V sobotu 28. augusta sa v kultúrnom centre Stanica Žilina-Záriečie uskutočnila oslava 6. výročia webmagazínu Swine Daily. Pôvodne bol event plánovaný v Novej synagóge už v roku 2020, no jeho realizáciu prekazila celosvetová pandémia COVID-19. Organizátori s radosťou konštatovali, že festival nakoniec úspešne vyšiel, a to aj vďaka peknému počasiu, ktoré umožnilo stretnutie všetkých návštevníkov vonku pod Rondlom v Žiline. Práve v tomto meste vznikol webmagazín Swine Daily v roku 2015. Z podujatia Swine Day vznikli tri skvelé fotoreporty, ktoré zachytili príjemnú atmosféru outdoorového multižánrového eventu.
Globálny kontext a návrat k živým podujatiam
As my train winded its way through the countryside, I pondered on the circumstances of this late 2021 summer. This would not only be my first time large-scale live music event in more than a year, it would also be the first time crossing an international border in the same timespan. Swine Day 2021 represented much more than a humble music festival.
Held in the community cultural center of Stanica Žilina-Záriečie, Swine Day promised a pan-European roster of rap, electronica, and DJ sets ushering in a new era of post-pandemic events. This global sense of community is sorely missing these days, and events like Swine Day remind us of the ways in which music brings us together.
Hudobný program a rozmanitosť žánrov
Počiatočné vystúpenia a lokálna scéna
Žiaľ, otvárací umelec Najxlis sa pre problémy s dopravou nemohol zúčastniť a určiť tón dňa. Túto zodpovednosť tak prebrali lokálni žilinskí rapperi Taky Akoty a Sen. Títo dvaja MC’s s odlišnými štýlmi dodali známe rapové tropy lokálnou žilinskou príchuťou. Hearing rap in Slovak is surprisingly pleasant to my ears. Having been immersed in Czech culture for the better part of the last decade, Slovak, to me, hits softer and smoother than their further-West counterparts. Speaking with Taky Akoty later, we also connected on a mutual love of underground Aussie hip-hop. V týchto skorých hodinách bolo publikum priznane riedke a pokojné, čo bolo spôsobené nepredvídateľným počasím a pridanými psychologickými a doslovnými bariérami, ktoré priniesli obmedzenia COVID-19.
Ženská sila a experimentálna elektronika
One thing I immediately noticed was the strong showing of female artists. Hailing from Prague, Vutru and Never Sol commanded the stage with austerity. The former guiding us through a journey just at home under this concrete ceiling as it would be in any techno bunker boiler room set. As one audience member commented to me, “This is some Blade Runner shit!” Medzi účinkujúcimi bola aj MALVINA/MAGICK, speváčka a songwriterka, ktorá len v auguste vydala svoj debutový album CandyCrush.
Prekvapenia a nové objavy
The two local Slovak artists ushered in a sense of calm as the day transitioned into night. Naikavols stunned us with his impeccable falsetto and confident stage presence. I was shocked to learn from him later that this was only his recent summer project. From an even smaller village in Slovakia, he was ecstatic to be able to participate in an event such as Swine Day, a platform for artists from all kinds of humble beginnings.
Audiovizuálne zážitky
As Evangelyan took to the stage, their experimental blend of the live video art projection and techno/glitch-hop energy was a fitting penultimate act. “I wasn’t quite happy with how it all was prepared, we had some software issues all day.
Vyvrcholenie a medzinárodné rytmy
By this time, the audience had grown to a sizable crowd - bringing together the local art kids, club and techno junkies. It was down to Portuguese/Brazilian DJ Saint Caboclo to finish the day and he did it with signature style. Swine Day had flown by with an edgy, dreamy quality. It was hard to believe that I was attending an actual festival after so long in lockdown. Yet, trepidation and uncertainty hung in the air as warnings of social distancing and infection rates loomed large in our minds. Saint’s set, however, brought the party energy back. The solution over there? Host club and DJ events with vaccinations onsite! Saint played a mix of Latin-infused jungle, trap and high energy techno. The experimental and atmospheric vibe of earlier acts was done away with as he even dropped the instrumental hook of “Tokyo Drift” by Terikyaki Boiz into the mix. It was time to party. Throughout the day, Saint also commented on how excited he was to be playing in Eastern Europe. “My friends in Portugal keep asking when I’m coming home. I keep telling them…maybe never?
Atmosféra a spoločenstvo
The afterparty hosted by Odyssea events carried that energy well into the night. For the next few hours until dawn, a tiny little garage hidden between a factory and some non-descript train tracks became a hub of European culture and activity. Illuminated by a single street lamp and the makeshift house lights coming from the garage, I surveyed the scene I had traveled from Prague to partake in.
Odraz pandémie a budúcnosť
This past year or so has been a blur of anxiety, isolation, and uncertainty. For these brief moments, the weight of the world was lifted.
