This year’s Kraków Live Festival is a perfect opportunity to spend time with top performers from the scenes of alternative rock, electronica, pop and reggae. On 19 and 20 August, many musical dreamliners land at the Polish Aviation Museum airfield.
Rites
Their music is perfect for soundtracks, but it’s much more than that: a survey conducted by a British music magazine found that it has surpassed Joe Cocker and Frank Sinatra as the best music to have sex to. Given that Massive Attack has been together for almost thirty years, there’s a high chance that many of today’s fans were conceived to their sounds. Earlier this year, the pioneers of trip-hop have broken their six-year silence with the acclaimed EP Ritual Spirit. They have been joined by many other musicians, including Roots Manuva, Azekel, Young Fathers and even Tricky who left the group in 1994 due to artistic differences. Massive Attack are a fantastic band to see live, and they are known for their expansive multimedia shows. On 19 August, they will be accompanied by one of the hottest hip-hop projects of recent years: one of their collaborators on the EP, the Scottish Young Fathers.
Chandelier
The song took the world by storm a couple of years ago, and the video has been viewed over a billion times on YouTube. But the author is no debutant: the Australian Sia Furler has been performing for many years and has recorded seven albums. Before she rose to fame in her own right, she was a backing singer with Jamiroquai and the British duo Zero 7, and she wrote lyrics on commission. She penned hits for artists such as Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys and even Céline Dion. Rumour has it that it took her just a quarter of an hour to write one of Rihanna’s greatest hits, Diamonds!
Sia is one of the most complex and surprising pop artists in many years. She has overcome the death of her boyfriend, a suicide attempt, disillusionment with music, and addiction to alcohol, medication and... Nutella. The more successful the songs she wrote for other performers, the more Sia avoided fame; she retreated behind a blonde fringe and didn’t attend any promotional events.
Today she successfully combines a solo career with songwriting, and being a workaholic remains her only addiction. During her first appearance in Poland, Sia promotes her latest album This Is Acting, featuring songs written for and rejected by other musicians – much to their chagrin! On 19 August, the artist shows that she doesn’t just write catchy tunes – she also has a great vocal range.
Trance
They rose to the mainstream two decades ago when the British rave culture emerged from the underground. The Chemical Brothers returned a year ago with their latest album Born in the Echoes. Recorded after a five-year break, the album instantly topped the UK Top 40, introducing the latest generation to their own style of electronica. They’ve gone a long way from their early live performances in damp and dank London clubs to headlining some of the greatest festivals around the world. Their ongoing collaboration with the director and visual artist Adam Smith results in a 90-minute-long transcendental show. They will hypnotise Kraków’s audiences on 20 August.
Rastaman don’t lie
It can’t be easy being a child of the world’s greatest rastaman and Miss World. And yet Damian Marley, the youngest son of reggae legend Bob Marley, doesn’t seem to be overwhelmed by his heritage and he gets on with his own thing. Naturally he moves in reggae and dancehall circles, and his moniker Junior Gong is derived Bob’s nickname Tuff Gong, but it would be hugely unfair to view him entirely through the prism of his father’s work. Damian has worked to carve out his own niche, and he has written four solo albums two of which have received the Grammy Award in the Best Reggae Album category. And Marley Junior’s musical activities go beyond his Jamaican roots. Together with the New York rapper Nas he recorded the highly acclaimed Distant Relatives, and in 2011 he was joined by Mick Jagger and Dave Stewart to form the experimental group SuperHeavy. Have faith? One thing is certain: on 19 August there will be no shortage of positive vibrations.
Sister power
Two years ago during the Open’er in Gdynia, just after the launch of their debut album Days Are Gone, they stole the limelight from several headliners. The trio Haim from the sunny San Fernando valley in California was founded by sisters Este, Danielle and Alana. They have revived the song formula pioneered by Fleetwood Mac and they are as comfortable swapping instruments as they are singing perfect harmonies. The talented girls are currently working on the follow-up to their amazing debut. On 20 August they will be performing brand new material from their second album, which may have even been released by then.
We are sad to inform that HAIM's European tour has been cancelled. We are working on replacements for August 20th.
Lucky beggars
The Shultz brothers from the group Cage The Elephant must have been born with silver spoons in their mouths. During their first tour, they supported Queens of the Stone Age. In 2011, during their joint tour with Foo Fighters, the percussionist sustained an injury, and incredibly, Dave Grohl himself – a great fan of the group – stepped in for several concerts. Their latest album Tell Me I’m Pretty was produced by Dan Auerbach from The Black Keys. With friends like these, their future career is assured. On 20 August, you’ll experience refined American rock with elements of blues, punk rock and grunge.
Neighbourly
It’s no wonder that the second studio album is often described as “difficult”. It can verify the artist’s status, or – quite the opposite – impede a promising career. The Neighbourhood, founded in California in 2011, rose to fame with their hit Sweater Weather, and their debut album I Love You was the 25th most popular record in the US. And, finally, the follow-up is here: Wiped Out! was released late last year. Given that the music was written in Malibu, it’s no surprise that the artists were inspired by the ocean. You’ll sail away on 20 August! (Artur Jackowski, "Karnet" magazine)
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One Extra Day
Muse – special concert in Kraków! The legendary British trio will play on 21 August on the Polish Aviation Museum airfield on the One Extra Day of Kraków Live Festival! The owners of two-day tickets enter without any additional fees.
