07/27/20

30 Bands Confirmed for Pol'and'Rock Festival Online 


The festival, which has been moved to the realm of the Internet, will feature live performances from 30 top Polish acts. The artists will perform at the studio in Warsaw, and their shows will be streamed live on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch. 

Majka Jeżowska 

Majka Jeżowska is a singer, songwriter, composer, and UNICEF goodwill ambassador. After her phenomenal concert at the Second Stage at Pol'and'Rock Festival 2019, the beloved singer will perform at the online edition of the festival and will appear as a speaker at the Academy of the Finest of Arts.

Majka Jeżowska is responsible for the musical education of generations of Polish children. She introduced children to different sounds, encouraging them to explore the variety of music genres and helped to shape their music taste. Her music goes beyond popular music, incorporating elements of swing, jazz, rock, and reggae into the highly popular songs for children.

Kwiat Jabłoni

The brother-sister duo officially established the band called Kwiat Jabłoni (Apple Blossom) in 2018. They are hailed as a new, exciting and charismatic face of the Polish pop-folk music. Their music combines lively, rhythmic elements of folk with electro music and even harder, rock-inspired sounds. Intriguing lyrics are paired with a fresh take on indie-pop to ensure that you want to listen to their music on the loop. It comes as no surprise, that the video for one of their best-loved singles, "Dziś późno pójdę spać", has reached 18 million views on YouTube.

Band's breakthrough came in 2019 when the artists applied to take part in Emerging Bands completion. Their lyrical record drew the attention of jurors, and the band's performance at the live stage of the competition ensured that the band performed at a night-time slot at the Second Stage of Pol'and'Rock Festival. Couple of thousand people gathered to see their show that night. The fans love their performance so much; they could not wait to see them play at the festival again and cast over 10 thousand votes to support the band in the Golden Spinning Top competition this year. Traditionally, the winners of the award receive a standing invitation to play the headliner slot at the Main Stage of the Festival. Because this year's festival has been moved to the internet, Kwiat Jabłoni will take their slot at the Main Stage in 2021.

happysad

The band was established in Skarżysko-Kamienna in Poland. happysad is best known for its trademark sound, combining lively and sharp rock music riffs with the indie-inspired melodic beat. The band, which has played well over 1200 gigs across the country is a perfect fit for intimate club concerts and at home at stages of massive outdoor festivals, where hundreds of thousands of people know and belt out their lyrics together with the band. Their shows are an opportunity to experience a community of music.

Band's lyrics refer to experiences and emotions everyone can recognise. The music played by happysad can be described best as their own take on shoegaze - they combine a stunning wall of guitar music with rhythmic beats and interesting guitar effects. Their music is memorable, relatable, and relevant. 

Raz Dwa Trzy 

Raz Dwa Trzy was established by a group of university friends in 1990. The band quickly rose to prominence thanks to their ingenious style of combining jazz, rock, and folk with contemporary poetry lyrics. Raz Dwa Trzy went on to release seven studio albums, each of them garnering a lot of attention from fans and getting praise from music critics. Raz Dwa Trzy released three live albums, one compilation album, and two video albums, the first of those chronicling their spell-binding show at Woodstock Festival Poland in 2005.

The band is notable for their use of sung poetry, which elevates their performances to a rank of sophisticated show. At the same time, the musicians forming Raz Dwa Trzy are able to maintain their rock and roll character and remain authentic.

Piotr Bukartyk

Piotr Bukartyk is a singer, guitarist, songwriter and teacher. He has been running music workshops at the festival since 2020. Festival-goers can take part in the three-day workshops and learn how to sing and play "Z tylu chmur" which traditionally closes the entire festival. A song, which showcases a message of tolerance and acceptance of difference between people and respect for the choices other people make in their lives, is performed at the end of each festival. The moment is a touching display of unity, solidarity, and friendship. An internet edition of the festival would not have been complete without that closing song.

Łydka Grubasa 

The band from Olsztyn performed at the Most Beautiful Festival in the World three times, earning the coveted Golden Spinning Top Award for their concert in 2018.

Łydka Grubasa describes their sound as "culinary-factual rock". What it means, is that in its essence their music is pure creative fun, which blends alternative rock with soft sway of reggae and with harder elements of groove metal and metal. The band, which was established as being an inside joke between the musicians, but the instant success of the group took the audience by storm. Łydka Grubasa released their first album in 2010 and went on to record four studio albums and one live recording of their gig at Pol'and'Rock 2019.

