In 2019, there are so many festivals in Europe that it can be difficult to tell the difference between a techno fest in [insert city name here] and just an average 48-72 hour party in Berlin. At this point, how does one even define what a festival is? It’s an open question and one that can be answered in several ways. I absolutely believe there are no boundaries, time constraints or anything else that have to determine what makes a festival but there does have to be SOMETHING that sets it apart from from other nights/shows/parties.

Enter Prague’s Lunchmeat Festival. An event that has come across many of our radars over the past several years but also a festival that is shrouded in a little bit of mystery as well. Ultimately, this couldn’t be more fitting as the mystique of Prague also acts as the perfect backdrop for what takes place. This years’s edition marked the 10th Anniversary of the event organized by Lunchmeat Studio, a local group which also specializes in design, interactivity and user experience. This starts to make more sense as you discover the different layers of performances, talks, screenings and more that are spread throughout the week. I was lucky enough to spend 5 days in the Czech capital to experience the Lunchmeat anniversary and had a transformative time traversing the moods, vibes and sounds of the festival and city. (read more below)

While typically a three day festival (Thursday-Saturday), this year the Lunchmeat team decided to expand the programming and start things on Monday, with the first three nights being special events taking place at unique venues all over Prague. The festival kicked off Monday night with Lunchmeat x Fact Magazine presenting Dasha Rush x Alex Guevara’s “Aurora Cerebralis 360°” AV Live. A thrilling work which took place at the Prague Planetarium. From generative images of cerebral activity and neural connections, the duo create a dance on the threshold of simulation and stimulation, since the images from the inside of our nervous system also change the perception of the physical space. Sadly I had not arrived in Prague yet, but feast your eyes on a couple stunning images from the night by Dita Havrankova.

I left Berlin on Tuesday morning, embarking from Haubtbanhof and lucky enough to grab a window seat so I could easily gaze at the fairytale landscapes of Eastern Germany. The stretch from Dresden into the Czech Republic is especially mesmerizing as the train gently hugs the banks of the river Elbe. Once in Prague, I was immediately struck by its gothic beauty. The driver explained how it is known as the “City of a Hundred Spires” and one can easily see why as you look out beyond the bridge and see them jetting into the sky. The city maintains its historic beauty as it is not ruined by skyscrapers and other developments which overshadow the historic architecture. More cities should focus on this.

I arrived at my flat in Letná, a great neighborhood away from the tourist chaos of the city center and felt the urge to start exploring. As you walk along the streets you can feel a peculiar mood. One that feels like the ghosts of the city’s past are all around you while still seeing the modern upgrades of a gentrifying area. There is a distinct pulse here, one that doesn’t hit you in the face like New York or London, but something is present enough to let you know there are things happening beneath the surface.

Prague and the Vltava River from Letná. Photo by The Brvtalist

The grey skies quickly became black and it was time to meet some colleagues at Tuesday night’s venue - CAMP. This is an architectural center and urban planning facility built in a 1960’s Brutalist cube. It couldn’t have been more fitting for The Brvtalist and the building also hosts a small library/shop (I bought a book on Prague Brutalism) as well as an auditorium and events space which was set up with a massive 25m wide screen. The night’s theme was virtual ecosystems. Each presentation took us through an immersive world of digital topography, urbanism and other visual stimulants all while artists played a live electronic score. The first act was Escher Fucker presents “Citrinitas” AV Live and that was followed by another great piece from Elías Merino & Tadej Droljc present “SYNSPECIES” AV Live. The audience was seated on the floor (some had cushions) so it was just the right amount of time without getting too uncomfortable. It was special to be inside CAMP for a live electronic show and if anything it left you wanting more to come later that night. But alas, it was a good thing the night would conclude earlier as there was still 3+ nights to go so we sampled döner and halloumi (skip in Prauge) and after one more delicious Czech pils, we called it a night.

Wednesday brought a little rain and more grey skies but it didn’t bother me at all. In some ways I felt like I was seeing Prauge how it was meant to be seen. As a snack I had a quesadilla from a Letná Mexican food place (as a Californian I feel compelled to try) and it wasn’t too bad - although how bad could it be?! Soon it was time to head for soundcheck at Wednesday’s host venue Ankali. A newer club space/venue in town. I had already heard a lot of great things about Ankali and was excited to check it out. This however would not be a typical night at the club. As part of Lunchmeat Festival, Wednesday brought us Ankali x Intergalactic Research Institute for Sound, a label which showcases the dynamic influences within the contemporary Georgian music scene. This would be an ambient night inside the club with Georgian producers Irakli and Rezo Glonti. As the club often does with its #shoes_off nights, the floor was carpeted, the booth was brought to the middle of the room and it was decorated with interplanetary inspired lights and decor. We were there for a bit of the set up and it was great to walk through the space which feels bigger than it probably is but has some nice corners, corridors, rooms and more to make it feel quite spacious.

Dinner was nearby at Cafe Sladkovsky, a gem of a casual yet delicious European cafe which I only know about because of our host for the night, Arnii, who is also a local promoter/DJ who throws the Onyx raves (check out their 2 year anniversary coming up 02-11!). For me it exemplified what Prague is about, a bit nondescript on the outside but once you dig a little deeper you are surprised at what you find.

