After many foreign bands with a circus show character, this year the Festival of Street Musicians will host a unique show of such kind from this area. From Novi Sad itself, an art organization “Ludifico” deals with serious research, presentation and popularization of circus skills.
Ludificians present themselves as circus artists who love to perfect their skills and share them with the audience during the performance. Highly organized, with well thought-out activities in every respect, they win over the the audience instantly through their colorful scenery, dynamism, and foremost, through their razor sharp circus skills. Their flawless performances include stilt walking and dancing, dance choreography with or without props, parterre acrobatics, clown animation as well as juggling with balls, skittles, hoops, sticks, hand fans and various fire objects. They improve their skills through creative workshops, one of which is dedicated to dance/juggling prop poi, originating from New Zeland, where men used it for development of coordination and dexterity, and women for grace of movement.
The show which unites all skills of the 10 member group “Ludifico” called “TV subscription” comically criticizes media offerings, consumer society and human fascination with the world we live in. Most of the scenes are performed in the air, with many elements of cabaret, contemporary dance and comedy. After performances at festivals and carnivals in Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro and Hungary, the Ludificians will appear at the Festival of Street Musicians on Friday, the 6th of September at the Catholic Gate.
Mark Rainey (Niš)
A true refreshment on the local indie scene comes from the South, in the form of a young singer-songwriter having an angelic voice – Mark Rainey (Niš). The acoustic guitar and vocals are his strongest features, with which he delivers his wonderful, interesting and engaged poetry. Regardless of it being in English language, it receives understanding and high reception on every step of the way.
Although only in his twenties, Mark has been creating authorial pieces which can be viewed in a large number on Youtube in the form of mini-videos. His songs speak of moral, love and friendship and have been written in the style of the biggest craftsmen of independent pop production, plus – magnificently played. This young musician nourishes a unique style of playing and uses the guitar intended both for the left and right handed equally well. He has been performing alone or with a band on numerous festivals and other rock spectacles across Serbia (Niš-Nisomnia, Zaječar- Gitarijada, Belgrade – as a supporting act for Hladno Pivo). At the moment he is occupied with finishing his first solo album ”Farewell Sweetie” expected to be released until the end of this year.
Furthermore, Mark Rainey will be visiting Novi Sad where he will be displaying his talent and craft for the first time at the Street Artist Festival. His performance is scheduled for Friday, the 6th of September, in the evening at the stage in Zmaj Jovina street.
Verglšpil (Belgrade)
The romance and the beauty of the old times will come to the Street Artist Festival in a magic box of the Belgrade’s band Verglšpil. As the name itself suggests, it is a band which offers its audience music for dancing, but in a completely different dimension from the current offerings found on the scene.
Verglšpil is a vocal-instrumental band which is active for two years now, and is made up of six musicians: 5 women and a single man, all of which sing or play more or less uncommon instruments, such as ukulele, trump, accordion, various percussion instruments, etc. Their encounter and introduction occurred during membership in a choir and the orchestra Horkestar. Since then, inseparable, they chart their own way led by the idea of creating music through learning, experimentation, communication with different people in open and enclosed environments. Their common beginnings were marked by the arrangements of the unpublished songs by the band “Drvo svjetlosti” (The Lightning Tree). Today, the discography of Vergelšpil is enriched by the original songs such as “Magic box”, “Etikete” (Labels) and “Valcer tužnog klovna” (The Walz of The Sad Clown).
Apart from performances in Belgrade, Verglšpil will be part of the pogramme scheme of this year’s Street Artist Festival. Their premiere in front of Novi Sad’s audience is scheduled for Saturday night at Zmaj Jovina street point.
The Cockblockers (Kragujevac)
Blues rock is one of the retro forms of popular music that has a traditionally firm base in these areas. Therefore, the passion towards the raw guitar sound is naturally transmitted onto younger generations. A group called Cockblockers is a trio of talented men from Kragujevac who are its representatives. Their performance at the Street Artist Festival guarantees a piece of the legendary Woodstock atmosphere.
