Latest news with #Sziget
Euronews
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Hungary's biggest festival of the year kicks off with 1,000 shows
Some are jumping into the 31st Sziget (Island) Festival full of excitement, while others are taking it a little slower. Festival director Tamás Kádár told Euronews that Hungary's biggest event of the year, will feature a number of innovations. "In general, the way we have designed the festival is the biggest change. So these zones, the way they're arranged within the festival, arranging the stages according to genre. These are changes that are a huge step for us. Venues have been replaced, shelters, so the big tents have been replaced. I think this is a huge step forward for Sziget," he said. While Sziget also offers plenty of cultural and community events, most people come for the music, especially to see the big names on the main stage. Festival-goers are mainly looking forward to mainstream acts like Charli XCX, Chappell Roan and Shawn Mendes, though many are also drawn in by the electronic line-up when booking their tickets. Rising interest in electronic music has led to the addition of a new stage in the Delta District, in the northern part of the festival. Known as The Club, it recreates a full-on nightclub vibe to the island. The redevelopment of Sziget has freed up new green spaces, allowing festival-goers to camp out in even more places. Organisers believe that the reimagined Sziget is a "place to get lost again", which they say is a true festival experience. Last year, more than 400,000 people walked across the K-bridge to the festival, but this year organisers are expecting even more, although it is not clear yet how many.
Time Out
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Sziget Festival 2025: performers, start time, tickets, dates and important information
It's official: the 2025 Sziget Festival has begun! This year, the organizers have been super innovative: venues hosting similar genres are grouped in thematic city districts, so that Sziget functions as an actual mini-city. Plus, new sound systems have been installed on several stages, the acoustics have been optimised, and a record number of new installations and light-show elements will make the atmosphere unforgettable after sunset. Got your ticket? Here's everything you need to know. When does Sziget Festival 2025 start and how long does it last? The gates open on August 6, and for six consecutive days, until August 11th, the musical and cultural madness rages on Hajógyári Island. Location and how to get there Location: Óbudai (Shipyard) Island, Budapest District III. Fastest route: HÉV H5 ('Szentendre HÉV') to Filatorigát stop, from there it is a 5-8 minute walk across the K-bridge to the main entrance. Increased services: H5 will help you get home with a reduced daytime schedule and nighttime service; during the festival, buses on lines 901, 918 and 934 will operate with increased capacity. For more information, click here. Alternatives: by BKK boat from the Jászai Mari tér port; if you arrive by MOL Bubi public bike, it is worth ending your trip at the Kórház utca-Polgár utca or Szentlélek tér collection station. Who's performing at Sziget Festival 2025? Wednesday, August 6 Charli XCX will set the tone on the Main Stage (9:30pm-10:40pm) on the opening day; the party that lasts until dawn will be provided by Empire of the Sun, bringing dreamy pop-psychedelia (12:30am-1:45am, Revolut Stage), nu-metal veteran Papa Roach, tight EDM anthems by Don Diablo (10:00pm-11:40pm, Bolt Night Stage), and British rap-soul star Little Simz (7:00pm-8:15pm, Main Stage). Thursday, August 7 Shawn Mendes will bring romantic pop to the Main Stage on day two (9:15pm-10:45pm), along with 2000s legend Nelly Furtado (7:15pm-8:20pm, Main Stage). After-midnight fun will be kicked off by French electro duo Justice (1:00am-2:30am, Revolut Stage); and finally, the father of high-tech minimal, Boris Brejcha (3:00am-5:00am, Bolt Night Stage), will close the night with an uncompromising set. Friday, August 8 After the previously announced withdrawal of A$AP Rocky, Kid Cudi (9:15pm-10:00pm, Main Stage) took over the headliner position. Amelie Lens will set the pace on the Bolt Night Stage (4:15am-6:00am); meanwhile, Caribou (12:30am-1:45am, Revolut Stage), who combines chill-electro with jazz influences, will create a ephereal atmosphere. The Kooks (7:00pm-8:15pm, Main Stage) will get you dancing with guitar-driven indie-pop/Britpop anthems. Saturday, August 9th On Saturday, Anyma (9:15pm-10:45pm) will transform the Main Stage into an audiovisual cathedral with a monumental, futuristic DJ live show. Contemporary pop-avant-garde icon FKA twigs (7:15pm-8:30pm, Main Stage) will bring an enchanting performance, while Swiss-Italian duo Adriatique (4:30am-6:00am, Bolt Night Stage) will welcome dawn with a deep house set. Sevdaliza (5:30pm-6:30pm, Main Stage) prepares the night with sensual, trip-hop-infused R&B. Sunday, August 10 The penultimate day will be all about Post Malone (9:15pm-10:45pm, Main Stage) and Armin van Buuren (1:00am-3:00am, Bolt Night Stage). The former brings a collective sing-along with stadium-sized rap-pop hits, the latter will deliver trance anthems until the early hours. Also on the lineup is the dynamic hip-hop of the multi-talented Rilès (7:15pm-8:30pm, Main Stage), the swirling beats of the psychedelic-trance duo Vini Vici (3:00am-4:00am, Bolt Night Stage), and the techno diva who rose from the Lebanese underground to world stardom, Nicole Moudaber (11:30pm-1:00am, Revolut Stage). Monday, August 