Prologue

2020 will forever be remembered as a year marred by the global pandemic and essentially the complete shutdown of live music events, parties and festivals. The European festival season, typically an extended summer of countless gatherings, was forced to disappear, leaving behind nothing but years of memories and and an endless yearning of what used to be. By July, even the thought of a festival in 2020 seemed like a cruel joke. But then, out of the darkness, came a neon yellow glow - Lunchmeat Festival, Prague’s annual event dedicated to advanced electronic music and new media art, announced that it would be moving forward in late September. At the time it seemed improbable but as the date approached, even with restrictions changing and international travel in disarray, the organizers made good on their announcement and we rejoiced that the festival would really happen.

To be perfectly honest, even with the good news, I hesitated before confirming with the organizers I would be in attendance. Germany recently labeled the Czech Republic a “hot zone” and Covid-19 cases were climbing fast in the region. In addition, I would need to quarantine and/or get tested upon my return to Berlin. Last, but certainly not least, I needed to ask the question - should we even be having a festival right now? Ultimately the answer was a resounding YES. In a time when cultural events are being pushed to the bottom of priority lists and politicians are even insinuating artists find other jobs, perhaps it has NEVER been more important to stage a festival. While the world lives in constant fear of Coronavirus (much of it justified), I believe it’s fair to consider other things we can lose and potentially never get back. Live music experiences are definitely on that list and the longer we wait the worse it’s becoming. This is not to say that all promoters need to disregard local guidelines, science and advice of experts, however we should be looking at what is available to do and use every opportunity we have to make events safe and sustainable.

I believe the team at Lunchmeat did an outstanding job of working within their local parameters and created an event that was both safe for guests and approximated a true and familiar festival experience. I applaud the organizers for working with the City of Prague, Minster of Health and more to develop an edition that could very well set the standard for operating events during a pandemic. Attendance was limited, masks were mandatory and disinfectant was plentiful, but at the end of the day I enjoyed something I thought I would not see this year. When I returned back from Prague, I was tested for Coronavirus at Berlin Hauptbahnhof and after waiting about five days, my results were negative. While a negative test doesn’t tell us a whole lot, in some ways it did feel like a “cherry on top” of a very positive experience and something that actually feels quite important in the end. In the middle of the worst pandemic in a century, economic meltdowns, political turmoil and unfathomable uncertainty……there was a music festival.

Arrival

If you recall my piece from last year, Lunchmeat celebrated its 10th anniversary by extending the programming to an entire week. Utilizing some of Prague’s best spaces, Monday through Wednesday were held at a different location before the main nights of the festival began at the National Gallery. This year the team repeated this format and the festival began on Monday, September 28th.

After a pleasant train ride once again admiring Eastern Germany’s stunning landscape, I arrived at Prague Central station with a few hours before the first event at CAMP Praha. This is a space dedicated to architecture and urban development. Housed in a glorious Brutalist building, the space features a shockingly wide screen/backdrop which stretches nearly the whole length of the interior. The event marked the beginning of the festival and Russian duo 404.zero was set to present their new A/V project “Black Sunday”. It is worth noting that due to travel complications the couple drove over 2,000 miles from Russia to be able to be in Prague for the performance. The piece is a result of their stay in the famous Greenhouse Studio in Reykjavik. It explores the Icelandic countryside and sees 404.zero experimenting with both a modular system and a Buchla synthesizer for a dark ambient composition accompanied by equally dark, grainy visuals. The event was seated and socially distanced. I had a front row seat and was blown away by the powerful ambient sound and overwhelming visual accompaniment.

The event ended early (10 pm) and alcohol sales and bars all had to close at this time. Yes, it lacked the electric energy of previous events but it was a great way to ease in to a festival that many were still shocked was happening. I personally love being inside the CAMP space and it was my first time seeing 404.zero and loved every minute of it.

The next afternoon I enjoyed some time in the Old City. There is something so magical about Prague that grips me every time I’m there. There’s a myst that seems to encapsulate the city and its architecture makes me feel as if I’m in another world. At the same time, it is totally modernized with conveniences not even Berlin enjoys (contactless payment everywhere). One aspect that was totally unique to this trip was the lack of tourists. It is usually overflowing with people (even annoyingly so) but due to the pandemic, the streets were quiet and nearly empty. While this was great for me, it is certainly alarming for the local economy and businesses which rely on mass tourism. Nothing to do but enjoy what you’re given and it was certainly nice strolling through the empty streets. I even stopped in at the Mucha Museum, which houses an impressive collection of the iconic Czech artist’s work and also has a gift shop with some great items and prints for sale.

