The new music energy will start the plants of the renewed Creative District in Liman, which will become the centre of various musical genres in the next three days. Flags of the Future programme of the European Capital of Culture brings us more than 30 young musicians, who will perform on as many as four stages from 28 to 30 April. Here are some of the young musicians coming to Novi Sad, and we warmly recommend that you spend this festive weekend in Novi Sad.
All-day Jazz Marathon
Creative District, 28 April
The sound of jazz music of six young bands from former, present and future European capitals of culture will be heard throughout the Creative District in Novi Sad. During the multi-hour programme on 28 April, the Novi Sad audience will be introduced to bands such as Artur Possing Quartet , the representative of Esh-surAlzette 2022, Any Key Trio as a representative of Tartu 2024, Kijube , as a representative of Veszprém-Balaton 2023, Hauptman , as a representative of Maribor 2012, Purple is the Color , as a representative of Linz 2009, Drumbooty , as a representative of Novi Sad 2022.
‘It is very important that such events take place. I come from Maribor, which was already the European Capital of Culture 10 years ago. I would like something like that to happen again in Maribor. We need change and support for culture,’said Žan Hauptman, who will present his debut album Finished, not perfect in Novi Sad.
Representatives of the Kijube band believe that this is an ideal opportunity for young artists to present their music and talent to different cultures of the world. ‘Such events are very important because many artists, including musicians, can send a message about many important human values and social issues, bringing people together through their art,’ said members of the band, whose music features hybrid sound based on downtempo, trip-hop, nu-jazz and electronics.
As part of the programme that will begin with the aforementioned jazz marathon, the Creative District will ‘musically colour’ the famous Balkan soul musician Marko Louis with his performance.
How Does Nu Jazz Sound?
Creative District, 29 April
The next day, the Novi Sad audience will have a chance to hear bands of an innovative music direction – Nu Jazz – that is characterized by a combination of jazz and electronic music. On this occasion, Novi Sad will be introduced to Hungarian producer and multinstrumentalist Szabolcs Bognar, who is bringing a multicultural band Àbáse to Novi Sad. The band members are from Hungary, Israel, Ghana and Australia living in Berlin and Budapest.
‘We will play compositions in which afrobeat, jazz and electronic music intertwine. The audience can expect a lot of experimentation and improvisation, and even dancing,’ said Bognar. In addition to him, Tomaso Garofalo, known as Turbojazz, a talented musician who grew up in a small village in the north of Italy, will also perform.
‘I am very excited to be a part of an event like this and leave beautiful memories for so many people who celebrate culture,’ Garofalo said. On the same day, we expect to listen to a concert of the Frontline Vibers band, which was founded in 2019 in the Netherlands by Zsolt Argyelán.
A New Wave of Young Musical Talents
Creative District, 30 April
Young performers from the local and regional scene, whose hits are viral on the Youtube and TikTok platforms, will perform for the first time in the European Capital of Culture. Don’t miss to hear the talented performers, who are just breaking through on the music scene. Representatives of the ‘new wave’ in the country and the region will perform on the last day of April, and some of them are: Skier and Yeti, Peki Pele, Fantom, Luka Rajić, KOIKOI, Sitzpinker, Xanadu, Tam, Kene Beri, Nihil, Ba$ha, Spejs Noksi, Bigru i Paja Kratak, Micka Lifa, Zoi, Piqued Jacks, Monohrom, Koala Voice, Nemanja, Porto Morto and Šajzerbiterlemon, as well as YusYus, Sebastian Schund, DJ Bend, Stevie, NO Filter i Rođeni, Whisper and Feloneezy .
Representatives of the Monohrom band point out that it is a great honour for them to play in the Creative District, in whose environment they grew up.
‘We haven’t played for almost two years and we are working to make up for this break. On the other hand, I think that people are eager for content, especially live performances and guitar music, which in my opinion provides the closest contact with other living beings,’ they said.
Since the artistic thinking of children and youth on current social issues in Serbia and Europe, and encouraging their critical expression is the focus of the programme segment ‘Flags of the Future’, the young musician Xanadu said that young people are crucial for developing such thinking.
‘At the national level, we need culture to be more often in our consciousness, in all social strata. Novi Sad, with all its previous merits, and especially this year’s, is a great cultural awareness and I hope that everything achieved this year will be just an introduction to what will become normal in the future,’ said Xanadu.
As part of the Flags of the Future programme, in addition to music, young people will transform the authentic space of Novi Sad’s industrial heritage, the Creative District, through dance, circus, plays, exhibitions, fashion and various activations at almost 70 events. The ‘Flags of the Future’ programme is sponsored by: IDEA, DDOR, A1 Srbija .
