DAY ZERO
Day Zero kicked off with a bang as the band Keni Nije Mrtav (Kenny is not dead) took the stage, reminding us that indie rock is still alive and well. Dressed in military jackets, they took us back to the golden years of 2001 to 2012 when this genre ruled. But then, smartphones came along, diverting both attention and musical taste. Keni Nije Mrtav delivered a powerful performance, proving that a band can create a sonically impressive and musically potent live experience even with just three members.
Next up was Luke Black, who delivered a surprisingly short set of just over 20 minutes. Luke draws his aesthetic from Nine Inch Nails and Placebo, blending darkness with androgyny, and his sound was even more intense and powerful live than on recordings. The evening continued on a Eurovision note with a brief but striking performance by Teya Dora, Serbia’s representative in Malmö earlier this year.
The star of the night was Baby Lasagna. Marko, the man behind the alter ego, has created Baby Lasagna as one of his many stage personas, much like how Bowie had Ziggy Stardust, the Thin White Duke, or Aladdin Sane. However, it’s uncertain how much the “machine” will allow him to explore this persona now that he’s caught up in it. Recently, he’s ventured into “lighter pop waters,” earning the nickname “Croatian Ken,” but during his performance, he tore the stage apart, rightfully earning the title of the night’s star. He sounded much more “Rammstein-like” than on his recordings. The night was wrapped up by Iniko, a rising star of New York soul-pop, who delivered an outstanding set with a modern sound, paving the way for one of the world’s best party starters, Burak Yeter. Yeter had the crowd in a dancing frenzy with his short forms over nearly two hours, during which he was briefly joined by Kazakh sensation Dimash Qudaibergen, who stunned everyone with his incredible vocal range. The night was closed out by Australian hitmaker Whyte Fang, previously known to music listeners as Alison Wonderland. All in all, Day Zero was the pop celebration we anticipated, accompanied by an unreal heatwave that would continue for all five days of the festival.
DAY ONE
In search of pop and rock, we spent the entire evening at the Visa Fusion Stage, where the band Lu delighted us with their post-alternative rock. Following them, the Italian crossover band Dead Like Juliet deservedly grabbed attention on the Explosive Stage infused by Old Spice. Lufthansa (winner of the HEMI Awards) brought fresh blood from the South in the best traditions of alternative rock and Arhangel, and after them, Pretty Loud, a Roma hip-hop girl group from Zemun, took the stage. The quartet mixed empowering messages for women in Roma communities with sick beats and Roma brass lines. Though we couldn’t understand the lyrics, the message was clear. The band that many eagerly anticipated, either out of nostalgia or love, was Novi Sad’s Ritam Nereda, who delivered a blistering set, reminding us that the unfortunate 90s were a time when you could either escape reality in “eurodance” rhythms or confront it with raw emotion and angst, fighting a battle you had to win on your own.
After them came Villagers of Ioannina City, who took us on a journey through history with their psychedelic rock fused with the traditions of central Balkan folk music, complete with bagpipes, clarinet, and irregular rhythms. Yugoslavia had long looked wistfully towards the new wave compilation album “Paket aranžman” (Package Deal), but as nostalgia is futile, the group behind the Hali Gali compilation decided to create something similar, this time with alt-rock-pop bands from Belgrade. These bands emerged in the wake of cult Belgrade bands like Repetitor, E-Play, Disciplina Kičme, and Darkwood Dub and are often referred to as the “children of Repetitor.” Sitzpinker, Proto Tip, and perhaps the most successful member of the group, Vizelj, showcased this “new new wave of Belgrade rock” in a unique showcase performance.
DAY TWO
The second day catered more to lovers of “classic” pop-rock sounds. The Main Stage intro was provided by Slovenian attraction Astrid & The Scandals, an excellent example of alt-pop energy. Astrid brought the best of indie revival mixed with oriental rhythms, dancing, and singing through the hot twilight with demanding songs. There’s poetic justice in Ljubičice performing on the Main Stage, as they were deprived of their show five years ago due to an unprecedented storm on Sunday in 2019. This year, they had more luck, bringing the atmosphere of southern Banat, which they share with their fellow Pančevo natives, Buč Kesidi. They say that 1983 and 1984 were the “imperial” years for mainstream pop music worldwide, and Ljubičice follow that path, blending funk and synthwave reminiscent of Spandau Ballet in their heyday.
