James Holden & The Animal Spirits and Los Pirañas have been added to the line-up and will appear at Kino Šiška on Saturday, 26 May.
In May, we’ll again be visited by cult independent rock band with a dash of sugary pop, Deerhoof – always different, always tumultuous and always cheekily bold. They’ll be joined by special guests Wrekmeister Harmonies, whose heavy tunes cooked up one of the best gigs of the year at their previous visit. Both bands will promote their latest albums.
Yes to Ljubljana! Yes to the Baltic-Balkans-British Interzone! Yes to Russia! Yes to new pop, weirdo rock and sonic ectoplasm!
Šiška demolition in March!
Sometimes, small really is beautiful, and Ljubljana’s MENT is that rare thing; a perfectly formed little gem of a festival that still feels grand and significant. In only four years it’s carved out a deserved reputation for excellence, from fans and professionals alike – not only was it was recently voted Best Small Festival and Best Indoor Festival at the EFA Awards in Groningen, but it’s also now generally regarded as eastern Europe’s main showcase event, a hub for bands to reach a wider audience and develop their careers.
At an age where I can’t even be bothered to see what’s relevant anymore in the world of music outside of China, I was glad to have the MENT Festival turn me upside down, shake me loose, and remind me that there are bold new sounds happening all around the world for those interested enough to seek them out. And I’m sure as hell going to seek them out now. What more can I say? MENT Festival – you blew my mind.
NOFX frontman Fat Mike has brewed up the Punk In Drublic festival, named after the band’s legendary album. The colourful punk rock bunch will stop in Ljubljana as well!
Ljubljana. Capital city of Slovenia whose population of just over a quarter of a million people accounts for more than 10% of the nation’s inhabitants. Once known as Laibach, a name perhaps more widely associated with being Slovenia’s most famous musical export. It’s a city steeped in history and tradition where tourism is currently rivalling the manufacturing industries of pharmaceuticals and food processing as the country’s fastest growing economic sector.
Following great shows at the MENT Ljubljana and Urbano dejanje festivals in 2016, Austrian duo LEYYA, whose electronic trip-hop/pop swiftly spread throughout the continent and established the pair as darlings of the biggest European showcases, are coming back to town with their excellent new album Sauna. We’ll warm up with local synth-poppers Futurski, who won us over at our anniversary party in September, then at this year’s MENT Ljubljana.
Their show remains a strikingly stark, no-nonsense affair; the rhythms clatter against synths and shards of noise, all bathed in a sparse, monochrome light.
Kino Šiška Centre for Urban Culture
Trg prekomorskih brigad 3, 1000 Ljubljana
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