-year-old fans were screaming. It's great that she can capture such a wide range of people.”

Cakes da Killa

Roman Samotný: "This was a real ride – the essence of the queer New York underground in full effect. A very straightforward show with an intense tempo that had the whole tent dancing.”

Maria Pyatkina: “The American rapper from New York queer rap wave rocked the rainbow-coloured Tepláreň."

Sampa the Great

Maria Pyatkina: “We expected a rap queen, but we got a free African spirit.”

 

Unofficial ranking of the top performances at Pohoda 2023, compiled by journalists, musicians and music experts for Hudba.sk:

  1. Sleaford Mods
  2. Caroline Polachek
  3. Wet Leg
  4. Perfume Genius
  5. Mulatu Astatke
  6. Jana Kirschner
  7. Sampa the Great
  8. Viagra Boys
  9. Plantasia
  10. Cakes da Killa
  11. O.
  12. PVA
  13. Shame
  14. Tata Bojs
  15. Vintage Trouble
  16. Arca
  17. Arooj Aftab
  18. Jamie xx
  19. Shygirl
  20. Sofi Tukker
  21. Fallgrapp
  22. Gleb
  23. Krstní otcovia
  24. Nina Kohout
  25. Duo Ruut
  26. Hermeto Pascoal
  27. Vök

 

Source: Overview of the best performances at the Pohoda festival 2023 by Matej Kráľ / hudba.sk