OFF Festival Katowice 2012: Breaking Hearts and Rules
The latest additions to the Radio 3 Stage lineup feature the best acts the Polish scene has to offer: the irreverent Cool Kids of Death, the charming duo Paula i Karol, and a promising group known as Minerals.
Cool Kids of Death
They’re provocative, they break the rules, they force you to think: the Łódź-based Cool Kids of Death are one of those bands that you either love or hate, but you’ll definitely have an opinion about them. They redefined Polish rock music a decade ago with their debut release, sparked a generational debate with an essay by Kuba Wandachowicz in Gazeta Wyborcza (“Generation Nothing”), and returned in 2011 to shock everyone with an excellent and thoroughly unexpected electronic, borderline dance album Plan Ewakuacji (Evacuation Plan). Remember that title, because if you don’t want to miss this unique opportunity to see Cool Kids of Death live, you’d better evacuate the other stages early. No holds barred.
Paula i Karol
Him and her. A Pole from Canada and a sensitive guy from Warsaw. Paula Bialski and Karol Strzemieczny: one of the most interesting debuts in recent years and the driving force behind a great storm on the country’s independent music scene. They’ve just resurfaced with their second release, the excellent and unpretentious Whole Again, featuring guest appearances by Radek Łukasiewicz (Pustki) and Piotr Zabrocki. The band has enjoyed universal acclaim, and not just in Poland. The Guardian placed them on their list of artists to look out for in 2011, describing them as the kind of band that says, “come to our concert – we’ll break your heart, and then we’ll fix it up kind.” Incidentally, English audiences have gotten their own taste of Paula i Karol’s charm: as you read this, the band is wrapping up their British tour with a performance at the Liverpool Sound City festival.
Minerals
Rightfully compared to the likes of Coldplay and Radiohead, Minerals have also borrowed from such classic Polish rock bands as Republika. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a Polish rock debut as mature as Minerals’ White Tones. Their music features sophisticated compositions based on layered guitar riffs and the characteristic voice of Filip Pokłosiewicz.
Tickets and passes are available at the OFF Store on the official OFF Festival website, as well as through Seetickets in the UK.
Now available:
OFF 3-Day Festival Pass with or without Campground Access: 160/200 zł, provides access to all three days of the festival at Dolina Trzech Stawów, August 3 to 5. Listed prices are valid till June 11.