Pull The Wire

Pull The Wire was established by a group of friends in 2006. They are inspired by classic British punk, the new wave of Californian punk rock and look towards the rich history of Polish punk rock music. Four musicians from Żyrardów are known for their loud, no-holds-barred lyrics and powerful tunes. Their fans often mention that taking part in their concerts in more like going out for a few beers with a group of good mates.

Pull The Wire have played at the festival before, but this time they have secured their slot in the line-up of the online festival, which we call the Most Beautiful House Party in the world thanks to the overwhelming support from their fans.

Renata Przemyk 

The artist released 10 studio albums and three compilation albums. On July 17th, she will add one more, very special live album to her discography - a recording of her performance at the intimate Night AFA Stage from Pol'and'Rock Festival 2019. Her show was an invitation for the audience, which flocked to the Big AFA Tent Stage, to experience her unique art. Renata Przemyk combines piercing stage expression, emotive contact with the audience and an extremely creative approach to making music.

The singer is a creative force and a unique artistic personality. She describes her own creative process as a constant search for sounds, emotions, and atmosphere that no-one has ever experienced. She combines rough punk guitars reminiscent of cold wave music with elements of soulful folk music, harder and more energetic rock music and touching very intimate lyrics. Her voice, with interesting, warm tones perfectly suits songs, which are often compared to spells and intimate musings describing the artist's personal thoughts and feelings.

Jelonek 

Jelonek is the pseudonym of musician, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Michał Jelonek. Jelonek is often referred to as the first violinist (metaphorically and literally) of Polish art-rock scene. Jelonek is known for his experimental and innovative approach to music. He combines classical music with metal and heavy rock and progressive rock music. Jelonek enjoys combining different genres and approaches music with a sense of fun and excitement.  

Jelonek takes on work of giants of classical music such as Bach, Beethoven, Vivaldi, Tschaikovsky with zest and energy of a heavy metal band. Still, the artists remain respectful to the work of the old masters.

Nocny Kochanek 

The band plays classic heavy metal reminiscent of the music created by the greats of the genre such as Judas Priest (Nocny Kochanek played a slot ahead of the legendary British band at Pol'and'Rock 2018) AC/DC, or Iron Maiden. Lightning-fast guitar riffs, throbbing beat of drumlines and impressive heavy metal soprano of the band's vocalist come together in a first-class definition of heavy metal. Paired with light-hearted, humorous lyrics which seem to be both poking fun at the metalhead community and paying tribute to the long-running tradition of heavy metal in Poland ensure that the band has a loyal following as well as had to face a fair share of criticism.

Nocny Kochanek received a number of accolades - as the rock band of the year for at least two consecutive years. The musicians are also the winners of the Golden Spinning Top award - the prize voted for by the audience for the best show at Pol'and'Rock Festival. 

Enej 

The band is named after the main protagonist of the first text written in the Ukrainian language, an adventurous Cossack traveller, whose adventures mimic the adventures of the Iliad. Even though the band was established in the Polish city of Olsztyn, the musicians share a fascination with their Ukrainian roots, and they look to their folklore for inspiration. The music they create is a blend of rhythmic pop, with some rock influences with a strong influence of Ukrainian folk. Eney's songs feature energetic brass section and groovy accordion. 

Their records have gone gold, and Eney's songs were featured in both Polish and Ukrainian charts. Eney proves that good, positive tunes know no borders or language barriers.

TABU

TABU was established in 2003. The band is known for their reggae-inspired music, which features a large brass section. Even though the musicians sing in Polish, their music remains faithful to Rastafarian roots - swaying, smooth rhythms and energetic and upbeat message behind their songs are prevalent among music lovers in Poland.

The musicians have always been great friends of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity Foundation. They are prominently featured at both the charitable events and concerts during the winter fundraiser concerts and the Most Beautiful Festival in the World. The band played both Second and Main Stage of the festival, winning one of the most coveted prizes in the Polish music business - the Golden Spinning Top Award.

Acid Drinkers

Shaping the heavy metal scene since 1986, the band was established in Poznań by charismatic frontman Tomasz “Titus” Pukacki and guitarist Robert “Litza” Friendrich. The band’s line-up underwent many changes and they are currently performing as a quartet – Pukacki still leading the band consisting of Darek "Popcorn" Popowicz , Maciek "Ślimak" Starosta, and Łukasz "Dzwon" Cyndzer.

