This year the Valley of Arts offers an even wider and more colourful range of events than before, including everything from folk music to pop rock and electronica, and from theatre and literature to gastronomy. We know the mission is impossible, but here’s 10 events – mostly concerts – that we definitely recommend from the amazingly diverse 2015 palette.

Anna & The Barbies

Here’s how it usually goes: Anna & The Barbies gigs are never uneventful. The stunning stage design is a minimum, but don’t be surprised to see unbelievable stage action either. A show full of hits and even covers, madness, dynamics, partying, upside down everything. Yeah!







Passed

July 25, 21.00, Design Terminal, Kapolcs

The song Mesmerized and the music video came first, followed by the song contest A dal where even more people found out about the four-member band playing dancey-dreamy electronic music made even more interesting by adding a harp into the mix. Since then, they’ve played gig after gig, and released a new song – let’s see where they are now!

Fran Palermo

July 26, 23.00, Design Terminal, Kapolcs

Perhaps the strongest claim we could make about guitarist-singer-songwriter Henri Gonzalez and his band is that they could come from and play gigs at any city in Europe. Their music is the cool fusion of indie pop, neofolk, exotica, as well as older and more recent influences – the end result is heaps of awesome songs and a captivating vibe.

Muriel

July 27, 22.00, Hello Wood Village, Vigántpetend

Dancey, funky, scratchy, guitar-based rock, which reminds us most of Red Hot Chili Peppers, but you might think otherwise. They’ve opened for 30Y, Quimby and Kiscsillag before, to name but a few bands, but this time they’ll take the stage on their own at the Valley of Arts.

Elefánt

July 29, 19.30, Klastrom, Taliándörögd

This band kind of makes us think of Quimby or Radiohead, but we don’t want to dwell on that too much because what’s important is that Elefánt is one of the truly notable new bands that have emerged in the past few years: their music is unique, sensitive, sometimes dynamic and other times teetering on the edge of crazy. Check it out!

Ivan and The Parazol

Iván and his band will surely not mind if we don’t use words like “up-and-coming” or “talented and young” anymore when we describe them. Yes, they are still young, but they’ve already filled many impressive concert venues, so let’s say instead that Ivan and The Parazol are an indispensible part of Hungarian contemporary music, a band that puts an exciting spin on the tunes of the 60s and 70s. A talented and hard-working bunch indeed.



Bermuda

Lots of radio hits, clever and popular at the same time, cool guitar music that will make you want to dance, songs for young people today about young people today – this is Bermuda. Pop music in the present tense, not to be missed!







Amoeba

August 1, 19.30, Klastrom, Taliándörögd

Amoeba counts as the official background band of the Hungarian slam poetry scene, and the group has even played with Akkezdet Phiai and has been featured in Balaton Method. Their latest album is definitely one of the best of 2015 so far. Funk, jazz, soul, hiphop – you have to hear it live!

Quimby

Quimby needs no introduction, but that doesn’t mean that any of the gigs Tibi Kiss and co. play are the same. That’s why they are so exciting. Their concerts on the main stage of major festivals are totally different from the shows in the more intimate context of the Valley of Arts.






Ági Szalóki and András Dés

Ági Szalóki is a truly versatile artist: she sings Karády chansons and makes children’s music that her band mates spice up with some Jimi Hendrix, Indian melodies, reggae or afrobeat, she promotes the folk music of Hungary and the Carpathian Basin, and she’s also tried her hand at experimental rock. At this performance she will be accompanied by percussionist András Dés.