Musspell climbed the Visa Fusion Stage to show that Transylvania is a land of unreal things, with magic and the supernatural at every turn, presenting us with sad, dreamy pop with dark elements and Nordic tradition. Then, Slovenian heartthrobs Joker Out took the stage to give us a lesson in pop, showing that classic five-member lineups aren’t just reserved boy bands but can be revived in a way reminiscent of Spandau Ballet or Duran Duran. They are Slovenia’s answer to Buč Kesidi, combining form and substance. They were a breath of normality—humorously calling their style “shaggadelic rock”—and, as we said, they brought “sexy” back to pop music, but without vulgarity. For a moment that evening, it seemed like the world could be a better place again after it took a wrong turn about ten years ago. The Prague darkness was brought by an excellent darkwave band, Lakeside X, and the night was topped off by Black Eyed Peas with their anthemic songs.
DAY THREE
Saturday started furiously with the female punk band Replicunts, and it was clear that the decibels would be “cranked up to the max” that day. Naturally, The Exploited, Scottish punk legends who have lost none of their power, energy, or anger since their inception over 40 years ago, took the stage next. Perhaps their anger stems from the sharp decline in living standards in Britain after the relative prosperity following World War II, leading young people to immediately react against the destructive policies of Margaret Thatcher. The discovery of the Novi Sad scene was the band Grizete. The charismatic Andrea Vranić on bass and vocals, with the wind blowing through her hair and dress, appeared like a post-indie rock fairy, sending the message that music in Serbia is not dead yet.
On the Tesla Universe Stage, the rhythm shifted as hitmakers Kenya Grace, who showed that a laptop, a few gadgets, an excellent voice, and great songs can almost replace an entire band, and John Newman, who, despite this being only a “Hybrid DJ set,” managed to stir the crowd with his truly timeless hits, performed. Meanwhile, on the Visa Fusion Stage, we saw a trio of young artists who came into the spotlight largely through the Eurovision Song Contest. Luka Rajić and Filip Baloš, in particular, belong to this group, while Iva Lorens, the most prominent member of the trio, brought a “female touch” and excellent pop that we’ve often missed, as we mentioned earlier when we talked about Ljubičice. Being on the scene for 20 years is a great success, but celebrating 20 years since your first performance at EXIT with a performance at EXIT is an even more remarkable achievement. Ida Prester & Lollobrigida celebrated this milestone. The night was capped off by Marčelo (and Band), the “Serbian Eminem” or perhaps something even better—a man of great poetry and the conscience of this society, an activist rapper who could be Nick Cave or Leonard Cohen if he had chosen another way to present his poetry.
DAY FOUR
Sunday was a day for rock on the Tesla Universe Stage, and we saw rock in all its forms. It all began in daylight, with Novi Sad metal legends Annathema leading us into the world of thunderous guitars. Rivers of people of all ages and appearances were already flowing towards the Main Stage around 8 PM—many of them in black T-shirts with various slogans, emphasizing their loyalty to the genre—awaiting one of the biggest performances of this EXIT: Cavalera (sans Conspiracy since 2023). Red lights washed over the audience, and that day’s heat was close to hellish temperatures, making everything fit perfectly. “Hvala!” shouted Max at the end of the energy hurricane, and the glowing audience watched them depart as if in some strange liturgy.
And then came the long-awaited Altın Gün. I hadn’t had the chance to listen to Anatolian rock before, but I now understand the savvy of Goran Bregović during the Bebek era—interpolating local elements into guitar rock. Definitely a performance to remember, and our audience has every reason to see Altın Gün as their future favorites.
Few people revolutionize their instrument, but Morello is one of them. You can recognize his style among millions with the “meow-wow” elements he performs with just his left hand. Tom thanked EXIT and us for allowing guitar music to blare from the Main Stage, noting that he was overjoyed to be here after so many years and that it was a special honor for him that EXIT was founded as a rebellious, revolutionary festival in 2000. And so, Tom delivered all 32 years of his career in one unforgettable performance. Then came the most emotional moment dedicated to Chris Cornell, who tragically left us seven years ago—”Like a Stone” by Audioslave. It nearly brought the audience to tears, with an especially melancholic portrait of Chris looking back at us from the stage. He ended the concert furiously with the immortal anthem “Killing in the Name” by Rage Against the Machine, performed as an instrumental while the audience sang along. Tom Morello, the good soldier of Light in a white (quasi)uniform, showed us that night what one man can do with a guitar. And with the world. And with consciousness and conscience.
Autor: Žikica Milošević