11 On the closing day, the spotlight will be on Chappell Roan (9:15pm-10:45pm, Main Stage), who blends 80s synth-pop and 2000s disco-rock with today's pop sensibilities. She will be joined by Portugal. The Man (5:30pm-6:30pm, Main Stage), and British art-pop band The Last Dinner Party (7:15pm-8:15pm, Main Stage). Tip: you can create a detailed program tailored to your needs in the official Sziget app. What can you bring and what should you leave at home? Prohibited: alcohol, drugs, weapons, sharp or dangerous objects, pyrotechnic devices, glass, gas cylinders, barbecue equipment, bicycles, scooters, umbrellas and unlicensed drones. You can bring in: your own food and soft drinks, as long as they are not in commercial quantities (sandwiches, fruit, granola bars, mineral water etc are fine). Can I still get tickets? Weekly tickets (from 152,900 HUF/€384), 3-day passes (100,900 HUF/), daily tickets (from 37,900 HUF/€253), and night tickets, which only allow you to enter after 11pm (from 25,900 HUF/€65), are still available. What's the weather saying? You can expect friendly highs of 26-27C until Thursday, but from Friday the heatwave will set in: it's set to reach 32-36C during the day. Bring a hat or scarf, sunglasses, sunscreen, and drink plenty of water! After sunset, the air cools down to 18-20C, so a thin sweatshirt or jacket will come in handy for the evening.
Metro
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Chappell Roan might not release another album for 5 years - that's a good thing
'This means she's going to be a one-album wonder,' one X user writes of Chappell Roan revealing she's not releasing her follow-up record any time soon. 'Take your time, queen,' comments another, showing the stark divide growing in music culture right now. Is it better to allow artists to breathe and work at their own pace – or will doing so risk them falling into obscurity? Our overconsumption-driven mindset certainly points to the latter, but Chappell's announcement should only be seen as a good thing. 'The second project doesn't exist yet,' she confirmed to Vogue days after dropping highly anticipated single, The Subway. 'There is no album. There is no collection of songs. It took me five years to write the first one, and it's probably going to take at least five to write the next.' At first, this feels like a devastating blow for (sometimes overly) enthusiastic fans and a confusing one at that, given her recent releases. Chappell appeared to be following the well-worn hallmarks of an album rollout, dropping Good Luck, Babe last year before newer tracks The Giver and The Subway. She also performed live on talk shows and on tour and is headlining multiple festivals this summer, including Budapest's Sziget and Reading and Leeds this month. With three singles out, surely her sophomore album announcement was on the way? It's not surprising fans are feeling a little baffled as the 27-year-old singer declared that's not the case, but their reaction has been to dismiss her future entirely. I think her career will actually be on the edge if she fr takes 5 years😭 — MrryTheNight🌔 (@OkSi416289) August 4, 2025 I mean, I get it, Adele took like a 6 year hiatus before she released her album "30" so i'm not even mad. — swiftyclown (@LinehanWilliam) August 4, 2025 people getting mad at chappell roan for saying she hasn't got plans for her second album yet are just proof this society sees artists as nothing more than content machines — aly | princess of power ⭑ (@alydoingthings) August 4, 2025 '5 years is kind of a lot…' wrote sanatozaki1111 on X as RetroDiscoFreak warned: 'She will be forgotten by then.' 'Five more years?! Girl just broke our hearts and vanished 😭💔,' added 2lastvibes while Scoby20 asked: '5 years? You're joking.' Her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, was only released in late 2023 – so why are we demanding more already? There has always been pressure on artists to stay relevant, particularly on young popstars who are put on gruelling tour and release schedules to their own detriment. Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato have both spoken out against the endless album-movie-tour cycle they were expected to undertake while at Disney. One Direction faced a similar regime, releasing five studio albums with four tours between 2011 and 2016 – and that's not including their run on X Factor with a post-show tour. We've seen only too brutally the impact these schedules have had on artists' mental health, time and time again. With her unwillingness to churn out new tunes, Chappell is one of many artists fighting back against this unsustainable demand in music. The Casual hitmaker explained: 'I don't think I make good music whenever I force myself to do anything. I see some comments sometimes, like, 'She's everywhere except that damn studio.' Even if I was in the studio 12 hours a day, every single day, that does not mean that you would get an album any faster.' Pop contemporary Reneé Rapp expressed a similar sentiment in her single Leave Me Alone, singing: 'Manager called me, said 'Where's the single?'/ Oh, you're breaking up, babe, I don't got no signal.' While speaking to Hits Radio, the Mean Girls star, 25, explained: 'I wrote this song when I was super super super overworked and really tired.' Reneé had just finished an epic worldwide festival run as well as a tour, which followed the release of her debut album, Snow Angel, in 2023. 'Everyone was like 'what would you like to do now?',' she shared. 