Night 2 of the festival was back at Ankali, one of Prague’s great club spaces and one of my favorite clubs in Europe. The owners transformed a former soap factory into a multi room compound that has come to be one of the most important spaces in Prague's cultural scene. Recently they opened Planeta Za, which is a great space behind Ankali which also contains the new Radio Laude studio. The night was another seated event but many did sneak up for some dancing toward the end. It was highlighted by Axis Shift, Telepathic Encounters, a new performance from Axis Arkestra, a project consisting of Nkisi & Yung Liberaci. Nkisi is the pseudonym of Melika Ngombe Kolongo, whose activities as a producer, live musician, DJ, and curator are channels for an on-going investigation into invisible forces, using sound. Musically, this manifests in a captivating cross-talk of African rhythms, uncompromising European hard dance tropes, foreboding synth melodies, and relentless, galvanizing energy, as harnessed for her increasingly kinetic live performances. Joined by Yung Liberaci, a ballerina who co-exists as a rapper, their performance was fantastic, fusing their energies together for a sound that built from ambient to rhythmic. The night also featured Mor Wen and Xynnh live and was capped off (early of course) with a massive DJ set from Nkisi herself.

Wednesday saw more nice weather in Prague and I spent the afternoon around Letna (my favorite neighborhood) checking out some local cafes (Bistro 8 for lunch) and shops (Page Five for books and magazines). Later in the afternoon I made my way back to Planeta Za to record a set for Radio Laude (which you can stream HERE!). Night 3 of the festival took place at the Archa Theater, a performing arts space. The presentation was SHIRO, a live A/V from NONOTAK. A collaboration between the illustrator Noémie Schipfer and musician Takami Nakamoto, since the beginning of the last decade Nonotak has been developing installations staging space, sound, and light, to create an ethereal and dreamlike immersive environment. Due to the pandemic, the two had not performed in months, which is quite extraordinary after years of continuous touring. This was evident from the performance which was filled with explosive energy. Sound and light filled the room with geometric patterns and the artists themselves were nearly cloaked behind the visuals but still visible to the audience. This was my first time seeing the project and I think everyone in the crowd was equally mind blown from the performance. A mix of experimental and rhythmic sound, broken beats were perfectly synced with light patterns which was a total onslaught of the senses. The performance demanded a roaring standing ovation and luckily there was still time left for two beers after to digest what we all just saw.

Noémie Schipfer and Takami Nakamoto (NONOTAK). Photo by Jakub Červenka

MAIN PROGRAM

One of the benefits of being forced to end the night early is there are fewer temptations around and you can actually get a good night’s sleep and wake up somewhat refreshed the next day. Thursday night the main program began but beforehand I was able to explore a bit more, visiting Graffneck (a mix of records and graffiti) as well as having a great lunch at Mr. Hot Dog and then visiting DARK Concept Space, a shop which specializes in local and international independent designers. Prague is surprisingly full of great local energy and shops that represent its residents and unique style. Further, sustainability and eco-consciousness plays an important role in the city’s creative energy which has never been more important.

Given the new coronavirus restrictions, the main nights were to run from 5:30 pm - midnight, with alcohol sales terminating at 10 pm and no food or drink allowed in the main venue space. Every entrance contained hand sanitizing stations which were always full and all spaces were regularly disinfected. Masks were mandatory at all times except when sitting down in a designated lounge area. Overall these rules were not hard to follow and most everyone in attendance did not seem to have an issue with any of the guidelines. The night began with “Sensory Test” by Lunchmeat Studio (the creative team behind the festival). It was a very pleasant light and sound work to wet our palettes for the array of stimuli to come.

Outside the National Gallery Prague. Photo by Dita Havránková

Just like last year, the main nights took place in the basement of the National Gallery and consisted of one main (seated) auditorium and a smaller club stage which was standing room only. After great pieces by Stanislav Abrahám and Toyota Vangelis, we reached a fan favorite of the festival, Anthony Linell & Ali M. Demirel present Winter Ashes. The meeting of the two twisted minds exploring the aesthetics of coldness and desolation across various media. Formidable minimal techno producer Anthony Linell and acclaimed video artist Ali M. Demirel join forces on Winter Ashes, a stunning and unsettling work that studies the Icelandic landscape as a motor for mythology. The performance was a slow burning, visual and audio feast - traversing the sounds, moods and images of the winter season, creating a frigid mood that was no doubt hypnotic.

