[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOykyikewxE]
“Poland’s Eclectic Superstar” OFF Festival is returning to Katowice for another celebration August 4-6, 2017. This festival’s reputation is getting bigger and better with each year, driven by the festivals forward–thinking, varied music policy and it’s bold and eclectic lineups. From the greatest alternative music stars from around the world to the increasingly strong Polish scene, OFF festival has inspiring music in abundance and the organizers and crowd have one serious finger on the pulse when it comes to music.
Lineup
The artists in this year’s OFF Festival lineup have almost nothing in common besides their courage and tenacity in pursuing their wildest visions. The following artists have been announced for this years lineup:
Anna Von Hausswolff
BEAK>
Carla Bozulich
Daniel Johnston
Circuit des Yeux
Helado Negro
Group A
Jessy Lanza
Kikagaku
Kwadrofonik i Artur Rojek
Moor Mother
PJ Harvey
Silver Apples
SIKSA
Swans
Talib Kweli
The Black Madonna
Wolves in the Throne Room
More to be announced soon!
Get to know some of the artists that are performing this year!
OFF Festival had the following comments to share about PJ Harvey, Kwadrofonik i Artur Rojek, Talib Kweli, Group A, and Helado Negro:
PJ Harvey
She’s an outstanding composer, poet, multi-instrumentalist, and singer with a charismatic stage persona. She’s the one-of-kind Polly Jean, an artist whom we’ve admired for years in all her incarnations, from her early rough post-punk days to the more refined and intimate work on White Chalk and the inspired political folk-rock anthems on Let English Shake and The Hope Six Demolition Project. We’re impressed by PJ Harvey’s ambition to change this world by singing, and we’re sure she’ll convince many of us to join the cause in Katowice. Soundcloud
Kwadrofonik i Artur Rojek
Whatever it was that brought together Kwadrofonik, one of the most original and visionary bands on the Polish music scene, and Artur Rojek, the artistic director of our festival and a singer who draws inspiration from a range of alternative music traditions — it must have been extraordinary. Indeed: Industrial Symphony No. 1, composed by Angelo Badalamenti in cooperation with David Lynch (and featuring references to his films), is truly remarkable. This melancholy story of love, loneliness, and darkness is told through a dark musical transcribed by Kwadrofonik into the sounds of their own trademark instruments (piano, drums, marimba, synths). Artur Rojek lends his voice, replacing the original vocal parts by Julee Cruise. You’ll hear Industrial Symphony No. 1 at the OFF Festival, but be prepared for it to haunt you in your dreams…
Talib Kweli
This Brooklyn-based rapper/activist first appeared on our musical radars as one half of the duo Black Star, which also featured Mos Def. Fifteen years ago Talib Kweli debuted as a solo artist with the album Quality, an apt title considering that the artist’s technical finesse and musical awareness are equalled by his social and political involvement. He has worked alongside the likes of Kanye West, The Roots, and Madlib, and contributed to the success of the young Kendrick Lamar. The ever-exploring Talib Kweli is among the most important and original names on the American hip-hop scene. This approach doesn’t always guarantee you a smooth ride to the top of Billboard charts, but we’re certain he and his band are going to feel right at home at the OFF Festival. Soundcloud
Group A
This Berlin-based Japanese duo combines avant-garde music with poetry, performative art, and painting. Since 2012 the indomitable Tommi Tokyo (synthesizers, voice, percussion) and Sayaka Botanic (violin, tapes) have been exploring the borderlands of industrial, contemporary improvised music, techno, and noise, transforming every show into a musical and visual experiment.
Helado Negro
“Nobody sounds like him, in any genre.“ If sentences like these crop up in reviews of your album, then you know you’re getting somewhere. And true enough, Roberto Carlos Lange, the Florida-born son of Ecuadorian immigrants, proves on his last album Private Energy that he’s much more than a fleeting novelty: he’s one of the most original voices on the music scene in America today. His eclectic blend of the rich musical tradition of Latin America, dreamy electronic pop, and political activism produces captivating results. “It almost feels like he’s casting a spell on you” writes one Pitchfork reviewer. Yes, that’s exactly what it sounds like. Soundcloud
OFF is a festival for the discerning music fan and the place to discover the best alternative acts from around the world. A truly unique boutique music festival, OFF Festival takes place in ‘Three Lake Valley’, Katowice – a beautiful green oasis in the heart of industrial Silesia.
For the most up to date information go to their Website or find them on Facebook!
Rashae- FestPop Staff Writer