Supported by the rhythm section (Stefan Stojković – bass and Aleksandar Vukajlović – drumms), guitarist and singer Nenad Todorović started the band with the attitude that blues needed to be given more room on the contemporary scene. Thereby, from the very beginning, they laid down a very healthy set of rules. They created their own sound and style through covering genre legends and transfused it into original authorial work. These were the exact beginnings of their idols: Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Stones, ZZ Top and others. Their perseverance and effort was rapidly rewarded with numerous performances and after the premiere in their hometown they played throughout Serbia (following the old recipe of the band Riblja Čorba – playing in every town where there was electricity). Ultimately, the final part of their ambitions unfolded – their authorial work resulted in three brand-new songs which are very likely to become a full debut album.
In the meantime, Cockblockers will be visiting Novi sad – perfoming on the Street Artist Festival on Friday, the 6th of September, at the Catholic Gate spot in prime time (21.30 h).
Magister Ludi Man Band (Croatia)
The entertainment skill joint with musical talent and originality is the essential premise of street art, where one-man bands are an everyday occurrence. Only slightly resembling each other, these great artists take care of their style and individuality which are the notable features of Magister Ludi Man band. He will be arriving to to the Street Artist Festival from the metropolis of neighboring Croatia – Zagreb.
This forty-year-old (his real name being Davor Pešić) has a degree in sociology, while his final thesis was ”Sociological aspects of playing and contributions for its affirmation”. He has found the inspiration for playing as his life motto, as well as his profession, in his childhood. From then on, he has been involved in creative work with sounds, wood and all types of musical instruments. Since 1999, he has been actively performing as a clown, juggler, jester and musician, of course – mostly in the troops Antuntun, Artistika and Drvored. In the meantime, as a crown of all his interests, he has built his own instrument – a modified double bass to which he has been occasionally adding other various sound components. He enjoys this self-motion play of rhythms, bass lines and occasional singing most of all, he says. He has been presenting himself as a solo artist and alter ego Magister Ludi Man band for the last four years, while entertaining visitors (primarily children) at numerous music and street artist festival throughout his country.
This scenic artist and entertainer will be a constant mobile attraction. Novosadians will be able to see him at different spots in the heart of the old city.
Uvertira (Novi Sad)
Like rain in August, Novi Sad has been waiting for the appearance of a new, young force in rock that would follow in the footsteps of Love Hunters, Atheist Rap, Ritam Nereda (“The Rhythm of Disorder”) and other legendary bands. Uvertira is a very young local lineup which possesses enormous potential and promises a lot. Their performance at the Street Artist Festival on Saturday, 7th of September in Zmaj Jovina street will show just how much and whether they are moving in the right direction.
Still being teenagers, Filip, Igor, Petar and Luka play their instruments very well in a classic rock setup with two guitars, rhythm section and polyphonic singing. A rich playing talent, however, would not mean much without the creative talent, and this is where Uvertira puts a lot of energy. An original material consisting of 5 songs named “Od brodova do olupina” (“From Ships to Wrecks”) has been recorded during 2012 in the studio of Radio-Television Vojvodina and is available for listening on the Internet. Still, this band is most attractive in their live performances, and hence they are already written down as an opening band for the legendary Status Quo at the Petrovaradin Castle, as well as for participation in numerous guitar contests and various other competitions of young new talent and future stars. Uvertira cherishes a very modern version of classic rock with a sound similar to the one from the most brightest moments of MTV2 channel production. Proverbially lacking good mainstream, the domestic scene practically begs for these kinds of bands, and thus Uvertira has a really great chance for real success.
Horkestar (Belgrade)
A real institution of the domestic alternative scene comes from Belgrade, and is famous for its picturesque name Horkestar. A two-component multi member band, divided into a vocal section (the choir) and an instrumental one (orchestra) cherishes an engaged approach to life and art, and, apart from having numerous members, it is also recognizable for its performances at strange places, one of which by no doubt will be the point at the Street Artist Festival on the eve of 7th of September.
