United Islands of Europe is bringing 54 artists from 9 countries to Prague
The multigenre festival United Islands of Europe – Freedom Edition reveals the complete music program of more than 50 music discoveries from the Czech Republic as well as from abroad. Among the headliners are the Irish stars Thumper and Tebi Rex, rapper Albi X from Germany, representatives of contemporary Czech R&B Annet X and 7krát3 & live band as well as the Polish singer Ofelia. For most of the foreign guests, this is going to be their first time playing in the Czech Republic. An inseparable part of the festival is its non-musical programme the Islands of Inspiration, which takes place directly at or close to Střelecký Island, just like the concerts. The event takes place on July 10 and 11 and it is entirely free of charge for everyone.
“Visitors can look forward to a great event full of concerts of young artists and to a large non-musical programme the Islands of Inspiration, which will offer workshops, screenings, exhibitions, and debates. The whole programme will take place at Střelecký Island, Janáčkovo nábřeží, Children’s Island, in the Portheimka Park, and on the terrace of the Nový Smíchov shopping center, and there will be no entrance fee. You won’t find any other event like this in the center of Prague or in the whole of Czechia,” says the festival manager Kamila Buráňová to encourage people to visit the festival, which will take place already at the end of this week, on July 10 and 11.
Czech and Slovak stars
One of the newly announced headliners of the festival is the pioneer of Czech R&B, singer, and rapper Annet X, who has already received such awards as Apollo or Anděl. Besides her and 7krát3, all the new Czech and Slovakian names that will appear at the festival have gained popularity after the pandemic, representing a sort of lockdown baby boom of the music scene. The Slovakian performers make up an unofficial showcase of their alternative scene – among them are for example an indie singer Timea, a twelve-year-old rapper Lil Ash, rapper Malvina with a trap and disco project, an acclaimed singer and composer Nina Kohout, a producer of pleasant electronics Bulp or a grooving trio Sam Sandwich with their fusion of electronics and guitars.
Another thing that is unique about United Islands of Europe is the fact that all of the invited guests from abroad (except for some artist from Slovakia and the Polish jazzmen Immortal Onion) will be performing in the Czech Republic for the first time and it will probably take a while until they are able to come and play here again. “Czech audience will have an opportunity to see the very first Czech concerts of some stars from abroad, including from Ireland, Germany and the Eastern European music scene,” says Kamila Buráňová, adding that visitors can also look forward to the Klubová noc event, which returns to United Islands after two years, stronger than ever.
Irish rock and rap in Prague
A total of three performers will be coming to the festival from Ireland, all of whom are among the festival's headliners. Thumper are an uncompromising rock band with a modern but honest sound and two drum kits. The Tebi Rex duo represent alternative hip hop that combines rap and vocals, while JyellowL is a world-class rapper whose music has been featured on TV shows or the FIFA 20 soundtrack.
„Guitars are no longer dominating today’s music. Rap is the new pop. When we were choosing our music discoveries, we obviously couldn’t leave it out. The whole United Islands of Europe festival is very much attuned to genres and forms that represent music of the present, not the past.” That is how the festival’s dramaturgs from the Heartnoize group describe the resulting musical concept. The Eastern European scene on the other hand is, according to them, characteristic of a direct inspiration by western pop from the 70’s. One of the best examples of this who will perform at the United Islands festival is the Polish star Ofelia or the Lithuania-dwelling trio Dlina Volny.
The entrance fee is free of charge.
Best shows of United Islands of Europe - tips
- Annet X – singer and rapper, headliner of the festival, R&B revelation of the Czech scene
- Dlina Volny – brut pop trio from Belarus now living in Lithuania, renaissance of the 80’s pop
- Donia Touglo - singer and actress originally from African Togo, brought up in Germany, with her African beats, she stands out from all the other performers of the festival
- Giudi – Czech singer mixing music with fashion and art, a 2022 Eurovision participant
- Katarzia – acclaimed singer and composer who has, in collaboration with leading producers, over the years moved from classical songwriting all the way to progressive electronic sound
- Thumper – Irish band with an honest rock sound and two drum kits on one stage
- Tokyo Drift – acclaimed producer of a fresh sounding electronic music
Complete list of performing artists
7krát3 Live Band, 52 Hertz Whale (SK), A-C Leonte (RO), Akli (LT), Albi X (DE), Annet X, Avokaduo, Blueraykoranthug, Bulp (SK), Čaba Laciga, Cílená nejistota, CMD, Dlina Volny (BY), Dmitrievna, Donia Touglo (DE), Enchanted Hunters (PL), Gapochka (UA), Giudi, Haru, Hellwana, Immortal Onion (PL), Island Mint, Iva Sativa (BY), Ivy Z, JyellowL (IE), Karaoke Tundra, Karolína Beranová, Katarina Gryvul (UA), Katarzia (SK), Laokoon, Lil Ash (SK), Luciana, Luisa (SK), Malvina (SK), Maria Basel (DE), Nina Kohout (SK), Ofelia (PL), Oksyi (UA), Prazdniny, Rawdeus, Sam Handwich (SK), Sépie z hor, Tea Sofia, Tebi Rex (IE), Thumper (IE), Timea (SK), Tiny Beat, Tokyo Drift, Tomáš Niesner, Yasha
Klubová noc at United Islands of Europe stronger than ever
The festival’s visitors can also look forward to an event called Klubová noc, which will take place on Friday after the main musical programme and it is held in cooperation with the Department of Arts Management of VŠE (Prague University of Economics and Business). The programme at Klub Famu and Chapeau Rouge will be dramaturgically focused on guitar performances of all kinds – from indie to garage-noise to nu-core or alternative metal while in Skautský institute v Rybárně you will be able to enjoy DJs electronic music.
List of performing artists for Klubová noc
Ancestral Vision, Bikkinyshop, Critical Acclaim, Footclan, Frozen Poppyheads, Iggy Mayerov, Influs, Marjari, NOV (SK), Small Town Life (SK), Tape01, Valentino Ozzy
What makes the individual music scenes of United Islands of Europe unique
On Friday, FREEDOM STAGE RADIA 1 on Střelecký Island will offer different forms of pop and the Eastern European scene. The sounds of classic pop will turn into progressive shades of R&B and rap on Saturday.
FREEDOM STAGE DPP, also on the Střelecký Island, is very genre-specific and as it focuses on rock and post-punk, it is the only stage dominated by guitars.
ČRO JAZZ STAGE at Jazz Dock will host R&B rap artists from Ireland, light soul and, to top it all, futuristic funky hyper pop – all on Friday. Saturday will take a bit more alternative path with jazz vibes, offering jazz-rock, jazz fusion, alternative and folk.
JANÁČEK STAGE at the corner of Janáčkova ulice and the Legion Bridge is dedicated to hip hop, and it will present beatbox along with rap artists from Czech Republic and Slovakia, introducing as many women as men.
The c/o pop Festival from Cologne is a co-curator of Saturday’s CZECH-GERMAN STAGE at Kampa and its showcase scene is dominated by the German rapper Albi X, who projects his identity as an albino of African origin into his music.
ČT ART STAGE at the Portheimka park will present the young Czech scene made out mainly of indie pop and rock music discoveries on Saturday.
OC NOVÝ SMÍCHOV STAGE on the terrace of a shopping center will present the current tones of live electronics on Saturday.