'And I was like 'Nothing! Stop speaking to me.' It just made me a really angry person.' While Reneé did record and release a new album, it was done at her own pace after a break and cutting down her workload with her (controversial) Sex Lives of College Girls exit. Despite what complaining fans online would have you think, Chappell's five-year gap – which is only a prediction – is not really that unusual. Billie Eilish regularly waits two to three years between albums, Ariana Grande had four years between Positions and Eternal Sunshine, and Beyonce took six years from Lemonade to Renaissance – with another two for Cowboy Carter. Potentially, the rate of releases from none other than Taylor Swift may have impacted expectations in pop genre more than she'd anticipated (as she so often does). In the last five years, Taylor, 35, has released four re-recorded albums and four new albums – including 32-track offering, The Tortured Poets Department Anthology. And yet, before she had even finished her 149-gig Eras Tour, ravenous fans were demanding more from the August hitmaker. From the final two re-recordings (one of which Taylor revealed she hadn't even begun to look at) to a brand new album, the pressure to release was mounting. Instead, she simply stepped away, disappearing into a much-needed break and spending time with her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, her friends and her family. However you feel about pop music, any artist taking time to live rather than chaining themselves to a studio can only be a good thing – for them and us. How can a musician be inspired if they are locked away from experiences, endlessly churning out songs? More Trending Chappell's vocal resistance to becoming part of the music machine proves that she is striving to make art, not consumable content. In the age of AI and 'industry plants', waiting longer for an album – or a film, TV show, or any piece of art – should be a symbol that this is authentic work. We should be thankful she's making us wait; who knows when (if) she returns, she could be even better than before – after all, Sabrina Carpenter's post-Singular rebrand has paid off. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Singer cancels tour over poor ticket sales and confesses he 'aimed too high' MORE: 'Panama Playlists' leak exposes JD Vance's favourite boy bands MORE: Surprise albums and kisscams – these are July's truly shocking music moments
Sunday World
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
In demand Kneecap to play two sold-out rooftop shows in New York following Hungary ban
The controversial Belfast-based rap trio will join the list of major stars who have appeared at the city's prestigious The Rooftop at Pier 17 venue in October Kneecap are set to play two sold-out rooftop shows in New York later this year in the wake of their ban on performing in Hungary. The controversial Belfast-based rap trio will join the list of major stars who have appeared at the city's prestigious The Rooftop at Pier 17 venue on October 1 and 10. Described as New York City's most scenic concert venue, with views of the Brooklyn Bridge, and Empire State Building, The Rooftop has played host to Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, Tate McRae, and the Fugees, whose first reunited performance in over 15 years took place there in 2021. They have also announced another European show in September at the Gasometer in Vienna. The group, who are outspoken supporters of Palestine, were due to perform at Sziget Festival on August 11. . News in 90 Seconds - Tuesday, July 29 Kneecap said 'there is no legal basis' for Hungary banning the act from entering the country ahead of their scheduled appearance at the music festival. However, Government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs wrote on social media platform X that the decision to ban Kneecap was because the group's 'members repeatedly engage in antisemitic hate speech supporting terrorism and terrorist groups'. In a statement posted on Instagram, Kneecap described the decision to bar them from entry as 'political distraction' and pointed out that none of the group has any criminal convictions. A spokeswoman for Sziget Festival also described the move as 'unnecessary and regrettable'. 'Cancel culture and cultural boycotts are not the solution,' she added. The statement from Kneecap said: 'To the tens of thousands of fans who we were buzzing to see in person at Sziget, we're sorry we won't be with you. 'The authoritarian government of Viktor Orban say we 'pose a national security threat'. 'Which is f****** outrageous coming from a man who welcomed Netanyahu, a wanted war criminal, like a hero just a few weeks ago. 'There is no legal basis for his actions, no member of Kneecap has ever been convicted of any crime in any country. We stand against all hate crimes and Kneecap champions love and solidarity as well as calling out injustices whenever we see it. 'It's clear that this is political distraction and a further attempt to silence those who call out genocide against the Palestinian people.' Kneecap have had several shows cancelled in recent months, including TRNSMT festival in Glasgow and at the Eden Project in Cornwall. They claim this is part of a smear campaign against them because of their vocal support for Palestine and criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza, which they say is a genocide. The statement posted earlier on Thursday by Mr Kovacs said: 'Hungary has zero tolerance for antisemitism in any form. 'Their planned performance posed a national security threat, and for this reason, the group has been formally banned from Hungary for three years. 