Workshops, voluntary work, events for children and other artistic activities are all just bonuses. Music plays the leading role in this festival. The bands scheduled to play give a good overview of the important changes that have recently occured in worldwide alternative music. Mogwai, Of Montreal, Iron & Wine, British Sea Power and James Chance are just a few examples. “The festival is organised on a small scale but in the coming years it will certainly expand. This festival is for people devoted to music, people like me,” says Rojek from Myslovitz.
Today (Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday) around 50 groups will perform on five stages in Słupna Park, Mysłowice. Sebastian Cichocki’s Something Must Break focuses on intentional listening and unintentional, accidental hearing. The background for this experience are the real sounds of the city. The international exposition scattered throughout the city is supposed to present the manipulative role of sound, subcultures, aesthetics and even the occult functions of sound recording.
Last year, Edward Dwurnik made the prison wall in the city centre look more optimistic with his mural. This year’s mural has been designed by Wilhelm Sasnal. “The composition is based on the first two letters of Mysłowice. The word “My” (English “us”) is formed from tree branches; some of which are broken, some are in bloom. The message is quite clear perhaps even too literary. I just hope that passers-by associate it with Mysłowice. Or with us – the people,” says Sasnal.
A discussion panel is also planned for the Off Festival. Its topic will be the situation on the music market. Leszek Możdżer will take part in the discussion. The International Voluntary Service Fair will be organised during the festival. However, music is the most important element of the whole festival – stylistically varied but at the same, high-quality. Music celebrities will perform next to promising, as yet unknown, artists. The list of concerts can be found at www.off-festival.pl. Tickets cost PLN 75.
Gazeta Wyborcza
August 11, 2008 at 12:50 pm |
We need more of these kind of concerts!