Horkestar was created in 2006 out of the the band Škart (eng. “Spoilage”), which started alltogether big band Horkeškart back in 2000, whose beaten path of arrangements they follow up to now. Hundreds of creative young people passed through this choir and they all, in some way or another, influenced the repertoire, the means and the intensity of work, as well as the performances themselves. The choir worked with three conductresses, but also without this form of command, with a whole orchestra as well as with a company of a single guitar. The repertoire of Horkestar consists of revolutionary and workers’ songs, compositions for local poets’ lyrics like Vasko Popa, Stanislav Vinarev and Duško Radović, covers of the Yugoslavian new wave bands such as Šarlo Akrobata, Paraf, Dobri Isak and others, along with a growing number of original songs of the choir members themselves. This interesting bunch equally likes performances at conventional concert halls as well as places where such a performance is unexpected, at the public streets, squares, markets, homes for orphans, trolleys and parks. Horkestar often supports humanitarian, ecological and civilian initiatives, and is, among other things, an initiator of the International Festival Self-Organized Choirs called “Svi u glas”. Under this slogan, with an expected support from the auidence, they will perform at this year’s Street Artist Festival.
Jah Balebaroshi (Bosnia and Hercegovina)
The only regional representative from our neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina at this year’s Street Artist Festival will be a young band Jah Balebaroshi. This five member lineup comes from Prijedor and plays alternative reggae with a spiritual message “change the world, find peace, love music”.
A young crew of good musicians came together and started working recently, in August of 2012, moved by Rastafarian ideas and the light rhythms of the Caribbean island known as the home of Bob Marley and the reggae movement. Apart from the usual iconography, outfit, and an unusual name, Jah Balebaroshi immediately started at full speed, creating a repertoire based on covers of the genre’s classics, but with a necessary creative departure, so that they would gain in originality and move onto the creation of their own original sound. Now they are already proud owners of several original compositions, but they are still waiting for the first album. They are, however, not wasting any time when it comes to gigs, and thus they’ve participated in local contests for young bands and several festivals.
Jah Balebaroshi will perform at the Street Artist Festival on Saturday, the 7th of September at the stage on Zmaj Jovina street.
Stereo banana (Niš)
The lately very strong urban scene in Niš is going to have several representatives at this year’s Street Artist Festival. From the temperamental South of Serbia comes the only hip-hop programme – an intriguing duo Stereo Banana, which is going to perform in Novi Sad on Friday, the 6th of September in Zmaj Jovina street.
The two poles of this band are comprised of MC Naopak (the lyrics writer and babbler) and DJ Nemus (arranger and producer). They’ve gone through an arduous journey in their six years of existence, full of ups and downs. Exceptionally creative and hyper-active, they’ve been preparing several years for their debut album, which was, due to unlucky circumstances, completely lost just before it was completed. A new round of recording was, however, successful, and the original material is of an exceptional quality. It is called “Šijemo sambu” (We Are Sewing Samba) and it appeared finally at their website, followed by an adequate number of music videos and gigs in clubs and festivals, from the deep South of the country, all the way up to Vojvodina. Active also as solo performers, Naopak and Nemus are currently working on a second album and choosing new partners and guests while performing in the region at the same time.
The sound of Stereo Banana is based on a very progressive electronic matrix, with a somewhat atypical rhythm in relation to a classic hip-hop approach and with an adequate number of rhymed and rapped stories from Niš’s burning asphalt. Finally, here is what an anonymous writer, who evidently knows them very well, thinks about them: “That word and note play can be done only by them and no one else. They are the worst which is why they are the best. They are failures and fools as much as they are geniuses. They are whores and pimps at the same time. They are faster then a bullet, but slower than a turtle. They see everything, but they don’t use their eyes. They are the eyes. They are Stereo Banana.”
Plavi ptičić (Novi Sad)
Downtown Novi Sad, as well as many clubs in the city, often have the opportunity to enjoy the music of the band Plavi ptičić, or at least only their vocal soloist Curij, also known as the “Bob Dylan of Novi Sad”. No wonder, given that this seasoned team successfully keeps the spirit of the 60’s as the most wonderful era of rock’n’roll and pop culture in general.