Acid Drinkers play powerful thrash metal influenced by heavy metal and hardcore punk. Their lyrics and their rebellious attitudes remaining unchanged since the very start of their career. The band has released 14 studio albums and played hundreds of shows in the country. It might come as no surprise that these legendary musicians are long-time supporters of the charity behind Pol’and’Rock Festival having played both at Grand Finale charitable events and performed at nine editions of the festival.

Urszula

Urszula is a singer-songwriter and an actress. She can be credited with playing an essential part in inspiring the creation of the Most Beautiful Festival in the World. Urszula took part in the trip to upstate New York, where Woodstock'94 took place. This American festival inspired Jurek Owsiak to hold a similar event in Poland. Urszula who was present at the nascent time of the festival, performed at the first four editions of Woodstock Festival Poland.

Her music explorations brought her to the United States, where she discovered a more energetic, bolder hard rock sound. She returned to Poland with an idea for an album in mind. Released in 1996, "Biała Droga" contains bold rock anthems such as "Na sen" and "Konik na biegunach". Urszula seamlessly blends powerful rock sound with her trademark poetic sensibility and charm. 

Farben Lehre 

The precursors of Polish punk music, Farben Lehre have been active since 1986. Established at the initiative of Wojciech Wojda and Marek Knap in Płock the band went on to record their debut album on 1991, after years of playing gigs everywhere, from small venues to the budding festivals in Poland. The band is best known for their energetic brand of punk music, which seamlessly blends the rebellious and brutal onslaught of punk music with more vibrant and light rhythms of ska and alternative rock. Farben Lehre released thirteen studio albums and toured alongside bands like GHB, Die Toten Hosen, or The Exploited.

Farben Lehre is one of the staples on the line-up of the Most Beautiful Festival in the World, with one of their most notable concert being an extensive retrospective of the history of punk rock music. During their 2013 gig, the band tackled some of the biggest punk rock anthems, music which has shaped the genre in Poland, putting their unique spin on the songs. The group has also played a tremendous double set in 2018, challenging themselves with both - acoustic and traditional concerts.

BOKKA

BOKKA was established in 2013, and since then the identity of band members is shrouded in mystery. The musicians guard their anonymity ferociously, opting to focus on music and sound experience—the unique collective of five masked musicians released three studio albums. After the countless club and festival stages in Poland and abroad, BOKKA has confirmed its status as one of the most exciting and exciting Polish music offerings.

The band's music style is as elusive as it is hypnotizing. A careful music fan can trace its inspirations to the mysterious Scandinavian tunes ranging from Sigur Ros to Lykke Li and Bjork. The band experiments with synth-pop and darker, deeper sound electronica and alternative rock. BOKKA's music is for-ever exciting, drawing the attention of the listener - a real intellectual exercise for music connaisseur. BOKKA sounds spacious, hypnotizing and leaves the listeners craving for more of their unique sound.  

Przybył

Przybył is the brainchild of Sławomir Bartłomiej Przybył. Guitarist and singer-songwriter was a prominent figure on the underground alternative scene in Poznań, working with niche-hop artists predominantly. Przybył explored jazz, blues, rock and stage song - genre combining poetry, lyricism with artistic expression and elements of improvisation and audience participation. Eventually, he gathered like-minded musicians and established a new, fresh and exciting project - Przybył. The band explores poignant social issues and does not shy from music experiments. Blending jazz, blues, rock with influences of street folk and backed up by the low, raspy voice of its leader, Przybył is a band to watch. 

Ania Rusowicz 

Ania Rusowicz brought about a neo-hippie yearning and showed that big beat tunes hailing from the 1970s are still alive and well. The audience laps up her hippie style and tasteful take on the era of the flower children. She flawlessly combines old-timey, funky and psychedelic blues influences with a fresh, modern take on music.

Rusowicz is full of power and full of sensibility at the same time, highly stylized to follow the fashions of the hippy generation with raw honesty and genuine feeling. Ania Rusowicz performed at the Most Beautiful Festival in the World with a beautiful take on music from the era which inspired the festival. She and her guests took on the challenge of reimagining anthems from The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and The Who. Flower Power project was a festival in its own right, full of colour and celebrating the ideals of the festival in its entirety.

Hunter

Hunter was established in 1985 when a group of friends, who shared a fascination for thrash metal music and heavy metal music. The band, fronted by the charismatic Paweł "Drak" Grzegorczyk, released eight studio albums, with their debut record hitting the charts in 1995. 

