Festival Organizer Takes Spotlight

Festival director Michal Kascak took full advantage of his position by booking his own act for a main-stage slot at Pohoda Festival in Slovakia.

Laughing off questions about what sort of fee he guaranteed himself, Kascak explained the Saturday night appearance was the last time his Bez Ladu A Skladu would play together and the band members wanted to say a fond farewell to their Slovak fans.

The act was formed in 1985 and developed a cult following among the youth of Czechoslovakia, and close scrutiny from the Communist authorities, playing what Kascak describes as “politically fired alternate rock.”

Five years after the Iron Curtain fell and the country divided into Czech Republic and Slovakia, the band split and settled for playing the occasional reunion at Pohoda.

“We’ve done it a couple of times before but this was the very last reunion,” Kascak reported, and revealed that the very small fee the band did receive will help pay to press some DVDs of the performance.

The July 14-15 event on the old military airfield at Trencin attracted crowds of around 20,000 per day.

Other artists vying for the spotlight included Pixies, The International Noise Conspiracy, Gentleman, Danko Jones, Stereo MC’s, Skye, 007, The Frames, Chicks On Speed, and Dizzee Rascal.

– John Gammon