Tankcsapda
20 August (Wednesday), 20:30, Petőfi Rádió - Telekom Main Stage
Probably the most convincing reason to check out Strand Festival is that Tankcsapda, one of the most prominent Hungarian bands of the past three decades will celebrate its twenty-five-year existence with a special concert looking back on the group’s entire body of work. All the notable and quotable Lakács lines and Tank hits and rocking out like it’s nobody’s business.
Papa Roach (USA)
20 August (Wednesday), 22:30, Petőfi Rádió - Telekom Main Stage
Strand-goers will have a chance to fit in a bit of pogo before the 20 August fireworks at the gig of American Papa Roach, going strong with a scratchy nu metal sound for more than twenty years now. If all goes well, the band could even debut some of the songs from their new album F.E.A.R. (Face Everything and Rise), set to be released in early 2015.
30Y
21 August (Thursday), 18:45, Petőfi Rádió - Telekom Main Stage
Zoli Beck and co. debuted their new line-up this year, and they also released two new EPs (which you can grab from the band’s website), so those who have yet to check out the revamped ensemble from Pécs in a festival setting should definitely go see them now.
Akkezdet Phiai
21 August (Thursday), 20:30, OTP Junior Stage
Saiid and Peti Újonc make up the most artistic and probably most cultic duo of Hungarian hip hop, reflecting on contemporary public life and social mood with poem-like lyrics, brave and exciting musical solutions and everything else you cannot miss if you pop down to Strand.
Grand Mexican Warlock
22 August (Friday), 15:30, OTP Junior Stage
Let us point out something other than the usual and possibly obvious choices: a lesser known, but excellent band. Formed in 2008, Grand Mexican Warlock is a little bit rock, a little bit prog, a little bit psychedelic, but most of all it is interesting and remarkable. Their latest (second) album called Hell Sweet Hell came out in March. We think you should not skip this one.
Random Trip feat. Valerie M (Groove Armada, The Freestylers, UK), Andrew Hefler (Kéknyúl), MC Zeek (Rewind)
22 August (Friday), 17:15, Petőfi Rádió - Telekom Main Stage
Random Trip is the playhouse of Hungarian musicians (or rather of Hungarian musicians and their guests from abroad) – improvisational musical entertainment with a rock solid instrumental base. Funk, hip hop, rock, alternative and indie faces having fun on stage and entertaining the crowds at the same time – this is promising to be the best afternoon dance session at Strand.
Knife Party (AUS)
22 August (Friday), 22:30, Petőfi Rádió - Telekom Main Stage
Knife Party was formed by the Rob Swire-Gareth McGrillen duo in 2011 as a side project of Pendulum, the Australian band representing a fusion of rock and drum & bass. Since then they have definitely become an act in their own right: they have put out an EP every year since their inception (three altogether), and their first album, bringing you their signature earth-shattering electronica, is soon to be released under the title Abandon Ship.
Supernem
23 August (Saturday), 20:30, OTP Junior Stage
Wherever Szabi Papp and co. turn up, serious madness is guaranteed. If we are talking about an end-of-summer beach party, then we definitely suspect this is going to be true. Let’s add here that Supernem has a freshly released record as well, so you immediately have two reasons to be loitering around the smaller main stage of Strand at 20:30.
Halott Pénz
23 August (Saturday), 16:00, Petőfi Rádió - Telekom Main Stage
Halott Pénz is one of the best things that happened to Hungarian hip-hop and mainstream-related pop music in recent years. The popcult storyteller from Pécs has good lines, he is clever and witty, light and cheeky, and most importantly he writes memorable songs, which anyone can bob their heads to on the Balaton shore.
John Newman (UK)
23 August (Saturday), 22:30, Petőfi Rádió - Telekom Main Stage
The closing concert of Strand on the Main Stage will definitely be in the vein of the latest pop trend, and will be a smashing finale to the festival. Soul-pop artist John Newman was born in 1990, and shot to fame in 2012 after being featured in two songs by Rudimental. His breakthrough as a solo act came last summer with the single Love Me Again, followed in October by his debut studio album Tribute, which made it to the top of the British album chart. This year he received three Brit Awards nominations
