From Fontaines D.C. to Iggy Pop: Pohoda’s must-see acts, according to a devoted fan

I have had a love-hate relationship with Pohoda over the years. The first time I attended, aged 24, I found the crowds too relaxed. They didn’t share my appetite for self-destruction. Compared to the mad boisterousness of Irish music festivals, it left a lot to be desired. This isn’t unique to Pohoda; at other festivals I’ve been to, I’ve seen some artists practically beg the crowd to display some sign—rather than a sigh—of life. I contented myself with spreading the Irish festival spirit to Slovakia, even if Slovaks themselves were sometimes horrified by it.

Despite this, I attended the 2017, 2018 and 2019 editions because the line-ups were top-notch. Pohoda’s main strength lies in the fact that it is booked not just according to what’s trending on Spotify and YouTube algorithms, but also informed by people with well-rounded, multi-genre tastes.

It’s easy to book a metal festival. It’s easy to book a drum-n-bass festival. But year after year, Pohoda consistently arrays multiple different styles and types of act on top of each other in a way that feels way closer to the cultural zeitgeist than an exercise in simply booking what’s popular. That is probably what earned them the title of “Best Medium-Sized Festival 2023” by the European Festival Awards.

As I turn 32 on the first day of the festival this year, my concern is less with having a crazy party that involves me losing my belongings and missing the headline acts (Electric Picnic 2013 was rough). I now appreciate the actual meaning of the word “Pohoda” itself—chill, relaxed, moisturised, in one’s lane. Even if Slovak people can get a bit panicked if you try to strike up a random conversation with them on the campsite at eight o'clock.

With this in mind, I have picked through the Pohoda line-up to bring you my ten or so most anticipated events. Of course, I’m highlighting some headliners, but there are plenty of interesting acts on the undercard as well. These are all the performers I have something to say about — you’ll be well served by checking out acts you know nothing about.

I would also like to take a second to acknowledge that my own grasp on the cultural zeitgeist is gradually slipping - I hadn’t heard of presently popular acts like Ashnikko or Geordie Greep before seeing them on the line-up here. I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was. It’ll happen to you.

On with the listicle. Here’s hoping we don’t get stormed out of it again like last year. The festival takes place this weekend, from 10 to 12 July, at Trenčín Airport.

Jokes on You

Crowdberry Club – Friday and Saturday, 11:30–12:30

Jokes on You (source: Pohoda)

For the first time, English-language stand-up comedy is coming to Pohoda. Alan Henderson (US), Grant Gallacher (GB), Sia Motlagh (IR), and Jack Holmes (GB) will bring the laughs twice—on Friday and Saturday. This is somewhat of a self-plug, as I will also be performing in a limited capacity. I won’t be the only Irish person on stage at Pohoda this year, though…

Bambie Thug & Fontaines D.C.

Aréna Slovenskej sporiteľne – Saturday, 17:45–18:45 & Zlatý Bažant Stage – Friday, 21:45–22:45

Two days, two different styles, but both on the bleeding edge of what Ireland is bringing to the world music stage right now.

Bambie Thug was Ireland’s 2024 Eurovision entry that stunned and shocked viewers in Europe and around the world. Bambie’s apocalyptic sound is sure to shake Pohoda to its foundations.

Fontaines D.C. are dragging the post-punk sound into the 21st century kicking and screaming, melding poetry and riffage in ways previously thought impossible. Their star has been steadily rising over the past few years, and they promise to be one of the festival’s highlights.

DakhaBrakha

Zlatý Bažant Stage – Saturday, 14:00–15:00

At once contemplative and chaotic, Ukrainian folksters DakhaBrakha weave together sounds from various musical traditions around the world into what they describe as “ethnic chaos”. Their songs have a brooding quality—both heartfelt and, at times, menacing.

Catastrofy

Kofola Stage – Saturday, 15:15–16:15

Slovakia’s premier thrash metal outfit always puts on a great show, and theirs will be one of the few guaranteed mosh pits over the weekend. They blend lyrical themes from Slovak folklore with shredding and squealing solos. They are one of the few metal bands to incorporate the traditional Slovak fujara flute into their songs, and much of their iconography revolves around Slovakia’s historical bandits, such as Juraj Janošík.

