Setting the tone for a unique musical and spiritual journey, Aubrey Marcus declared that the “echo of this moment will reverberate for centuries.” The grand opening ceremony was further enriched by a children’s choir performing a symbolic rendition of “Zemlja” (“Earth”) by Ekatarina Velika. Tens of thousands of fans gathered in front of the Gorki List Main Stage ecstatically greeted the much-anticipated return of The Prodigy – the electro-punk giants turned up the heat during their hour-and-a-half journey through their rich discography, commencing with “Breathe,” a song performed live for the first time nearly three decades ago right here in Serbia!
The Prodigy’s return to their spiritual home kicked off symbolically with the song “Breathe,“ which they first tried live back in 1995 in Belgrade, fostering a special connection between the local audience and the greatest electro-punk band of all time. What followed was a string of anthems –“Omen,“ “Voodoo People,“ “Smack My Bitch Up,“ “We Live Forever, “ and many more, interacting with the tens of thousands of fans, culminating in the night’s energetic peak!
The grand opening of this year’s EXIT began in the early evening hours on the Pachamama powered by Rosa stage – the ancient cacao ceremony was accompanied by meditative-musical kirtans performed by the Sarasvati Druna band. The festival was officially opened by the founder and director Dušan Kovačević, along with his three-month-old daughter Atina Ljubav Kovačević, symbolizing the New Earth message.
The largest of three opening ceremonies for this year’s edition of the EXIT Festival, which goes down in history as the first-ever festival launch from space, was introduced by motivational speakers Henry Ammar and Aubrey Marcus. “You are not here by accident, right at this moment and right at this place – together, we can build a world that will exist for our children and our children’s children, a world of peace, love, dance, and joy. We have the chance to build that world together. The echo of this moment will reverberate for centuries,” Marcus said in his address. The important message was further amplified by the children’s choirs “Vokal Kids” and the “Stevica Jovanović” elementary school from Pančevo, who performed the song “Zemlja” by the cult band Ekatarina Velika on the Gorki List Main Stage.
Then the energy of the Ada Divine Awakening festival took over the mts Dance Arena, with the mystical and entrancing sound alchemist Vylana Marcus bringing a symbiosis of poetry and music combined with dance and fire performance in celebration of female energy. The rest of the night in EXIT’s temple of electronic music continued in the same rhythm, featuring the leading women of the electronic music scene – Nina Kraviz, Indira Paganotto, Amelie Lens, Tijana T, Miju, and Lanna as part of the most impressive all-female techno lineup available today!
The festival was launched on the Gorki List Main Stage by the Viagra Boys, whose neo-punk guitar sound, spiced up with expert jazz musicianship and sharp humor, won over the audience. This was followed by tens of thousands of fans eagerly awaiting The Prodigy’s big, emotional, energy-packed return. After midnight, the pulse of the Main Stage quickened to 174 beats per minute with drum ‘n’ bass icons Chase & Status, followed by Gardna and Charlie Tee. At the same time, a plethora of other performances resonated from over 40 festival stages and zones.
Tonight, in the second festival night, the Gorki List Main Stage will witness another major comeback – Grammy record-holder Skrillex is coming to town, as well as one of the leading symphonic metal bands from the Netherlands, Epica, the dance duo LF System, and hitmaker Burak Yeter. The mts Dance Arena will be taken over by the undisputed number #1 of the electronic music scene, Eric Prydz, eagerly awaited by the local audience for a decade, along with duo CamelPhat, Space Motion, and others, while the neighboring alternative electronic NSNS stage is headlined by Desiree, Shimza, and Carlita.
Visa Fusion stage tonight will host Sunshine, Crni Cerak & Lacku, Kendi, Zoe Kida, Dzipsii, Dina Jashari i Drugari, SickSoul, and Petar Z, while the trap and rap sounds on Gang Beats will be delivered by Yung Bude, Dino Blunt, Spejs Noksi & Kene Beri, Tam, Ena x Rouzi, and many others.
Online ticket sales have finished. Day tickets can still be purchased at official points of sale in Serbia, as well as at the festival gates.