'If they enter, expulsion will follow under international norms.' The spokeswoman for Sziget Festival said: 'Following concerns raised by government and pressure groups across Hungary over the past weeks at the prospect of Kneecap performing, we have liaised closely with the band and they reassured us that their performance would not contravene either Sziget's values or Hungarian law. 'Over the past 30 years, Sziget has served as a free and safe place for different cultures, hosting artists and visitors from around the world, earning significant recognition in the international community and enhancing Hungary's reputation. 'We fear that the government's decision announced today to ban Kneecap may not only damage the reputation of Sziget, but also negatively affect Hungary's standing worldwide.' Kneecap – comprised of Liam Og O hAnnaidh, Naoise O Caireallain, and JJ O Dochartaigh – were formed in Belfast and released their first single in 2017. They hit the headlines recently after O hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, was charged with a terror offence relating to allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah. In May, the Metropolitan Police said the group were being investigated by counter-terrorism police after videos emerged allegedly showing them shouting 'Up Hamas, up Hezbollah' and 'Kill your local MP'. The group apologised to the families of murdered MPs and said they have 'never supported' Hamas or Hezbollah, which are banned in the UK. They were also investigated over their set at Glastonbury Festival in June, but last week Avon and Somerset Police confirmed they would be taking no further action.
South Wales Guardian
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
Kneecap describe decision to ban them from Hungary as ‘political distraction'
The trio, who are outspoken supporters of Palestine, were due to perform at Sziget Festival on August 11 and remain on the line-up on its website. Government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs wrote on social media platform X that the decision to ban Kneecap was because the group's 'members repeatedly engage in antisemitic hate speech supporting terrorism and terrorist groups'. But in a statement posted on Instagram, Kneecap described the decision to bar them from entry as 'political distraction' and pointed out that none of the group has any criminal convictions. A spokeswoman for Sziget Festival also described the move as 'unnecessary and regrettable'. 'Cancel culture and cultural boycotts are not the solution,' she added. The statement from Kneecap said: 'To the tens of thousands of fans who we were buzzing to see in person at Sziget, we're sorry we won't be with you. 'The authoritarian government of Viktor Orban say we 'pose a national security threat'. 'Which is f****** outrageous coming from a man who welcomed Netanyahu, a wanted war criminal, like a hero just a few weeks ago. 'There is no legal basis for his actions, no member of Kneecap has ever been convicted of any crime in any country. We stand against all hate crimes and Kneecap champions love and solidarity as well as calling out injustices whenever we see it. 'It's clear that this is political distraction and a further attempt to silence those who call out genocide against the Palestinian people.' Kneecap have had several shows cancelled in recent months, including TRNSMT festival in Glasgow and at the Eden Project in Cornwall. They claim this is part of a smear campaign against them because of their vocal support for Palestine and criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza, which they say is a genocide. The statement posted earlier on Thursday by Mr Kovacs said: 'Hungary has zero tolerance for antisemitism in any form. 'Their planned performance posed a national security threat, and for this reason, the group has been formally banned from Hungary for three years. 'If they enter, expulsion will follow under international norms.' The spokeswoman for Sziget Festival said: 'Following concerns raised by government and pressure groups across Hungary over the past weeks at the prospect of Kneecap performing, we have liaised closely with the band and they reassured us that their performance would not contravene either Sziget's values or Hungarian law. 'Over the past 30 years, Sziget has served as a free and safe place for different cultures, hosting artists and visitors from around the world, earning significant recognition in the international community and enhancing Hungary's reputation. 'We fear that the government's decision announced today to ban Kneecap may not only damage the reputation of Sziget, but also negatively affect Hungary's standing worldwide.' Kneecap – comprised of Liam Og O hAnnaidh, Naoise O Caireallain, and JJ O Dochartaigh – were formed in Belfast and released their first single in 2017. They hit the headlines recently after O hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, was charged with a terror offence relating to allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah. In May, the Metropolitan Police said the group were being investigated by counter-terrorism police after videos emerged allegedly showing them shouting 'Up Hamas, up Hezbollah' and 'Kill your local MP'. The group apologised to the families of murdered MPs and said they have 'never supported' Hamas or Hezbollah, which are banned in the UK. They were also investigated over their set at Glastonbury Festival in June, but last week Avon and Somerset Police confirmed they would be taking no further action.