Bez Ladu a Skladu

Zlatý Bažant Stage – Saturday, 16:30–17:30

When I moved to this country and began to acquaint myself with its culture, someone wisely showed me grainy videos of Bez Ladu a Skladu from the 1980s. What at first seemed like a bunch of teenagers trying to recreate 2-tone ska based on reading about it rather than hearing it—a distinct possibility under the harsh cultural protectionism of Communist Czechoslovakia—the band had, and still have, a sound like no other. The kicker was that in those ’80s videos, the lead singer appeared to be a good five years younger than all the other members. So there was a kid singing breathlessly over avant-garde guitar rhythms and squealing saxophones, asking, “Who’s the tattletale?”

That child singer, Michal Kaščák, went on to found Pohoda Festival in the ’90s. Funny how life works. I saw them live for the first time last year in Bratislava, and they put on a great show. I’ll gladly be there this time around.

Iggy Pop

Zlatý Bažant Stage – Saturday, 19:00–20:00

This veteran rocker and friend of David Bowie is pushing 80 and shows no signs of slowing down. What’s truly fascinating is that in 2017, Iggy—along with QOTSA frontman Josh Homme—released Post Pop Depression, a brooding rumination on the life of a rock ’n’ roller and the posthumous fame that awaits him. Iggy (real name James Newell Osterberg Jr.) will be on stage about two hours before QOTSA, so they will presumably be mingling backstage. Will we see them take to the stage together? Maybe wishful thinking, but who knows.

Joey Valence & Brae / JPEGMAFIA

Aréna Slovenskej sporiteľne – Saturday, 20:15–21:00 / 22:45–23:45

Old-school hip-hop rhyme routines in the tradition of the Beastie Boys, fused with ’90s throwback drum and bass. You’d be forgiven for thinking some of these songs came out in 1995—until the rhymes start referencing later cultural markers like Beyblade and the Star Wars prequels. What’s not to love? Their high-energy tracks first came to my attention thanks to the Spotify algorithm, and their popularity was further boosted by features in Instagram reels and TikToks. Old-school sound, new-school distribution.

Similar to Iggy Pop and QOTSA, they are performing very close to each other on the same stage as a past collaborator—in this case, experimental hip-hop pioneer JPEGMAFIA. “Peggy”, as he is affectionately known, will take to the Aréna Slovenskej sporiteľne stage at 22:45 the same night. Will they share the stage? Time will tell.

Queens of the Stone Age

Zlatý Bažant Stage – Saturday, 21:15 - 22:45

QOTSA were due to headline last year’s festival but had to cancel—not because of the storm, but because frontman Josh Homme experienced a medical emergency just days before and had to return to the USA. Luckily, they are making good on their booking this year, so fate is smiling on us.

Queens of the Stone Age are so much more than No One Knows. In fact, based on setlists, they almost always play it right at the start. With eight albums of material to draw from, their sound careens wildly from desert rock to love ballads.

¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U

Aréna Slovenskej sporiteľne – Saturday, 01:15–03:15

Coming straight off an already legendary Boiler Room set that has racked up 11 million YouTube views in just five months, Yosuke Yukimatsu, from Osaka, Japan, is something of a miracle himself.

In 2016, he was working in construction before being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour. He quit his job and threw himself completely into DJing. In the end, it worked out well for him, and he now enjoys the distinction of being “your favourite DJ’s favourite DJ”. His style blends songs and genres that seem idiosyncratic and shouldn’t go together. As one YouTube comment put it, “He went from mixing concrete to mixing the nastiest beats after getting cancer. He’s a living legend.”

Garáž Stage

Garáž Stage – Friday and Saturday, 01:15–04:45

Pohoda's Garáž stage (source: Pohoda)

Inspired by the Bratislava garages that form the nucleus of Slovakia’s underground music scene, the Garáž stage will showcase up-and-coming local bands on Friday and Saturday nights between 1:15 and 4:45, providing a respite if raving in tents is not your thing.

Other acts I plan to check out over the weekend, though I don’t have much to say about them beforehand, include Morcheeba, Nia Archives, Luude and Marc Rebillet.

Whatever your reason for going—be it the headliners, late-night raves, or discovering something new—Pohoda continues to prove it’s more than just a music festival. It’s a mood, a moment, and for me, a feather in my cap to say I was technically on the same bill as Iggy Pop.