Sziget 2015

[Diocane]

EuroFestivals: Muse doing Bestival in september. They don't have any august show but seems like they'll be in Europe until October. If one of muse/Kol is headlining (plus some good undercard like tame impala, FFS, etc) I'm done.

[drakeyyy]

Here's hoping for Kendrick Lamar would be a great booking!

[Magic Bus]

Been neglecting this forum, whilst concentrating on Glastonbury, having been lucky in the resale. And also planning the 5 week motorhome round trip to Budapest. So, having read all the posts from the last 6 weeks, it seems there's at least one headliner still to be announced, and as many as four??

Any ideas when some more names might be announced?

[drakeyyy]

Now that the tickets have increased in price slightly as advance round 2 tickets have just been put on sale, it's likely we'll get some sort of announcement in the next week or so with hopefully a big headliner to boost sales.

Announcements have been happening more regularly in recent weeks and we haven't had one since April 16th so here's hoping for one soon!

[Noeliam]

Yes I'd say we can have one this week maybe, especially if they will announce Kendrick Lamar (he's just been announced to Frequency after being announced to a polish festival yesterday). I'd say we still have 2 headliners and one DJ for the opening party (if there is one, I'd say The Chemical Brothers or Major Lazer).

[Babycake78]

I was only thinking of things like this the other day (i've never been to Hungary).

Hoodies and sleeping bags take up space in my luggage, and seems ive got to train to london, get flights, taxis and so on...i want to pack light.

I have a fleece lined thermal sleeping bag liner, its warm and packs down to the size of your fist. so im going to take this and buy and blanket there. Would also like to buy an airbed over there, must sell them? surely?! (i dont like the foam roll matts, which seem to be referred to as "mattresses" on the sziget site! )

Hoodies also take up valuble room. Ive done a lot of camping (via motorcycle so need to pack light) and festivals and i've always worn a tight fitting long sleeve base layer, with a t-shirt or maybe a thin jumper over the top. it's all about layers when it comes to keeping warm.

Or just get drunk so you cant feel the cold?

Yes you can buy inflatable mattresses and blankets in the big supermarket which is just off the island, on the way into the festival.

[doobie ninja]

Yes you can buy inflatable mattresses and blankets in the big supermarket which is just off the island, on the way into the festival.

Cheers. I undertsand that Hungary is fairly cheap compared to the UK but was just wondering how cheap this magical supermarket is that everyone goes on about i guess they put there prices up a touch on camping gear and so on when the festival is on. I really want to travel light so i want to buy all my sleeping stuff there providing it doesnt cost too much (dont really want to pay much for things like air mattresses when i already have 3 at home)

My friend who has done Sziget twice said the city really embrasses the festival. He said that every night the cities bars are packed and parties are on e.t.c anyone have any experience of this? so far the line up for me is terrible so i may be spending some time off site.

Edited May 5, 2015 by doobie ninja

[ilbeyene]

Cheers. I undertsand that Hungary is fairly cheap compared to the UK but was just wondering how cheap this magical supermarket is that everyone goes on about i guess they put there prices up a touch on camping gear and so on when the festival is on. I really want to travel light so i want to buy all my sleeping stuff there providing it doesnt cost too much (dont really want to pay much for things like air mattresses when i already have 3 at home)

My friend who has done Sziget twice said the city really embrasses the festival. He said that every night the cities bars are packed and parties are on e.t.c anyone have any experience of this? so far the line up for me is terrible so i may be spending some time off site.

Ok, i can compare those prices with € (I'm Italian). Prices are approximate:

A tent for 2 (you and your bag) 25€

A good air bed 20€

A sleeping bag 10-15€

A junk food meal 3-4€

A 0,5l can of HB beer 0,5€

Other stuff €€cheap€€

[JenniferMales]

Hi guys,

I'm going to Sziget on my own too. Im travelling Eastern Europe for a bit first. Looking for a camping buddy

[Narnia]

This is one I have been wondering about going to. I'd get a flight for this, do most people in this situation hire the camping equipment? (my other thought was Rock Werchter as I could drive there more easily and fill the car!).