The band gathered under this prosaic name at the beginning of the 90’s and they marked their 20th anniversary last season. Still, the story did not have its full continuity, given that it took place in two time frames: up to 1996, and again, in its renewed form over the last few years. Excellent musicians in this band, although mostly active in the club cover scene, are also well known in wider rock’n’roll circles, as former or current members of La Strada, Obojeni Program (“The Colored Programme”), Love Hunters, Atheist Rap, Eva Brown, Veliki Prezir (“The Great Contempt”) and Minstrel. Still, their chief constituent is the love of the 60’s, so their repertoire mostly consists of the greatest hits of The Beatles, Stones, Kinks, Doors, Troggs, and the rest of the classics from the very beginnings of the rock saga. Their everlasting tour, at wherever there is need for good rock’n’roll, after some 50 gigs in this new cycle, will continue at the Street Artist Festival on Friday, 6th of September at the Catholic Gate.
Gravy Tune (Novi Sad)
Serbian mainstream is in a serious need of a new force that would push it forward and take it out of a long lasting lethargy, and Gravy Tune is the band of serious and talented musicians whose original material under development promises such a possibility. This recently formed band will have their very premiere at the Street Artist Festival on Friday, 6th of September, at the stage in Zmaj Jovina street.
The backbone of Gravy Tune consists of an exceptionally strong vocalist Marija Bajić and a versatile multi-instrumentalist and producer Zoltan Lošonc. A series of interesting original compositions based on old school soul, jazz and blues, but also the latest pop productions, are their joint creation, and they are currently only available via the internet. For their live performances, which they put a lot of stakes in, the band gets a reinforcement in form of a rhythm section consisting of carefully picked musicians (Ištvan Kišjuhas on drums, Miroslav Vujić on bass and Tibor Burai on keyboard), whose biographies are filled with arrangements for the best known names of the local pop and jazz scene. Their all night performances are filled with interesting and genre-compatible covers of pop and soul classics. The audience at the Street Artist Festival can certainly expect a lot of beautiful, interesting and entertaining things during the performance of this band.
Hayseed Dixie (USA)
A true musical spectacle will be closing the Street Artist Festival for the year 2013. The night dedicated to traditional American music, Americana Night, at the Catholic Gate on Saturday, 7th of September, will be marked by the leading star of this year’s show, a band Hayseed Dixie from the USA.
Those who haven’t heard these musical masters yet should prepare themselves, because Novi Sad is in for a real bang. We are talking about a group of superb musicians, the inventors of the musical direction “rockgrass”, who, with the help of acoustic instruments, banjo, violin and the guitar, bring to life well known rock’n’roll tunes in bluegrass, hillbilly, and country style music. They are mostly known for the bluegrass covers of the famous Australian band AC/DC, although they now have other classics as well, such as the ones from The Kiss, Black Sabbath, Queen, Led Zeppelin and, of course the original pieces. So far, they’ve released 11 albums of which they’ve sold over half million copies all over the world. Since the year 2000 when they came together in their native Appalachian mountains of the eastern Tennessee, they’ve performed in all 5 continents, including the leading European music festivals, Glastonbury, Rocksilde and Download. Their gigs and shows of great sound and even greater fun are not to be missed out on.
The Mothership Orchestra (Požega)
A domestic indie rock band The Mothership Orchestra will be part of the “Americana Night” at the Street Artist Festival on Saturday, 7th of September at the Catholic Gate. The Festival closing programme will feature this interesting band from western Serbia as a second act, at 9 PM.
The Mothership Orchestra was formed in Požega back in 2005. As members of the Americana genre, they play down-tempo style featuring rich orchestrations under great influence of the British folk, dark cabaret and baroque pop. Apart from the instruments usually found in pop music, they also use some less common ones such as violin, melodica, mandola, accordion, trumpet, flute, harmonica, piano, bassoon, cello, saxophone and upright bass. Their music is often compared with cult bands Tindersticks, Lambchop, Waterboys as well as the influential performers of the old British folk scene, Nick Drake, Fairport Convention and Pentangle. So far they released two EPs, and in 2010 their debut album “Song for You” under “Silos” label. Still, the biggest impact had their appearance on an important domestic compilation: “The New Serbian Scene: The Morning is Going to Change Everything” (PGP RTS, 2007). The number “Then She Kissed Him” was almost unanimously declared as one of the brightest moments of this release by the rock critics. From the status of the discovery of the year, which they received by the music television “Metropolos” until today, The Mothership Orchestra had many performances. How much they have evolved through this time, we’ll find out at their Street Artist Festival concert.
