Not one but two Ukrainian bands are headed to the famous Hungarian fest this year
This summer looked so promising in terms of music shows, but since the Rolling Stones cancelled their Kyiv gig last week, it doesn’t look that way anymore. And though it’s hard not to despair at such a turn of events, all we have to do is come down and content ourselves with what’s still on the list: Bloodhound Gang, Tuborg fest featuring David Guetta, Faithless and Placebo, and, of course George Michael.
Another way to get distracted from the sad news about the Stones is to be glad for our own musicians heading to one of the most famous European music festivals, the Hungarian fest Sziget. Besides, this year it’s not just going to be one Ukrainian band, but two. And unlike last year’s club band Mad Heads XL, the next two are real local stars. TNMK and Esthetic Education, who both play real Western format music, will be worthy representatives of their country at Sziget.
Luckily, this year the management of the festival increased the number of festival participants from Eastern Europe to 20 (out of 80 non-Hungarian musicians taking part), which allowed both bands to participate. Esthetic Education, fronted by Louis Franck, a Belgian citizen making music in Ukraine, will perform at the “alternative” stage Wan2, and hip-hoppers TNMK will occupy the “Eastern European” stage Bahia. And if you consider the Ukrainian roots of American band Gogol Bordello (its frontman Eugene Hutz is a Ukrainian immigrant), you’ll count three Ukrainian bands performing at the fest.
While Ukrainians travel to Hungary, several Hungarian bands who are this year’s Sziget participants will come to play shows in Kyiv. Hungarian band Brains played a concert at 44 last Sunday, Anselmo Crue is coming to perform in June and the third artist will be announced later.
Performing at this year’s Sziget, which will take place August 8 though August 15, Ukrainian musicians will find themselves in good company, among Western superstars that include Pink, Nine Inch Nails, Chemical Brothers, The Killers, Juliette and the Licks, Mika, Mando Diao, Sinead O’Connor and others.