Does this festival have an arena or is it more open plan like Glastonbury? I've seen YT clips of the shows there and it looks huge! It is daunting enough going to a big festival for the first time and not knowing what to expect (first time at Glasto I was a bit taken aback by the size!), let alone being in another country and literally having no orientation of where the hell you are haha!

Cheers for any advice!

[doobie ninja]

This is one I have been wondering about going to. I'd get a flight for this, do most people in this situation hire the camping equipment? (my other thought was Rock Werchter as I could drive there more easily and fill the car!).

Does this festival have an arena or is it more open plan like Glastonbury? I've seen YT clips of the shows there and it looks huge! It is daunting enough going to a big festival for the first time and not knowing what to expect (first time at Glasto I was a bit taken aback by the size!), let alone being in another country and literally having no orientation of where the hell you are haha!

Cheers for any advice!

Its going to be my first time at Sziget so im no expert but i believe it doesnt have an arena, its open plan like Glasto...but not as big. there is a massive supermarket next to the site where a lot of people seem to buy all or some of there camping stuff from (im taking just my tent, and buying the rest there)

[Noeliam]

First of all, in 2012 when Glastonbury had its gap year, Michael Eavis advised anyone to go to Sziget. You can almost camp anywhere as the camping is not separated from the stages (you actually camp between the stages). Sziget is big but not as big as Glastonbury. As for the orientation, don't worry Sziget has a majority of foreigners and the days it starts you just follow the mass in the subway

Edited May 12, 2015 by Noeliam

[edfirth]

This is one I have been wondering about going to. I'd get a flight for this, do most people in this situation hire the camping equipment? (my other thought was Rock Werchter as I could drive there more easily and fill the car!).

Does this festival have an arena or is it more open plan like Glastonbury? I've seen YT clips of the shows there and it looks huge! It is daunting enough going to a big festival for the first time and not knowing what to expect (first time at Glasto I was a bit taken aback by the size!), let alone being in another country and literally having no orientation of where the hell you are haha!

Cheers for any advice!

I've been to both. Sziget is a bit smaller, but more importantly it's much better linked up. There are two main roads (concrete roads too) that scale down either side of the site, so you just have to get to one of those and walk down until your chosen area. I don't think people realise just how big Glasto is 'til they get there. Because there are 3/4 times as many people camping at Glasto there are huge campsites there, which Sziget doesn't have or need.

It's similar to Glastonbury in the way that it's open plan, as such. One you're in you're in, you can carry your stuff around you and there aren't any extra security checks once you're on site like most festivals.

Sziget is better than Glastonbury in many ways; there's a lot more space, a lot more shade, a lot more areas to sit down and chill out, more big-name (relatively) stages running at night, it's cheaper, there are more toilets and they're not long drops, you've got a city to escape too if you want to

It's similar in others; there aren't as many die hard music fans as you'll get at a specialist festival, the food choices are better than at other festivals, there's a World stage (though it's totally different to the Glasto one, the Sziget one is focused on Balkan music).

It's worse than Glastonbury because; the line up at Glastonbury always has a special surprise or two, it's got WAY more going on, some of the individual areas at Glastonbury have a much more solid theme and line up to match than Sziget (the Irish pub stage at Sziget is literally just a tiny little stage and a standard bar, a massive disappointment. At Glastonbury they'd probably build a makeshift pub and have an Irish themed art piece outside it), the underbelly of old school Glasto fans add a really artistic side to the festival which Sziget tries to match but can't really get close to.

I don't think there's a lot in it overall. The music and art side at Glastonbury is definitely better, but logistically Sziget is a far superior festival. By that I mean the organisation, toilets, atmosphere and the weather are all better, there's a lack of overcrowding and it's cheaper.

[ilbeyene]

Great report edfirth. This year I wanted to go to Glasto too but didn't manage to book the tickets, so I decided to move to Barcelona's Primavera Sound (totally different) as the third festival to do (others are Sziget obviously and Balaton Sound). Next year I'm going to try to book tickets for Glasto again and this report makes me understand in which way is different to Sziget. Thanks

[Noeliam]

Thanks edfirth. I'll also try to go to Glasto next year but if I can i'll definitely come back to Sziget.

Daily schedule are out (not by time nor the stage split) on the official website

Saturday looks really poor as well as sunday.

[Diocane]

Long time silence on the lineup side... Are they preparing a massive announcement with almost 100% of the lineup? Or what?