Anthony Linell & Ali M. Demirel by Dita Havrankova

Afterward, back on the Club Stage, local act Ethno Service picked up the tempo with their dubby atmospheric beats and pumped with room full of energy. Their trippy, hazy sound got us all ready for the night’s headlining act, none other than Schackleton. The dark bass legend and club music innovator performed live on the main stage and his mix of techno, minimal and electro-futuristic beats got most of the crowd out of their chairs to descend on the area in front of the stage which was the closest thing I’ve seen to a real club experience in months. For those who did not want or feel comfortable being on the dance floor, there was ample space to dance in your row, at your seat or anywhere in the auditorium. I enjoyed the performance from the back and there was no one around me for a comfortable and enjoyable listening experience.

*below: a Lunchmeat guest at a disinfection station and the lounge at the National Gallery. From left: Photo by Lukáš Havlena

The second night of the main program was sure to bring even more heat. While it was originally supposed to be headlined by German impresario Helena Hauff, it was announced that she was unable to make it but would be replaced by Detroit legend DJ Stingray. While many were sad about Hauff, it was hard to stay down knowing we would be treated to a DJ Stringray set later on.

Before that though, there was still plenty to experience. One thing that caught me completely off guard (in the best possible way) was Robert Henke presents CBM 8032. Dub techno overlord (Monolake) and software innovator (Ableton Live) Robert Henke is one of the most influential figures in electronic music ever and he returned to Lunchmeat after five years. His performance was an incredible show using vintage machines set up on stage and it’s made entirely using restored Commodore CBM 8032 computers that he used as a teenager. “This work is about the ambivalence between a contemporary aesthetic and the usage of a very limited technology from 40 years ago. Everything presented within the project could have been done already in the 1980s, but it needed the cultural backdrop of 2019 to come up with the artistic ideas driving it”, says Henke. The result was an amazing retro-futuristic performance that was like nothing I’ve ever seen. I was also unaware of Henke’s credentials (co-creating Ableton live?!?) so it all made perfect sense too.

Up next on the main stage was an outstanding performance by Exhausted Modern and Geso. While it was originally supposed to be Meanad Veyl, he was unable to travel as well - which was very common during this time and speaks volumes about the organizer’s ability to move forward with the program. However, Czech artist Exhausted Modern was the perfect replacement (as he is also a Veyl label affiliate) and the performance was a striking work of electronics and visuals which also featured an impressive rig on the stage which enhanced the whole atmosphere.

Exhausted Modern & Geso by Lukáš Havlena

Another unexpected treat of this night was Czech legend Elekrabel on the club stage. His musical origins reach back to the early Noughties, with his 2001 12″ release called Untitled, followed by Elektrabel EP, released on Jeff Mills´ Axis Records 6277 label. The godfather of techno himself praised Elektrabel´s style when he said: “The unique formula of Elektrabel (…) involves vision, an objective and a logical mental structure to materialise such ideas and then, a sense of measuring what he has done in the past and what he needs to do in the future“. It was great to be able to see someone of his stature perform live and it’s another testament to Lunchmeat’s commitment to celebrating and featuring Czech artists as well.

Last but not least was the man, DJ Stingray. His electro and techno leaning sets were the perfect compliment to a festival which features advanced electronic music and new media art - bridging the gap between the past and future while maintaining a fresh perspective in a totally relevant style. Not much more needs to be said about Stingray’s prowess behind the decks and his performance certainly delivered. The dance floor was packed and the mood joyous. Experiencing this sort of thing during this time could not be put in to words. I couldn’t help but think this was one of the only places in the world where it was happening.

And so, we finally made it to Saturday night. On Monday it felt like we had such a long way to go. In some ways the festival is a marathon - a slow burning assortment of performances, venues and a great team and staff to guide you along the way. The final night saw morning changes with Trauma unable to attend. With very little time, the organizers called on Brvtalist favorite Vū + PRVNTK who brought an incredible improvised performance of ritual industrial rhythms and black metal inspired atmospheres. The duo had the entire crowd totally amped up and it was definitely a highlight of the festival. I was amazed that this happened in less than 24 hours and see below for a bonus interview and video with the artists.

