Fantastic pohoda 2017: the future which ended up well
The biggest number of positive reviews, the greatest interest of foreign media, and the smooth progress are just some of the reasons why we think Pohoda 2017 was a fantastic festival that was filled with fantastic people. Weather-related concerns did not come true, while schedule-related expectations were exceeded, as shown by media and visitor responses. That is why Pohoda 2017 could be best described by the words of Jáchym Topol: “We felt like we were in the future that ended up well”.
10. July 2017
Thursday was devoted to “playful” music and the most-talked-about project was Bolo nás jedenásť. The first live performance of the legendary album affected and made laugh the audience and the performers as well. The Norwegian music-comedy duo Ylvis brought in a great show brought with their The Expensive Jacket Tour. Orange Stage pleased guitar fans, as it hosted Slovak band The Ills, shoegaze legends Slowdive, and the English punk rockers Slaves. Friday belonged to distinguished women: the dreamy Birdy, the R&B diva Solange, and rapper M.I.A. saw the crowded area in front of the main stage. The night schedule had the legend of IDM Squarepusher, Austra, and Sleaford Mods. One of the most powerful moments was the concert of Už solnečko svita! Jureš Líška has organised a folklore superband for the welcoming of the Sun, which with a large number of people under the stage showed that this traditional closure of a festival day is not really about the sun, but rather about the people.
You could debate with interesting people in packed debating tents that hosted top writers (Zygar, Keret), physicians, scientists, athletes, activists, and great names of the music scene; our President Andrej Kiska “won over a debate” a huge applause. Saturday night belonged to “guitarists” Rodrigo y Gabriela, Jake Bugg and, in particular, alt-J who gave one of the best concerts in the history of Pohoda, according to several journalists. Marek Hudec wrote: “Alt-J can be imitated, but such a good concert cannot”. Oliver Rehák said they were an excellent example of what a current A-grade festival set for a big stage looks like. Journalists were abundantly using superlatives also with the description of the drive of Future Islands singer, Benjamin Clementine, and Boys Noize Live. Several loyal visitors of Pohoda appreciated the repetition of its full first edition at Budiš Stage. New stages were successful, too. Ticketportal Stage hosted a first class Czecho-Slovak selection of bands and Laug-Techno-Bau Club featured experimental and dance underground scene.
Only a single name was changed in the line-up, the weather surprised pleasantly both us and meteorologists, paramedics had the least work in recent years, and we are now recharging thanks to wonderful responses from artists, agents, journalists, partners, and our visitors. Let us remember one for all of them, a brief and concise tweet of the leader of Beak> and Portishead, Geoff Barrow: “One of the best music festivals in the world #Pohoda Slovakia”. The expectations of Pohoda 2017 also had a strong personal aspect— our PR manager Tono has today become the father of Miriam: his daughter was born at the hospital in Trenčín. The smallest “Pohodan” waited a week longer for her father than the expected due date, which made it possible for Tono to focus on you fully in the press centre during the entire Pohoda. It is because of all of this that we think the 21st Pohoda was a fantastic edition during which we “We felt like we were in the future that ended up well”.
Tomorrow we are launching the sale of tickets to Pohoda 2018. There will 1,000 tickets for € 79 available. After they sell out, the price of three-day tickets will be € 89.
Thank you and we are looking forward to seeing you at the 22nd edition of Pohoda that will take place on 5—7 July 2018