PUNK ROCK HOLIDAY 2.4 : ALL MY BEST FRIENDS ARE PUNKS... AND THIS IS HOW WE KEEP OUR SANITY!!!

 August the 5th started sunny and bright, as I was packing my car early in the morning with that happy feeling inside me: it was that time of the year, time for Punk Rock Holiday! And I couldn't wait to get there...

And off we went! It was around noon when we came to Tolmin. Set inside the house, unpacked and rushed down to the venue. Nothing has changed, and than again, everything did compared to the last year. The stage was moved back to the river side, beach stage was up and running on DAY 0, all is good once again! The universe is in balance!!! 

                             

                                                         

First thing to do was to hug all my loved ones in the camp...and it was a lot of hugs and a lot of loved ones! At that point I should have known that the beach stage is gonna be a bust, but I really did want to see some of the bands there. Well...

After a few drinks and a lot to catch up, we slowly gathered and went to the main stage, just in time for THE TOASTERS. The Toasters are one of the original American ska bands from New York and a perfect band to start the fire on main stage! With "2 tone army", "Dub 56" and "Don't let the bastards grind you down" my feet started to warm up and move, and didn't stop for the rest of the week!

It was only natural to continue in that beat, so I couldn't wait to hear one of my all time favourite bands - MAD CADDIES! I must say, last time they played at PRH they seemed "lost", but let me tell you: those guys have found their mojo! "The Dirge", my personal favourite "Reflections", "Backyard", than Green Day cover "She", "Love myself", "Villains", "Drinking for 11" of course and finishing of with "Mary Melody" and "All American Badass" I was in extasy! So much that after I don't know how long I decided to stagedive and to top it off with one of my oldest friends (that I met at Mad Caddies show in Slovenia some 20 years ago) Polona - it was short and sweet and so dejavu! Happy and broken I went for a drink and decided to stay at back for DESCENDENTS. I've seen them so many times, but never the less they delivered hell of a show once again! "Hope", Silly Girl", "I'm not a Punk", "Van", "'Merican", "Coffee Mug", "Suburban Home", "Smile"...just a short list from a list of 30, maybe more songs they did that night! Respect!

And then...one of, if not THE greatest band of this years PRH: RISE AGAINST! I wanted to see them for sooooo long, that when they were announced for this years addition I was literally screaming like crazy! No bullshit, no small talk, straight to head: "Satellite", "Give it all", "Make it Stop", "Re-Education...", "Help is on the Way", "I Don't Want to be Here Anymore", "Prayer of the Refugee", via "Hero of War", "Swing Life Away" and "Savior" this was THE BEST show of this year for me!!!

After this perfection of the day, not much to do but party some more. And there is no party like afterparty at PUNK ROCK HOLIDAY! The rule is to never talk about the afterparty: if you were there - than you know wat happened, and if you weren't, well...your loss!!!

                   

And just like that DAY 1. officially arrived!

Because of that thing that you don't speak about from last night I was not able to attend all beach stage gigs that day, as I was recuperating in camp, in shade, quietly! But I did get to see CHARLIE BIT MY FINGER, and I was blown away by them. Excellent band from Belgium!!! Melodic, fast... pleasant vocal...my kind of band! Stayed for a while, listened to SPIDER, went up to eat something and prepare myself for yet another night of madness! 

Main stage opened with MUSTARD PLUG, up-beat, two tone ska band, getting us ready with "Vampire", "Yesterday", "Fall Apart". It was a perfect way to get us in the groove. I can't remember if they played "Mr. Smiley" as I went to get some drinks...and was not myself jet...so if anyone can tell me if they did so I can punish myself, that would be nice...

ZEBRAHEAD is one of my favourites and I was looking forward to see them live again. They are one of those bands that have an enormous energy on stage and in communication with the crowd. And are top showmen...with Ali jumping around, Adrian jumping while smiling all the time, Dan and his moustaches, a bar on stage and the craziest crew of all...once again they've put on a crazy show: "When Both Sides Suck", "No Tomorrow", "Hello Tomorrow", "Who Brings a Knife to a Gunfight", "Mike Dexter...", "All my Friends are Nobodies", and "Anthem" they said their farewell with "I will Always Love You", and so will we boys...so will we. I will always love you...

COMEBACK KID brought some raw hardcore energy, delivered a great set through "Talk is Cheap", "All in a Year" and with "Weak the Dead" finishing, this was a gig that somehow landed in this crazy, all kind of punk genre day. It is to be expected that this day can only be finished with FLOGGING MOLLY. Old friends of the festival, they made us dance and layed this day to rest with "Drunken Lullabies", "A Song of Liberty", "Devil's Dance Floor", "Swagger", finishing off with "Seven Deadly Sins".

After such a day who can sleep? Only logical thing to do is to go party some more. So we did! We partied ourself in to the next day, with almost no sleep, it was DAY 2!

I was looking forward seeing some bands at beach stage, but got to see just SMACKED, punk band from Slovenia, and after that I had an interview so sadly I missed DUNKTANK from Netherlands, a fast, melodic singalong 90's skate punk. Those two were touring together since March, so this was the greatest way to finish touring: at the most beautiful place in the whole fucking world! And I think that those two bands must have done something right as the PUNK ROCK HOLIDAY used both their songs for the OFFICIAL PRH HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO! 

It was time to rest and swim...to cool down. The heat this year was in sane! After lunch I walked to the main stage to see BELVEDERE, as I missed them playing with Mad Caddies in Mostovna a few months ago... Fast, punctual, guys from Canada did an energetic set also doing a cover of Bad Religion. It was a good start to a great day...