Picksiebner (Croatia)
Veoma neobična bradata družina u trapericama na tregere, Picksiebner (Pikzibner) iz Zagreba, uveličaće svojim nastupom “Americana Night” Festivala uličnih svirača, u subotu, 7. septembra uveče, u Katoličkoj porti. Osim specifičnog izgleda, ova vesela družina neguje i za ove prostore vrlo originalnu zvučnu mešavinu kantrija, roka i bluza, jednom rečju – amerikanu, u jednom od njenih brojnih pojavnih oblika.
Od silaska legendarne Plave trave zaborava sa scene, davnih dana, Hrvatska i kompletan ex SFRJ prostor nisu imali bend pod toliko jakim uticajem tradicionalne američke muzike i kulture. Pikzibneri su, međutim, toliko popularni da su za samo sedam godina postojanja obišli bezmalo sve značajnije lokalne festivale muzike, piva i srodnog im moto-sporta, a upravo među bajkerima imaju i svoje najjače fanovsko uporište. Ipak, dosta pažnje polažu i na studijski rad, gde im je, nikako slučajno, najbitniji saradnik bio ex-Plava trava basista i vokal, producent Dragutin Smokrović. Nakon prvog albuma, sa žanrovskim klasicima, Pikzibner su objavili još dva, potpuno autorska, kojima su se vrlo aktivno priključili velikoj hrvatskoj zabavnoj sceni. Uz dosta saradnji na svim poljima, najzvučnije su im one sa Hladnim pivom i Majkama, a tu je i prava poslastica – navijačka himna Hokejaškog kluba “Medvešćak” iz Zagreba. Nema šta, biografija “da se smrzneš”, a takva će, kako obećavaju ovi majstori sa zapada, biti i njihova pojava na ovogodišnjem Festivalu uličnih svirača.
Rain Dogs (Belgrade)
A unique charisma and incredible original works of the legendary Tom Waits, the king of smoky pubs and an intellectual cabaret atmosphere, have a loyal following in these areas in a group of Belgrade’s enthusiasts Rain Dogs. A big club attraction from Serbia’s capital celebrates 10 years of following this cult artist and they are coming out to the streets of Novi Sad in honor of that anniversary. They’ll be performing at the Catholic Gate on Saturday, 7th of September as a part of the special programme “Americana Night”.
Named after one of the most famous Waits’s albums, which cemented his position of a living legend, Rain Dogs skillfully recall the ghosts of California nights and vagabonds which roam around following the imagined or experienced scenario of this great poet. Exotic cabaret travels into the unknown regularly await spectators of their concerts, at the forefront of which is the voice and the appearance of Nenad Vasić – a true copy and a complete original in relation to the famous role model. A colorful accompanying lineup, with an unavoidable romantic accordion followed by subtle horns adds to the irresistibility of the experience. Everything that a fan of Tom Waits ever wanted to hear live will be given as a gift by Rain Dogs, and others won’t be able to resist them either.
Leo Bassi (Spain)
What is the role of an inflatable duck in the global economic crisis? This will be explained in a comic manner and with a lot of true scenic skill by the world renowned circus street artist – Leo Bassi. This artist of international prominence, will be leading the big street parade which will mark the start of the Festival, on Thursday, 5th of September, at 20h. After the opening, he will be performing a few of his typical scenic acts on the Freedom Square. A day later, he will stage a world famous show ”Utopia”.
The multilayered personality of this versatile artist can already be seen in his citizenship status: born in the U.S. , of Italian and British origin, he also owns a French passport. He is currently a citizen of Spain, the country he ”shakes” the most with his brusque scenic satire. The Bassi family has been keeping alive the circus traditon since 1840. It began with a distant ancestor, who fought shoulder to shoulder with Garibaldi, and later on founded one of the first modern circuses in Tuscany. His mother’s grandfather, an Englishman Jimmy Wheeler, was a star of the London Palladium and the pioneer of British TV comedy. His father, Leo Bassi Senior, shared the scene with the most famous American artists – Groucho Marx, Louis Armstrong and Ed Sullivan.