The night at Ankali was a more meditative (and more comfortable too) evening with ambient and blissful noise at the hands of a great 2.5 hour hybrid DJ/live set from Irakli and a live by Rezo. The lights were dimmed and the mood was set to completely zone out for hours inside the now fully carpeted club space. It was quiet and subdued inside but once the performances were over so began the celebratory shots of Becherovka which came fast and came plenty (watch out for these!). Afterward, perhaps a little regenerated from the ambient sets and fueled by glasses of the herbal liquor, we decided to carry on back in Letná at the great Cobra bar. A true local hangout which serves coffee and lunch during the day and dinner and drinks at night. Margaritas were had and tapas devoured.

Two days in I was feeling a little fatigued (and hungover) but still energized as Thursday arrived and it was time to start the festival’s main program. Lunchmeat is held at the National Gallery, an incredible museum and cultural center that is a highlight of the country and city. Amazingly, the performances take place in the basement (which is massive) and two different stages are set up. After a nice Italian meal, my night began going to see a talk with LSDXOXO about digital media, social channels and being an artist in the current industry climate. His thoughts were insightful and it was nice to spend some time in the very cozy and well lit lounge near the festival’s entrance.

Next up was the Czech premiere screening of The Sound is Innocent, a new documentary by Johana Ožvold which explores the relationship between man and machine and how various figures create and view electronic music and instruments. Her off-kilter, dreamlike documentary style was definitely unique and diehard fans of electronics will enjoy the film.

Back on the cub stage I was treated to a nice surprise by Katarzia presents “Antigona” AV Live. Katarzia is a Slovak singer based in Prague and her style oscillates between everything from Slovakian pop music, hip hop, synth and cinematic atmospheres. For Lunchmeat she performed award-winning music composed with Slovak producer Pjoni for a theatre piece called Antigona. It was a very nice performance which left you satisfied yet trying to figure out all the genres you just heard (in the best way possible). I feel moments like these are where Lunchmeat really shines. The programmers bring in acclaimed international artists but there is still a heavy focus on Czech and Slovakian singers, producers, visual artists and filmmakers. To me this is vital. We should not be creating festivals just to bring in the biggest and hottest names in the world but to also showcase and foster local artists who help make the city what it is.

Katarzia presents “Antigona”. Photo by Richard Hodonicky

In the main room, the music started with a rare performance from FLORA, the duo comprised of Varg and AnnaMelina. Bringing a more delicate touch to ambient and industrial sounds, the vocal presence of AnnaMelina brings a powerful performance element at the same time. Next was another pleasant surprise from Lotic, the Houston-born, Berlin-based artist who from the start did not shy away from gender identity and trans-empowering vocals and themes. Her stage was impressively rigged with a crescent shaped light fixture which showcased her high energy dancing and crowd inciting performance.

Lotic & Emmanuel Biard present “Endless Power” AV Live. Photo by Jan Rozsypal

Night one also featured performances by Sote & Boris Vitázek AV Live and on the club stage I witnessed a really nice DJ set by local standout Silhouette aka Vision of 1994. Most were excited for LSDXOXO closing the night and club stage and rightfully so. It was a great pace and energy for night one as it gave us a taste of what’s to come while still delivering an upbeat vibe and an intriguing program. For anyone who missed LSDXOXO’s mix he did for us and the festival, definitely check it out now!

I awoke on Friday and it was bittersweet in a way. I think many would argue it was the most anticipated night of the festival but it was also my last night in Prague as I needed to be back in Berlin for Saturday’s Drab Majesty Afterparty (thanks everyone for coming out to that!). Friday’s lineup was certainly stacked and it began with an intense bang with The Nent premiering “Neither”, an all new AV live which featured his fresh delivery of earth shaking electronics and immense vocals coupled with an amazing visual display of classic and modern. We interviewed The Nent before the festival and this was definitely a highlight.

Following him was internationally acclaimed artist Caterina Barbieri presenting “Time-blind” AV Live which was a thing of beauty to behold. Her work is poignant, spacious and lingers long after the performance is over. You couldn’t leave just yet though as Ryoichi Kurokawa presented “subassemblies” AV Live, which was an intense, militant and mesmerizing display of music and visual artistry. We were also treated to more Nent as he later provided visuals for a great show from Nastika.

The night was far from over as the Club Stage would see a “Pretty Weird Overtake” with London’s Barely Legal, TVSI and the always great Jensen Interceptor.

The Nent presents “Neither” AV Live. Photo by The Brvtalist

Caterina Barbieri presents “Timeblind” AV Live. Photo by Richard Hodonicky

I was experiencing/partying/enjoying the whole way through. It was a night that didn’t end with sleep (but actually one last stop at Ankali for Kamikaze Space Program, Ireen Amnes and more) and a reluctance to leave before the festival was fully over.

While I did miss Saturday night, my 5 days spent in Prague actually left me re-energized and even a little hopeful for the future. While I’ve been let down recently by obvious and bloated lineups from other festivals, Lunchmeat felt fresh, daring and important. With its 10 years in Prague and razor sharp focus on local and international talent, I haven’t seen many festivals achieve this as well as Lunchmeat. I not only saw acts that I knew, but felt I was exposed to a lot of things outside of my usual periphery. The festival also strikes the perfect balance between refined experimental programming and forward thinking club nights. Its identity is serious but still very playful and that is definitely something I appreciate.

Much like Prague itself, the festival demands that you look beyond what you think you know and open your mind to the endless possibilities that exist. The only question I have now is….when do I go back?

For more visit: https://www.lunchmeatfestival.cz/2019/

-JRS