Perfecting their unique sound, the band settled on self-described soul metal - the music of the soul. Hunter combines brutal assault of thrash and heavy metal sounds with elements of reggae and respectful nod to classical music. The musicians focus on poignant, socially-involved lyrics, serving as moral and ethical commenters of essential issues in Poland. The artists concentrate on matters connected with animal abuse, war, and other divisive topics. Raw, emotional lyrics which are paired with powerful music make for an artistic force that has to be reckoned with.  

Sidney Polak 

Sidney Polak is a vocalist, songwriter, drummer (best known for his stint as a drummer with the legendary Polish rock band, T-Love), producer and journalist. He came into prominence as a member of reactivated group T-Love in 1990 but embarked on an acclaimed solo career in 2002. He created the Sidney Polak solo project and went on to release three top-rated albums. 

Sidney Polak is inspired by the experience of growing up in the Chomiczówka district of Warsaw - he blends Polish hip-hop with vibrant folk music. He plays with classic hip-hop samples and mixes them up with acoustic inspirations. His songs refer to experiences we all can share and enjoy. Sidney Polak's biggest hit single - "Otwieram wino" grossed over 19 million views on YouTube.

Poparzeni Kawą Trzy

The band was established in 2005 during a lengthy press conference held at the Polish Sejm - the lower house of the parliament. Members of the band are all radio journalists, DJs and, initially, they have been fulfilling their fan-fantasy of performing songs by the underground Russian group Leningrad. Having exhausted the Leningrad's repertoire, the group reached out to a colleague and acclaimed satirist, Rafał Bryndal.

Poparzeni Kawą Trzy released their debut record with original material in 2011, and since then they recorded four studio albums. The band's songs have been highly popular with the audience and critics, who praised the Poparzeni Kawą Trzy for their upbeat pop-rock music which is spiced with lively ska and backed up by a powerful brass section. Their humorous, light-hearted lyrics ensured that catchy tunes became instant hits. The group is also well-known for its energetic shows and rapport they can establish with the audience.

Bethel

The band was established in Wrocław in 2006, and initially, it was powered by three founding members. The group grew, and at one point it had eleven active members. Name of the band, Bethel is inspired by Bible verse.

All members of the band are passionate about music and inspired by the music created in Jamaica. Bethel's sound combines sunny and positive reggae rhythms with a throbbing base of dub with energetic, vibrant ska music. The band performed at the Most Beautiful Festival in the world a couple of times, presenting their infectious, happy tunes to the audience at the Second Stage, Viva Kultura Stage. As an honour bestowed upon the winners of the Golden Spinning Top Award, they played on the Main Stage of the festival in 2012.




Elektryczne Gitary

The band, which plays classic rock and roll is best known for their humorous, sarcastic lyrics and irreverent approach to performing. A person who does know their words would be tough to come by.

The band was established in 1989 and became a barometer of social and political changes in Poland. Their melodic, catchy songs brought a new quality to Polish music, building a bridge between rock-n-roll, pop and very popular in Poland "bard" music revival. The artists attempted to make sense of the ever-changing, fluid nature of the social landscape in the country. The band's cheeky, sometimes cheesy songs were played by the majority of radio stations in the country. Elektyrczne Gitary released ten albums, with four of them turning platinum, while their debut release from 1992 is certified double platinum album.



Dr Misio

Dr Misio is one of the most controversial and fearless bands in Poland. The punk aesthetic and attitude go together with texts created by leading Polish authors and poets for biting, honest commentary on contemporary society. Their gigs are real shows of raw power, emotion and musical skill. The band does not take any prisoners, they go all out, and they never look back. Hard rock, brutal punk, and honest lyrics define Dr Misio.

The reviewers noted that Dr Misio's music is dark, bitter, and drawing inspiration from the best tradition of blues and rock'n'roll music. As one journalist has put it "these are the blokes with some massive emotional baggage, singing sad songs about love, loss, and death".

Black River

The band was formed in 2008 and released their eponymous debut album later that year. The album was very well received by fans of massive sounds and music critics alike. "Black River" was nominated to Fryderyk awards. A year later, the band released another LP, titled "Black'n'Roll. 2010 marks the release of the band's compilation album "Trash". The group has gone on hiatus later that year, revealing that vocalist's serious health issues caused the break.

