Punk Rock Holiday 2.3: Party of the year!

 After every storm there is the sun, and so it was! A week before THE week the hell broke loose in Slovenia and surrounding countries, flooding most of the region. It was touch and go for a while, but PRH organizers did an excellent job keeping everybody calm and up to date with info.

And so, finally that day has come and we were of to Tolmin, the most beautiful place in the world and the best festival there is. We came on Monday, around noon, and went straight to our house. This year was a full house: seven of us from Croatia, Serbia and Spain. The rest of the gang came earlier and were based in camp.

After unpacking we went straight down as we didn't wanna miss a thing! And there it was - the familiar scenery, smell and faces. I live for that feeling I get when I step on to that "holy" ground!

This year some changes have been made: the stage was on the opposite side ( or maybe on the original side, as it was placed like it was for the first Punk Rock Holiday). Also, there was a food court with benches where the stage was in previous years. Besides that, everything else was more or less the same: Fat Wreck stand, Acoustic stage, American socks stand, merch stand, skate ramp and off course - the camp!

WARM UP DAY - DAY ZERO: Opening the festival were HEATHCLIFF, skate punk band from Munich. Very catchy and energetic, they did a good job starting the fire and heating up the atmosphere. After them CF98, an oldtimers when it comes to PRH, a great band from Poland and then the band I was waiting for - STRAIGHTLINE from Munich. Fast, melodic and technical is how I would describe them in a few words. BOOZE AND GLORY were fun, but I missed most of their gig as I met some dear familiar faces and went for a drink, getting ready for what's to come. AUTHORITY ZERO, an all time favourites of Punk Rock Holiday are hardcore/punk rock/reggae machine. With "No Regrets", "Sirens", "Revolution" they made us sweat jumping up and down like crazy. After them DOG EAT DOG played, although initially H2O was supposed to play, but they canceled because of some health issues. This is not their first time either and they were playing safe: "Lit Up", "Who's the King", "No Fronts"...it was a good gig. Warm up day was closed with SATANIC SURFERS, fast, technical punk band from Sweden, always welcome on PRH. "Catch My Breath", "Puppet", "Don't Skate on My Ramp" - just some of the hits from their playlist. And so the end of this day came, and unfortunately my knee didn't make it. So my friends carried me back to the house, as I missed the after party for the first time.

DAY 1: First of all, I really have to thank my buddy Dario for taking care of me and going to the pharmacy for me, buying everything I might need just to be able to walk and make it through the next days. After the "products" kicked in and some parts of me were immobilized, we went down to the beach stage. Came just in time for my this year's biggest discovery: THE HOSTILES! This punk rock/ska band from Scotland blew me away!!! Such energy, so melodic - I've danced my ass of in spite of the bad knee. I've been listening to them almost every day since then. Fell in love a bit... After them another great band, FOR I AM from Belgium. Hanne, the lead singer, a great vocalist and frontwoman. Listen to them - you want regret it... After those two my knee decided to quit, so I decided to sit and rest and drink - what else? After the beach stage we went back up to the main stage area where I did an interviews with FOR I AM and STRAIGHTLINE and came just in time for THE RUMJACKS, a celtic punk band that originally comes from Australia, but have relocated to Europe, and THE SLACKERS, great ska band who stayed true to their roots all this years. And just like that, it was time for the last two bands of the evening: AGNOSTIC FRONT, which I've never listened to much, but somehow now their stuff. Roger and Stigma made the crowd go wild. With "Gotta Go" and "My Family" and everybody singing - it was cool, even though it's not my "thing". And then DROPKICK MURPHYS, for the first time ever on Punk Rock Holiday! And although Ken Casey did and is doing a great job, somehow I missed Al's rough voice. But never the less, they lit the shit up with "The Boys are Back", "Going Out in Style", "Rose Tattoo" and many more. And just like that, day 1 was over and tired and happy we went to destroy ourselves on the dance floor of the best after party, the DIRTY SKUNKS after party! 

