... is the first message that reaches me from out of this world. And in we go …
Reflections on KAVČ FESTIVAL, Ljubljana/SLO March 2024
As if there´s nothing odd about it at all, an old fire engine, decorated with fairy lights, cruises through the beautiful Slovenian city of Ljubljana. Through its loudspeaker it blasts out some singing voices, accordion, fiddle and percussion, before coming to a halt in front of an office space. Three musicians and jump out and there it is: a stage, an audience, a concert, a festival!
TRIO HUPSALA at Daktari; photo c Tadej Abram HALO MUSKA with LOS HOSTES feat. Stefan Hedborg
... There was TRIO HUPSALA (feat. multi brass -instrumentalist Johannes Bär and multi - all round musician Vinzenz Härtel) in my favourite cafe in town, DAKTARI, for the festival opening day. Another HUPSALA in the office space of play therapists (hvala!!). LOS HOSTES feat. our dear friend Stefan Hedborg, cruising around in the fire engine for a day of HALO MUSKA ... (which means: you can order a band to wherever you want to via a phone call!) ... playing for people in front of their offices at lunch break; a girl´s birthday party; a community centre for asylum seekers ... more LOS HOSTES with special guest Johannes Bär in a beautiful living room of a puppeteer. A first incarnation of KATASTRUPSALA (feat. members of Trio Katastrofa and Trio Hupsala) in a cool cafe in Šiška...
At the community centre with Los Hostes feat. Stefan Hedborg, HALO MUSKA
... Gatherings around our moving home base of the fire engine every evening ... A few reunion jams with a substantially big chunk of last years´ Etno Histeria World Orchestra (check out the CD (!) here and apply to be part of this years´orchestra HERE until May 10th!) (I LOVE you people !!!!). Beautiful concerts and puppet shows around the town; some truly epic dance sessions into the wee hours of the mornings to our favourite hip hoppers from Paris, NOFLIPE; a singing DJ, class Balkan Bands ... Basically an incredible gathering of a huge amount of crazily talented musicians and artists that over the years also have become close friends, rejoicing in the cause of bringing everyone together through the sheer love for art as a way of living!
WHAT IS IT THEN ...
... that you wish for from the bottom of your heart?
With members of Noflipe & Hansa Meduna at the fish market
Over the past few years, this festival, built around the concept of bringing concerts to people´s homes all over the city of Ljubljana, has become one of my all time favourites. My expectations going there are always very high. But every year they are not just met, but are even surpassed. I could make countless plans, envision focusing on a handful of priorities, try to form good new habits that will catapult me into a simple, whole hearted way of life. And then BOOM -
something like Kavč Festival comes along and its all just happening - ALL of it!
Thank you all you amazing people! There´s nothing like being catapulted into the spirit of life by hanging out in the presence of excellence