„BEST OF“ WORLD MUSIC AT THE 25TH SZIGET FESTIVAL 2017

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On the occasion of celebrating the 25th Sziget the World Music Stage is bringing a „best of“ program, which presents the greatest successes of the stage, but is also consistent with the aim to show the latest productions of world music. Day 0 starts with a Hungarian wave, and then the bests of world music are coming from the past and future. The full program of Sziget’s World Music Stage is available.

Over the past thirty years, ever since the collective term: world music widespread for the ethnic-based music it has become one of the most popular music trends. Bands and performers became well-known from countries of which you don’t hear about too often, and where – as the Cape Verde Islands and Madagascar – record industry did not exist.

Sziget World Music Stage takes the part in the world music movement since 2000 and at its current site it serves approximately fifteen thousand people. Over the past seventeen years, the stage has gained outstanding international ranking, since all the bests of the genre have performed on it, and because it constantly reacted sensitively to the new trends and waves of world music. More than two hundred artists have accepted the invitation, the world’s biggest stars from England to Guinea from Belgium to Senegal.

The world music venue providing carefree, fun „party music“ pays special attention to the popular Balkan- and ska-based dance music performers, in addition to the world music stars, of course, presents the recently appeared fresh performers as well. In spite of the dance music dominance – without losing of the quality, professionalism or the ethnic features – it does not rule out the sensitive or experimental productions either.

From the returning performers might be highlighted: the Serbian Goran Bregovic – whose evergreens are spreading for decades as the anthems of the Balkans – as the front man of the inevitable Wedding and Funeral Band; the world’s only Grammy-winning klezmer band, the legendary Klezmatics; the elementary Russian ska classic, celebrating the twentieth year of its existence: Leningrad; the Moroccan Gnawa revolutionizing Orchestre National de Barbés; the king of Latin ska from Sicilí: Roy Paci & Aretuska; with its cathartic „ethno-chaos“ the Ukrainian DakhaBrakha, the Malian Tamikrest who are changing desert blues into desert rock; and with its overwhelming Pan-African dance music the Mokoomba from Zimbabwe.

The series of novelties is consisted of the stars of the near future, with the Gaye Su Akyol who is mixing Turkish folk music with psychedelic rock; the creator of Brazilian afrobeat: Bixiga 70; the leader of the re-blooming Latin psychedelia from Tucson, the Orkestra Mendoza; with satirical punk klezmer, the Israeli Jewish Monkeys; but here is the irresistible Chilean Chico Trujillo as well. Finally the Mongol Hanggai presents its rock based throat singing; it turns out why Magnifico is the „Balkan charlatan“; and why the young Portuguese Marta Rent is cited among the biggest American soul singers of the sixties. From the very popular multicultural French bands this year Zoufris Maracas and La Gapette will entertain the audience, and then we have not talked about the line-up of Roma music every night…

However, the site will also pamper the gypsy music lovers. John Langan Band from Glasgow will have its first debut in Hungary, with its Celtic-punk, Balkan, flamenco mixture. The Balkan and Latin music will take a hold of the audience at the multi-ethnic concert of the Barcelona-based Electrorumbaiao, while the French La Caravane Passe will bring the world of jazz.
As we mentioned above, there will be several Hungarian productions as well. And the same stylistic richness, variety and „party spirit“ will be presented at their concerts as at the international performer’s concerts.
After all, who could resist the crushing-jumping „speed-freak-folk-punk“ madness of Betyars Bohemian; the internationally also well-known ska band; the Romengo bringing all the charm of traditional Roma music; or the Besh o droM mixing Eastern European and Balkan music with crazy energy?
In 2017, for the first time, there will be a special Day 0 program focusing on the Hungarian world music performers, featuring the following six bands: Zoord, Parno Graszt, Kerekes Band, Söndörgő, Lajkó Félix and Óperentzia.

Tickets
Passes are still available for Sziget Festival, both 7-day and 5-day passes. The first 2 days, 9-10 August are not included in the 5-day passes. Day tickets are available for all 7 days. Tickets for a discounted price are available until 31 May.