Slovakia's Bazant Pohoda festival becomes member of the European Association of Summer Festivals

The Bazant Pohoda festival has been the biggest music festival in Slovakia for several years now. This year, it has become a member of the European association of summer festivals - a matter of prestige for the organisers. Martina Grenova had a chat with Miso Kascak - the founder and director of the festival...

"It's every year a little bit bigger. We have more accompanying activities. But I think that we have the strongest line up in our history. More than 130 bands and DJs from 22 countries of the world."

Who are the headliners?

"The biggest name is MOLOKO. But we have a lot of names in different styles, for example in world music we have Cesaria Evora from the Cape Verde Island. We have the legendary reggae group the Wailers, big names in dance music, also funny band from Finland Leningrad Cowboys and from Great Britain guitar anarchy band Chumbawamba.

What about Slovak groups or Czech ones or Polish and Hungarian?

"From the Czech Republic we have together 19 bands and DJs. For example Prazsky vyber which is big legend in alternative or underground music. From Hungary we have 6 bands like the Cassio samples, DJ Butsitrio, Zsagar, then world music new star coming from Hungary Parnograts and big name in our festival is Masfel. From Poland we have seven artists: world music band Tolhaje, hip-hop band Zipera, Reggae Sound Systems and then for example punk legend Armija. And from Slovakia top of Slovak scene but without mainstream stars."

What has changed this year is the place of the festival because now it'll be held at the military airport close to Trencin. With this military space there will be some military events going on. What can we expect?

"I'm very happy that we go with our festival to the airport of Trencin because it's a great place. There will be some activities of the Army of the Slovak Republic but only some funny things like for example there will be some members of the elite units fighting with the visitors of the festival."

Fighting?

"Yes, in paintball. There will be an exhibition of military planes, legendary MIG 21. We have a band with the same name from the Czech Republic and there will be some celebrations around the plane with the MIG 21 band. There will be no military things, no aggressive things. I think it will be very funny."

And peaceful.

"And peaceful."

No terrorists' attacks.

"We hope so."