Leo Bassi’s first performance in the circus was when he was seven years old, during an Australian tour of his parents – in the circus version of the show Aladdin and the Magic Lamp. The following 10 years, he traveled the world, perfecting his juggler skills and performing as a part of a family trio, alongside his father and aunt. Subsequently, he launched a soloist career, performing alone in the ”smallest circus in the world” and developing as an actor, clown and cultural animator, performing on Off Broadway and beyond. Among his numerous theatre shows, ”Revelation” had the biggest impact, which stirred up the ultra-religious circles in his new fatherland – Spain.
His most ambitious show ”Utopia” was created in 2009; directly influenced by the collapse of the New York stock market and the announcement of the destruction of various Utopian regimes. He was himself a witness of many that perished: the ones inspired by the Enlightenment, national communism and socialist revolutions, to the experiments in post-hippie and other alternative communes. After a long life philosophical journey he concluded that life without a utopia is impossible, although the conservative anti-Utopian forces are always in power. With his show ”Utopia” he provokes the moderate left, lacking enthusiasm and a true direction, the so-called bureaucrats of revolution and conformists of alternative culture, who don’t suggest anything besides the maintenance of their own authority. ”Utopia” boldly builds a bridge between the circus and contemporary political reality, with humour as a powerful weapon – often making the audience laugh to tears.
Bassi’s shows combine various modes of scenic art: traditional circus skills, comic theatre and engaged performance. With the role of an all-knowing ”court jester”, he conveys a powerful message filled with the truth of social reality. This is his way of entertaining and warning, sometimes even shocking the audience.
These are some of the foreign media clips after his numerous performances throughout Europe:
”The grandson of the famous comedian and anchorman of BBC has pulled the theatre curtain of controversy and sparked off the debate on artistic freedom.” (The Guardian, Great Britain)
”Modern, provocative and irresistible. He has broken the routine, delivered some hard slaps to obscure esoterics and earned wide recognition from hundreds of spectators.” (Journal de Noticias, Portugal)
Provocative, confusing, uncomfortable, genius: nobody will remain indifferent.” (La Rebubblica, Italia)
”Don Quixote of the 21st century, a lion who makes the Spain worried about its future roar with laughter, while the other Spain, still having a nightmarish nostalgia for Frank’s authoritarianism – gnash their teeth. He chooses the challenging path, like Michael Moore, he can’t stand the neoconservatives which Spain brims with.” (Marianne, France)
Daniele Villa (Italy)
An old friend of the Street Artist Festival, Italian artist Daniele Villa comes to Novi Sad this year as well, on his own initiative, impressed with last year’s performance, atmosphere and visitors. After the unforgettable video-collage “Synchronotopy”, he is going to give us another special experience – a performance “Souvenirs”, which is going to be preceded by a three day workshop with 20 selected residents of Novi Sad.
This all-around Appeninian artist is one of the creators of the independent film production company and studio “Citrullo International”, based in Rome, which has been making art films and animations for years, with the special segment of book and other forms of publishing on the subject of film art and the cinema. Villa later affirmed himself as a street art performer as well, although the programmes he performs largely differ from the usual energy of these kinds of shows.
He takes the silence and the creative fervor of the art atelier out on the streets and squares, where, in front of the live audience, he performs visual shows whose flow is affected by the audience itself. That way, in previously seen “Syncronotopy”, from the fragment of the personal material archive, enriched by local colours, he makes and projects surprising compositions, archaically tuned to some more beautiful, peaceful and slower times, far from the current city rush and the incredible speed of the information era. This time, in the project “Souvenirs”, he will deal with emotions and memories which various significant objects bring from our past. The installation and the performance, as a finale of Villa’s workshop, are scheduled for Thursday, 5th of September, starting at 6 PM at the Catholic Gate.
Cyrk Dosole (Germany)
A typical modern European story, in which one element comes from Poland, another from France, and they meet in Germany, where, in 2007, on the streets of Berlin, a street spectacle troop was created, in the true sense of the word – Cyrk Dosole. A two member lineup of this modern urban circus will perform a play “Perestroika” during all three days, at the Freedom Square and the Theatre Square.
Street circus theatre is a true definition of a troop which deals simultaneously with air acrobatics, music and clowning skills, and draws inspiration from various circus traditions throughout the world. Agnjeshka Kviatskovska started as a fire juggler, while Nikolas Taro as an acrobat since the age of five. An artistic lifestyle and tours led them to Germany’s capital, where they met, started their troop and continued with the exploration of ground floor and space acrobatics as well as all other skills of a modern circus.