The band was billed to play at the Main Stage at Pol'and'Rock Festival this year, and the audience will get to experience all they have offer during an online broadcast of their concert from the festival studio in Warsaw, which will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube.



Cyrk Deriglasoff 

Olaf Deriglasofff is one of the most prominent representatives of Polish alternative scene, known for his experimental, innovative approach to creating music. Deriglasoff has a rich portfolio of solo projects as well as cooperation with well-known musicians such as Kazik Staszweski, Tymon Tymański, and Maciek Maleńczuk, to name a few.

Deriglasoff does not give up upon musical exploration. After years of experimentation with heavier, rock'n'roll sound, the musician is making his triumphant return into the realm of softer, more melodic sounds. Deriglasoff creates his personal, unique music style dubbed vaudeville punk - a combination of artistic expression reminiscent of cabaret scenes with an irreverent punk attitude. Lyrics, which are a wry commentary on all things life and art.



Big Cyc 

Big Cyc will be playing at the online edition of our festival. The legendary punk formation draws on the experience of the musicians who were involved in student counter-culture movement and actively opposed the communist regime in Poland.

Big Cyc sound can be described as a vibrant mixture of punk and lively ska. Heavy beats go together with guitar effects and loud, unapologetic vocal. The band's performances draw inspiration from civic disobedience actions and performances which are aimed to shock the audience into looking at different societal, political, and cultural issues from a different perspective. The band's lyrics are heavily satirical and the musicians are always ready to issue a brass comment on the failings of Polish politics, culture, and society. Big Cyc remains faithful to its anarchic roots and ideals of rebellion.



Ja Mmm Chyba Ściebie

The band was created by members of one of the best-known stand-up group called Łowcy.B. The comedic group is known for its sharp, politically incorrect humour and creative approach to making the audience laugh. The band follows the idea of the comedic group - their concerts and music and funny, full of energy and, at the same time, full of pointed sarcasm which highlights the shortcomings of our society. 

The group performed at the Most Beautiful Festival twice - once, at the Second Stage of the festival, and once, at a personal invitation from the festival promoter and creative director, Jurek Owsiak, at the Main Stage of the event.

Romantycy Lekkich Obyczajów 

The band was established in Olsztyn in 2011. The group's name, which translates as Wanton Romantics, combine rock music and pop with energetic, humorous lyrics. Critics praised the artists for their modern approach to creating music - even though they keep experimenting with different music genres, the band remains faithful to melodic rock'n'roll. They add some pop and folk elements to their sound, but the most notable element of their creative process is lyrics, written by Damian Lange.

The band, fronted by two charismatic musicians, enjoys massive support from their loyal fan base. The audience at their shows knows the lyrics by heart. Romantycy Lekkich Obyczajów performed at the Second Stage of the festival, having secured the spot in the festival line-up after an impressive gig at the Emerging Bands competition.

Due to restrictions introduced to slow down the spread of coronavirus in Poland, we had to cancel the festival, which traditionally takes place in Kostrzyn nad Odrą in western Poland. We could not, however, imagine summer without music and festival atmosphere, so the organizers decided to move Pol'and'Rock 2020 to the Internet.

Warsaw TV studio will become the home for three-day music and culture extravaganza. With live gigs from thirty leading Polish artists, esteemed guests speaking at the online edition of the Academy of Finest of Arts and other initiatives planned to span over the three days of the festival, The Most Beautiful House Party shapes up to be one of the most exciting events in the summer calendar, combining online broadcast, live concerts, talks, and never-before-seen materials.

Pol'and'Rock Festival, known formerly as Woodstock Festival Poland, is considered to be the biggest non-commercial Festival in Europe. The event attracts hundreds of thousands of revellers annually and has the status of a cult event for music fans from Poland. Fans flock to Kostrzyn nad Odrą to experience three days ruled by the ideals of Friendship, Love, and Music. The Festival, which offers the public an opportunity to take in top international and Polish music acts such as Judas Priest, Parkway Drive, Ziggy Marley, Arch Enemy, Amon Amarth and hundreds of other bands. Even though the Festival will be entirely digital this year, the organizers of the event, the biggest charity in Poland, strive to keep its atmosphere intact. There are 30 bands confirmed to play live from a festival TV studio in Warsaw as well as esteemed guests, including film-makers, actors, activists, and artists who will answer questions from the audience. The entire online Festival will mimic the usual line-up of the real event and will be streamed for an uninterrupted 70 hours on Facebook, YouTube, and twitch.


Olga