STRUNG OUT is one of those bands I really love, but somehow more on player than live. "Daggers", "Matchbook", "Velvet Alley"...it was a good gig, but I wish they played more of their older stuff...more songs from Exile in oblivion and Agents of the Underground... Well, maybe next time...

TERROR is not my "cup of tea", but nevertheless I went to see them for the last 20 minutes or so, and I am glad I did, as they were one of the best shows this year, even though I don't listen to them. So - respect!

And than it was time for the main thing that evening, one of my favourites this year, LESS THAN JAKE! They opened big. And continued big! "Last One out of Liberty City", "Johnny Quest...", "All my Best Friends are Metalheads", "The Science of Selling Yourself Short" twice. With a fan from a crowd at a bass, and than later a full version. With "History of a Boring Town", "Gainesville Rock City" and "Look What Happened" they delivered a hell of a show. But than again it is LTJ, they always do!

DAY 3. was the day I was waiting for, as this was the day Croatian PIČKE VRIŠTE opened the beach stage. Love those guys soooo much and I was sooo proud of them that day! Boys crushed that beach stage, they owned it!!! Marinko as a new vocal fell right in to that hole that was spinning in the middle of the band for the last few years. It felt natural! And they sounded great! The energy and the emotions were so high, the beach stage area was full, and at some point seemed like everyone new the lyrics! Maybe I can't be objective, but maybe...just maybe they really were that good as I think they are and it wasn't all in my head! Looking around, looking through the crowd...seemed it was not all just in my head... and even though their songs are in Croatian, they did what they are supposed to do: they managed to hit that right place in each and every soul at that beach! "Tko ostaje", "Večeras odlazim", "Sjeti se", "Oprosti", this is just a piece of the set list they did. The set list I hope we will hear much often from this point on, along new stuff, great stuff they will make. Love you guys! You made me proud, you should be proud to!!! See you at the main stage in 2027!

After that we went back to camp, went for a swim, and back for THE MEFFS.

Main stage was opened by VENEREA, followed by DEATH BY STEREO. I listened to them from a distance, sitting, as my feet were hurting and my autoimmune companion was getting crazy from the day before, so I drunk some bambus in the shade, waiting for the WILHELM SCREAM.

Nuno and the rest of the band delivered one of the best shows this year. I saw them in 2016. at that same place, but this year they sounded so much stronger, matured...

"Me vs Morrissey...", "I Wipe my Ass...", Killing It", Devil Don't Know", "The Horse", "The King is Dead", exceptional set list! Exceptional show!

NO FUN AT ALL are at home on Punk Rock holiday. They are consistently good! "Believers", "The Other Side", "Nothing Personal", "Suicide Machine", "Beach Party", crowd loved every second of it.

H2O I decided to sit through and listen from the distance. But you could feel the vibrations of jumping crowd on "Nothing to Prove" and "One Life One Chance" and the rest of the well known set list they deliver almost every time.

As the main stage closed, Tropikana opened and there was no point in doing anything else but continue the night in to the morning!

As usual, DAY 4. creeped upon us! As the sun was getting at the top of the sky, noon was getting around corner, it was time to hit the beach! Did some swiming and drinking in the river, then by the river and then at the beach stage. Don't judge me...it was the last day, and I was going to make the most of it! ANDY B AND THE WORLD, a ska/punk/folk group that  opened the last day beach stage were an absolute discovery this year. Fun and danceful...it was a full stage! And a great start of the last day. Than more river drinking, swimming, and KILL THE PRESIDENT, a Spanish hardcore band that was actualy pretty good considering I don't listen to much hardcore...

Opening on main stage was BLOWFUSE from Spain. They did a great show mixing hardcore with 90's punk rock... loved it! Then NOT ON TOUR, my awaited ones... It looked like the situation back home made them somehow shy...but never the less, they crushed that main stage! "Fantasy World", "Saw it Coming", "Don't Touch my Stuff", "Maybe One Day", "Therapy"... I really loved seeing them back on that stage and I danced my sore but off!

The rest of the night I listened from behind, including ALKALINE TRIO. As I am not such a huge fan, I decided to enjoy the show outside of the crowd. Chicago pop punk legends delivered somewhat of a static gig, lacking that connection with the crowd that Punk Rock Holiday performers are known for... "Time to Waste", "Version of You", than some dedication songs to fellow performers, "Stupid Kid", "Radio", "This Could be Love"...many seemed to have the time of their lives. Me, I was getting ready for the last after party of the year! The PUNK ROCK KARAOKE was a full house. There was literally not a breathing space inside. The band and all of the happy singers were about to break the BOWLING STAGE. At that point we went to Tropikana for a break and in front for some air and drinks! As the night was turning in to a morning, we decided to ignore the fact that that was it! It was over... So we stayed after the closing, remembering all the stupid shit we did and great bands we saw in those past five days. The saddest hour arrived. The dawn... Officially it was over! That one special week in a year that keeps my sanity going. The week by which all year is planed! The week that I live for the whole year.

This year, as every year before, the organization was spotless! The PRH CREW is the best in the world, from boys and girls at the bars, guys from security and medics. camera crew, sound crew, those lovely people preparing us food... It is a family that makes it so special and the reason everything goes so smoothly! This was, by far, one of the best!

It is needless to say what this festival means to me! Andrej, Niko and Klara I love you to the moon and back. I missed seeing you on that stage, happy, singing, dancing... somehow it was empty without you for a few days. Next year you have to make it up to me!!! It is not the same without you there...

And thank you for everything!!! Thank you PRH for making my dreams and wishes come true (since 2011.)!!! 

Remember, LOVE IS THE MOST POWERFULL FORCE ON EARTH! And with that force PRH will continue to change our lives and make all that happiness and joy every summer, past 2027! Trust me! Love you my crazy, loving family, and until next time a big hug from yours truly!

Written by I.