A play “Perestroika” is inspired by their persona as a meeting point of two different systems, given that Poland was once a socialist country, and France is still capitalist. In the meantime, the world has changed drastically, and actors of this play, a pair of “Eastern European heroes”, Nicolai and Petrushka, with their humorous expression and incredible acrobatics point out that it is laughter that is most important and beyond any system. The visitors of the Street Artist Festival are in for 50 minutes of truly great entertainment which has a tendency to lift us above our everyday routine.
Leopardman (Australia)
An Australian juggler Leopardman is an old acquaintance of the Street Artist Festival’s audience, as he will be performing for the third time; this year on his own initiative. Apart from controlling numerous flaming cones incredibly well, in different (im)possible situations and positions, this incredible lad speaks our language, which in itself guarantees another great party in the city centre. He will be performing on the first two days of the Festival, on Thursday and Friday, 5th and 6th of September, at various spots.
Gavin Hay is a true example of a street artist of high rating, as he has been in the business from his early childhood. At the age of 15, he taught himself to juggle ping pong balls and roll-on deodorants purely because he was bored. After a couple of years, inspired by other street performers, he became a part of the action himself – as one half of the comedy juggling duo ”Perpetual Motion”. They toured Australia for five years and another two passed by in his soloist acts. Somewhere deep inside the jungles of Far Northern Queensland everything changed – Gavin is not exactly certain what happened but he transformed himself into the ”Leopardman”. Since then, this catlike juggler with black spots, has been performing incredible flaming performances all over the world, as well as at the best European street art festivals – including the Street Artist Festival.
Swingdigentes (Spain)
An inspired music-dance band Swingdigentes comes to the Street Artist Festival from Madrid. They unite modern street dances, break-dance, locking and popping with classic swing and jazz music from the thirties. They perform everything live, with a dose of gestural humor, which they use to animate the audience into a large collective street party. It will take place on Thursday and Friday, at the stage on Zmaj Jovina street and the Theatre Square.
Swingdigentes are a company of street art, formed in 2011, in the capital of Spain from whose sidewalks they draw inspiration for their interesting stylistic combinations. Aware of the universality of their language, and that in music, there are practically no boundaries. They use art as a way of life, and they easily transform the street into a large stage, although they perform at real stages, theaters and halls from time to time. This band uses two guitars, horns and percussion, for their exceptionally modern artistic expression, which keeps their sound within the boundaries of Spanish musical tradition. At the street, however, they are the strongest in communication with the audience, which, along with them, becomes a part of a large dance-musical happening.
Laloši (Novi Sad)
An older generation of Novi Sad’s musicians, with roots that go back to the eighties, will have its representatives at the Street Artist Festival as well. A rock band “Laloši” will perform on the stage at Zmaj Jovina street on Saturday, 7th of September at 18:00.
A mythological first meeting of this band took place at the local Home of Scouts “Ivo Lola Ribar”, where a band “Klakersi” was formed. They performed under this name until the breakup at the onset of the war on the Balkans. They left only one demo recording behind them, but also a desire to continue at some point, a better moment. They met again in 2011, the year of the new beginning, under a new name – Laloši. They’ve been continuously active since then. They play – in their own words – pure rock’n’roll with a focus on their original works. Established as notable participants of the city club scene, these experienced guys like to take every chance they can get to play. Their positive energy, with an original expression is what every visitor of the Street Artist Festival will have a chance to experience.
Igor the Magician (Belgrade)
The usual stereotype about a magic show where a magician is a folk entertainer who pulls a rabbit out of a hat and eats ping pong balls, falls through completely when our most successful illusionist – Igor the Magician gets on stage. This Belgradian will share a part of his vast skill set with the visitors of the Street Artist Festival, at the stage in front of the Serbian National Theater on Saturday, 7th of September at 8 PM.