[Noeliam]

It's not the Sziget style to do that!

On SzigetNews someone translated a press conference they have held this morning and, like in 2013, they admit that the lineup isn't really good but it's because japanese and american festivals have moved their dates. I guess it's normal... but we can still have a surprise. The budget has been increased after all.

[Diocane]

Ok, i'm not talkin about super headlining names.. But we only have 40% of the linup with a lot of intresting acts being in Europe in August

Paolo Nutini and Kendrick Lamar are not Metallica, but certainly better headliners than Ellie. And there's a lot of undercard out there

[doobie ninja]

Just had a look over the Sziget site as i havent had a look for a while. There's not many acts at all that im interested in, but what will really piss me off is if the very few acts i want to see end up clashing!

Also noticed that the site now has some extra things for sale - blankets, airbeds, city pass, payment watches, large lockers e.t.c

[edfirth]

Ok, i'm not talkin about super headlining names.. But we only have 40% of the linup with a lot of intresting acts being in Europe in August

Paolo Nutini and Kendrick Lamar are not Metallica, but certainly better headliners than Ellie. And there's a lot of undercard out there

If you look on the Szigetnews site there's a link to another site (posted by Noeliam). On that site there's the full programme for Days -1 and 0. No one worth a look for me really other than a French trip-hop act called Subscribe who are pretty good (I'm not going to Day -1 or 0 thankfully). As a result of those leaks and other on there, I reckon we know way over 50% now including pretty much everyone of note that isn't on the main stage. By my reckoning there's seven main stage bands TBA (there's eight free slots but there's a small band that it says on that link are playing that don't have a day split yet) and not a lot else. Maybe fifteen or so acts that are actually moderately well known.

Edited May 14, 2015 by edfirth

[edfirth]

For those who don't use Szigetnews, here's my breakdown of acts by stage by day based on Noeliam site. Not everyone on there, but the big ones and the ones my group might watch:

Wednesday-
Main- Alt-J, Gogol Bordello
Tent- SBTRKT, Tyler the Creator
Telecom Arena- Jaguar Skills
Colosseum- Gui Boratto, Michael Mayer
World Stage- Boban i Marko

Thursday-
Main- Ellie Goulding, Foals, Maccabees
Tent- High Contrast, Interpol
Colosseum- Dixon

Friday-
Friday- Main- Avicii, Kasabian, Marina & the Diamonds, Awolnation
Tent- Dropkicks, Gaslight, Subways
Colosseum- Dettmann and Function

Saturday- Main- Hollywood Undead
Tent- Paloma Faith, Nero
Telekom Arena- Alesso
Colosseum- Vitalic, Ellen Allien

Sunday-
Main- Martin Garrix, Limp Bizkit
Tent- Passenger, Jose Gonzalez
Colosseum- Damian Lazarus

Edited May 14, 2015 by edfirth

[Diocane]

Both Dropkick and subways moved to the tent and Marina on the main? Doesn't look very logic

Edit: oh yeah, they can't find other acts able to fill the a38 tent (which will be bigger this year)

Edited May 14, 2015 by Diocane

[Noeliam]

The biggest surprise is probably Interpol in the A-38. and Alesso in the Arena (I remember some people considering him headlining).

There is still 10 acts tba on the main stage (Sziget Italia).

[edfirth]

Both Dropkick and subways moved to the tent and Marina on the main? Doesn't look very logic

Edit: oh yeah, they can't find other acts able to fill the a38 tent (which will be bigger this year)

To be fair, Flogging Molly played A38 in 2013, and they're very similar to Dropkicks in terms of size, fans etc.

Lower main stage bands are often smaller that late bands on second stages. It's no big deal

[edfirth]

The biggest surprise is probably Interpol in the A-38. and Alesso in the Arena (I remember some people considering him headlining).

There is still 10 acts tba on the main stage (Sziget Italia).

Alesso ain't that big though is he? I'm not in to EDM but I never considered him to be that big a name. Garrix isn't either, he just had one big tune. I assume Avicii didn't fancy playing pop dance tracks for the End Show.

Interpol is a surprise, but I don't mind too much. Hopefully they'll get a 90 minute set and clash with Ellie Goulding