The night also featured the modular stylings of Evil Medvěd & Keya and the hardcore sound of Amsterdam’s Know V.A. & Omar El-Sadek. All that was setting up the festival headliner and crossover pop sensation SOPHIE. The artist has collaborated with mega names like Madonna, Charli XCX and Vince Staples. For her fantastic 2018´s album Oil Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides, she received a nomination for the Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards. This was a particularly important performance as well as SOPHIE has been a long time collaborator of Lunchmeat and first accepted an invite to Prague NEONE club back in 2013. There was even more anticipation for this performance as it was announced a few days earlier that new restrictions would start in Prague on Monday which would virtually shut down everything. That means if the festival had been just one week later, it would not have been able to happen. For many of the guests this was seen as perhaps the last party/event of this kind of 2020. It was almost bittersweet to have SOPHIE arrive and she delivered her unique style of pop, club and vocal tracks to a packed dance floor and electric auditorium. The festival ran a bit late but no one complained of course. I think we would have all stayed the entire night if we could.

With that the festival was over. It was nearly 1 a.m. and we were all craving something more. Luckily we did find a bar that was open and there were other parties also happening which essentially marked the end of the season (perhaps for the rest of the year). I was quite sad to be leaving and enjoyed the last night in my Air Bnb. The next day I had a delicious lunch at HillBilly Burger and made it back to the train station where I would return to Berlin. In many respects it was a hard week to digest as it was more than just a festival. It felt like it could be Europe’s last event of this kind for quite a while and I was very grateful to experience it. Thank you to Anna-Marie, Jovanka and the whole Lunchmeat team for their amazing work and hospitality. Given the circumstances this was a truly incredible feat and one that we should appreciate for years to come.

-JRS

BONUS

Interview + Video with VŪ

As mentioned above, VŪ+PRVNT was a highlight of the festival. After having less than 24 hours to prepare something it was incredible that the duo delivered such a powerful performance. Last year VŪ performed as The Nent and we asked him about the difference of projects, what it was like getting the call to play and working with Lunchmeat Festival. We also present two exclusive videos of the performance. (one above and one below).

The Brvtalist: Tell me about the project you presented this year. How is it different from The Nent, which you presented at last year's edition?

VŪ: The Nent is the solo project I presented last year. It was more a mind and intentionally well structured performance, focused on an immersive experience where a symbiotic relationship occurs between sonic and visual perceptions. Vū is my second project, which is much more instinctive, combining dark atmospheres, live percussion, disrupted voices and techno drums.

We presented at Lunchmeat as Vū+PRVNTK , a collaboration who gave birth to this very live set and an 4 tracks EP, titled Lucubra, ready to be released in the next weeks on Vūmantra Records with remixes from Nastika, Zagam, Ezaüf and Fangarm. PRVNTK is the electronic and melodic side of the project, aggressive but methodic, electro drums, live synthesizers, guitar and effects.

Drum machines clash against the voice and percussions that are played live in order to keep the focus on the moment, as well as for the shamanic vibes of the crowd.

TB: Tell us about getting the call and going to Prague to play (within 24 hours right?)

VŪ: I was home with some friends and suddenly I heard my phone ringing. It was Friday 22:15, the Lunchmeat organizer asked me and my friend Francesco, to perform the day after at 21:00. It was a crazy request, but we could not lose the opportunity to perform there. I called him right away and we organized everything in a few hours. Actually, we did not sleep and Francesco and I left at 7:00 am, and ran against the clock, because we had to be tested for COVID-19 and make the soundcheck. We were very excited but at the same time kind of frightened, considering we did not have the time to rehearsal the show which we decided on the spot to improvise for the last 15 minutes.

TB: How has it been working with Lunchmeat and the team + your thoughts on the festival.

VŪ: Lunchmeat is one the main international festivals dedicated to advanced electronic music and new media art in Europe. What I really like about it, is the fact that it is an up-and-coming and cutting-edge festival, open to new artists and performance styles. Indeed, it is a big chance for all artists to show themselves, especially during these exceptional times, when everyone's life has been turned upside down. Lunchmeat was a big opportunity for all of us to be all together, perform, enjoy great time, and exchange ideas. The crowd was so good that we never wanted to end, but apart from the final applause which moved us, what also mattered was the praises of the festival team, the organizers and technicians who supported us from beginning to end. The team organized everything in detail and created an amazing experience both for the performers and the audience. We also very much appreciated the visuals created by oxooxooxoxoxxo. I knew him from last year when he did awesome lights for the Visual show I did for Nastika, and I was sure he would have been the perfect guy for this one!