Igor Trifunov is the most appreciated among all Serbian magicians of the new generation. This 40 year old has been practicing illusionist skills since high school, and he had his first performance when he was 17 on TV Belgrade. He enhanced his rapid development, apart from constant practice of his tricks, with an extensive literature from this field. Work and reading bore fruit – he won the Grand Prix at the Magicians’ Congress in 2002, along with wider popularity achieved via his new TV engagement – a series “Street Magic”. He achieved similar success at almost every gathering of such kind, from regional to European and World wide ones, and this at the most difficult of all magicians’ disciplines – manipulations.
The show which he successfully performs for several years now is called “Igor’s Magic Show”. This is a theater spectacle for children and youth of various generations, which is, as he says, equally enjoyed by parents as well. There will be a great opportunity to test this claim – at this year’s Street Artist Festival.
The Magic Bean (Belgrade)
Children’s play “The Magic Bean” is part of the Festival’s intent to remain attractive to all generations of visitors, including the youngest ones. This way, a multi-year tradition of theater plays for children on the Festival is continued. The play will take place at the very beginning of the programme on the last day, Saturday, 7th of September, at 5 PMat the stage on Zmaj Jovina street.
Children’s play “The Magic Bean” was created on the basis of a famous English folk fairy-tale, and is a result of cooperation between the theater and radio director Marija Krstić and the acrobatic duo Muka and Bruka – made up of Tanja Milovanović and Đorđe Ivanović. Their scenic expression motivated the adaptation of this classic piece into a new and original form, combining circus and puppet theater techniques in a chamber form, with possible interaction with the youngest of the audience. The director Marija Krstić graduated master studies in the alternative and puppet theater in Prague, after which she began the cooperation with performers of the new, contemporary circus, with an intent of presenting this alternative form of theater in a proper form, through fun and excitement for all generations. The play “Magic Bean” is produced by the “Treehouse Storytelling” center from Belgrade.
The DjerdaNS (Novi Sad)
The night of American music at the Street Artist Festival – ”Americana Night” – will be completed by a local group The DjerdaNS, which will be performing as a warm-up act, immediately before the main concert attraction of the programme – Hayseed Dixie. They received a special invitation from the Festival to support the DjerdaNs, who largely owe their artistic and scenic expression to the more popular group from Tennessee.
The DjerdaNS formed in Novi Sad in 2011, as an idea of the controversial musician Lee Man to round off his artistic work by recording the sixth album with a backing band of tambura players – in the spirit of the local tradition of Vojvodina. In this way, instruments such as the kontra, bas-prim, violin and doublebass found themselves alongside the vocals. They started performing very quickly, and Lee Man came up with the idea that The Djerdans should turn to covering foreign and national rock and pop classics and current hits – in the same way Hayseed Dixie did and for whom he felt utmost respect. They covered AC/DC, The Ramones, Guns’n’Roses, Partibrejkers, Yu grupa, Azra and others. The covers that this band plays are arranged in the spirit of national tambura music. At numerous concerts in Serbia and abroad, they produce positive vibrations and the audience finds them extremely entertaining.
City Brass Orchestra (Zrenjanin)
The festive opening of the Street Artist Festival, on Thursday, 5th of Semptember at 8PM, will be completed by the City Brass Orchestra from Zrenjanin. The attractive ensamble of wind instrument players will colour the street parade with sound. It will be led by Leo Bassi with his enormous inflatable ducks through Danube park, The Bulevard of Mihajlo Pupin and Modena street, to the Freedom Square.
The City Brass Orchestra from Zrenjanin was founded in 1973, and has had over 700 concerts in the country and abroad since. Winning at festivals for similar ensambles has made them one of the most respected on these areas. Since 2006, it has become the holder of the Golden Plaquette and the only one from Serbia which is a member of the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE).
The social activism of this ensamble is seen through the foundation and organization of the International Festival of Music and Dance and other numerous culture manifestations in Zrenjanin. Their repertoare consists of pieces of classical music, as well as jazz compositions that are contemporary in character. Apart from the usual performances at concert venues, the orchestra cherishes chamber music via various chamber ensambles which are active within the wind orchestra – and also the most attractive of all – open air and walking performances. The current coductors of the ensamble are Branislav Gagić and Slobodan Ćirić. The City Brass Orchestra from Zrenjanin has already performed on the Street Artist Festival, at its first edition in 2001, as well as in 2009.
