One of Hungary’s most anticipated festivals, Sziget, started on August 7. The 30th Sziget Festival attracted thousands to Óbudai Island. On the opening day, Tom Odell and Kylie Minogue performed, and on Thursday night, Azahriah will take the main stage.
The Sziget Festival is a favorite among locals and internationals, namely that numerous global stars perform during the six days. However, the true magic of the festival lies not only in this. Most visitors can participate in various programs, and the organizers make sure to offer activities throughout the day, whether it’s yoga or a joint dance lesson at a K-pop workshop and more.
The crowd gathers in front of the main stage as the concerts begin in the afternoon. The first main stage performer at this year’s festival was the Hungarian band Margaret Island. Lábas Viki and her band played beautifully, and they prepared a special production fitting for the main stage. During the concert, we saw the dancers of the Szeged Contemporary Dance Company, who complemented the performance perfectly. Viki delivered her usual crystal-clear voice and unique dance moves, but the carefree feeling was missing, perhaps because she had to fill the huge stage and sometimes felt distant from her band. Nonetheless, we were glad that a Hungarian band could open the festival, and we could participate in such a delightful musical celebration.
We have to say, this year’s festival started strong. The second performer on the main stage was Tom Odell, and by this point, the crowd was so thick around the stage that it was impossible to move. Everyone was likely waiting for his megahit “Another Love,” which he performed last. However, his entire performance swept through the festival, making it one of the best concert experiences of the first day. Despite the early time slot, the English singer-songwriter truly gave it his all. Although Odell’s songs can be categorized as belonging to the melancholic blonde guy genre, they sounded incredibly dynamic live, thanks to the strong instrumental accompaniment in many places.
As the warm-up act for the evening, Fisher performed before Kylie Minogue. The Australian music producer threw a fantastic party. With his energetic set, the Australian DJ and producer got the crowd completely hyped, and they danced and raved to the pulsating beats.
We expected a bit more from the headliner of the night, and although there’s no doubt that Kylie Minogue is a pop icon, the passage of time is starting to show on her. The 56-year-old Australian singer created an amazing show on stage, but the spectacle often took center stage over the musical performance itself. In certain songs, in certain places, Kylie didn’t sing her tracks fully, and sometimes she only returned for the verses. She brought her biggest hits, but it seemed that even she couldn’t perform them as completely as before. As a result, her most famous songs didn’t hit as hard, but the spectacular show elements still managed to captivate the festival-goers.
The Sziget Festival is more than just a concert experience, with numerous daily programs. After the last main stage performance of the night, many headed towards Cirque du Sziget, where we watched a brilliant pyrotechnic show combined with electro and hip-hop fusion.