DAY 2: and the half way through. First I did an interview I managed to score with The Hostiles, that was not prearranged by the press, but I really wanted to do, after which I went to the beach stage area. It was full by the time I came down to it. POTATO MUSHROOM I didn't get to see from the beginning, but what I did see I liked! I have a homework to do regarding this band from Slovenia. Grabbed some drinks, found a good spot (without holes in the ground, as the stability was the most important thing before the booze kicked in), and it was time for JEN RAZAVI, guitar/vocal for The Bombpops who had her acoustic show on the beach stage. It was just a girl - a pretty girl, her heart shaped glasses and her Gibson guitar. It was different, but nice. Peaceful...that is the word I've been looking for... Next were ANTILLECTUAL, Dutch punk rock band who closed the beach stage for the day. As we went up to the main stage area, we grabbed some fresh drinks and stopped for a bit to see SCOWL. Didn't know what to expect, but they delivered a great show and also did a cover of "99 Red Balloons" that made us dance and sing like crazy. After them was CIGAR and STICK TO YOUR GUNS which we listened to from the bar, waiting for FRANK TURNER AND THE SLEEPING SOULS. Although technically he is not punk rock, his roots are in punk and hardcore, but never the less - his shows are always full and great. As I remember, someone from his band had a birthday, but I don't think that was the reason for him being so happy. I think it is because he knows he is always welcome on PRH. Giving us all of himself, with songs like "Polaroid Picture", "Out of Breath" and "I Still Believe" time came for one more "first time" band on Punk Rock Holiday, the ones we've waited for years to come to this festival: ME FIRST AND THE GIMME GIMMES!!! Glitters, colourful suits and so much charisma, this is one of those bands that makes you instantly happy and singing your lungs out even if you don't want to. The moment Mr. Spike stepped on that stage everyone went crazy. They played total of 23 songs, and had an encore, something that is not usual on PRH. "Leaving On a Jet Plane", "Straight Up", "Dancing Queen", "I Will Survive", "Rocket Man", one after another, all the best ones, than some solo with the ukulele and finishing with "End Of the Road", this was - as always - THE show!!! And for me, the best show of this year's PRH. Drained and happy we gathered and off to the after party we went!

DAY 3: Missed the first three bands on beach stage as I've decided to sleep in a bit longer and then went to hang out in the camp with the gang. We came down just in time for the VENOMOUS PINKS, great punk rock all girls band. That trio delivered a great show with some help from the Bad Cop/Bad Cop ladies. After them VERSUS THE WORLD did their gig and I have to say RESPECT for not canceling their show after Chris Flippin ended in hospital right before their tour. They did it and did it great! The main stage started with DIESEL BOY, a melodic punk rock band from California, followed by SCREAM and then one of my favourites: BAD COP/BAD COP. Pissed, fast, with much to say, spokeswomen for abused, for the right to abortion and so many more topics, these women wrecked the stage and drained our energy with fast and melodic punk! Loved them before, love them even more now, they gave a great set with songs like "Womananarchist" and "Simple Girl". After them GOOD RIDDANCE played their set with "Letters Home", "Darkest Days" and many more and it was time for the last show of the day: PENNYWISE. I stopped counting times they played at PRH, and every time is much the same: "Same Old Story", "Fuck Authority", "Society" and no show goes without "Bro Hymn" and as much people on the stage as the stage can hold on. I loved their cover of NOFX "Bob" and "Kill All the White Man", but they also covered MINOR THREAT with a little help from SCREAM. And just like that the last day sneaked up on us...

DAY 4: With a bit of a hungover the last day beach stage bands went under the radar...As I was waiting for an interview with ALO!STARI, I decided to go and chill in the press area. After the interview I went to the camp, set for a while and then it was time for the last day on main stage. The first ones were ALO!STARI, a great punk rock, old school, skate punk band from Maribor, Slovenia. I've loved them since they released their first single four years ago. They play that kind of punk I love the most, 90's skate punk! They really did a great show, one of the best this year and wormed up the crowd. I'm sorry more people didn't come to see them live as they are soooo good!!! Another band from Slovenia were next, the ones that are here every single year and deserved the main stage: PIGS PARLAMENT. Their mix of hardcore, ska, punk rock and even metal is what they are known for and they do it so well! As the sun went down JAYA THE CAT lit up the stage. Rock/Reggae/Ska machine made it feel like the earth was swinging beneath our feet and not one soul was standing still. One of the greatest shows!!! PULLEY I missed for the most part as I was hanging by the bar waiting for the last show of the night and this years Punk Rock Holiday: THE TOY DOLLS. These guys have been on the scene longer then some of you are alive, and they are getting younger if you ask me. How is that possible? I am aware that punk rock saves lives, but I've never heard that it makes you go backwards when it comes to ageing. With the all known songs like "I've Got Asthma", "Nellie the Elephant", "Spiders In the Dressing Room" and some covers like "Toccata" and "Wipe out" they gave us the grand finale and finished this year's Punk Rock Holiday. 

Every year this festival gives me will to survive the next 365 days, while counting down, preparing and day dreaming for the next year. For me this is the beginning of the year as I plan the whole year according to and from this. I already miss you all and can't wait to see and hug you all next year. 

Until then - memories remain! 

Written by I.