Balaton Sound

Here is the anthem of the 10th Balaton Sound – WATCH HERE!

The anthem of Balaton Sound 2016 has arrived! Co-produced by the talented and internationally well-known Hungarian producer duo: StadiumX and an amazing Canadian vocalist: Delaney Jane! The video was made by Blind media.

StadiumX, the very talented and successful Hungarian duo of Dave Martin and Sullivan is already noticed by several world famous producers for no surprise as they already got Beatport’s first rank and they had sets together with David Guetta. StadiumX produced this year’s Balaton Sound anthem in co-production with Delaney Jane who already gave her voice to the tracks of the bests of today’s electronic music scene, like Oliver Heldens, Shaun Frank, KSHMR and the DVBBS.

“We feel like the 10th Balaton Sound, with the most international stars ever, received the perfect anthem that fits the occasion, from an internationally remarked group” – said Zoltán Fülöp the head organizer of Balaton Sound, who also promises that this year’s Sound will be full of Birthday surprises.

We really hope that you like it as much as we do! Only two weeks left until Balaton Sound opens its gates! We can’t wait to see you in Zamárdi!

Photo: Péter Kálló // https://www.facebook.com/kallopeterphoto // www.kallopeter.hu

Balaton Sound: 2016 program complete!

Balaton Sound, the summer beach party, organized by Lake Balaton will once again bring the most prestigious names of the electronic and hip hop scene. The 5 days festival is celebrating its 10th edition this year with many exciting venues and programs. The line-up is now complete with DVBBS, The Chainsmokers, Duke Dumont, Bassjackers, Wiley and many more! Balaton Sound is held in Zamárdi between 6-10 July, 2016.

Balaton Sound, the non-stop beach party, will be as great and diverse as in the previous nine years. Celebrating its first decade the massive program of the 5 days will attract everyone who is into electronic music and hip hop. Besides the already prestigious line-up, organizers have added several new names as a final touch to the program. DVBBS, The Chainsmokers, Duke Dumont as well as Bassjackers, Andhim and Wiley will also be there in Zamárdi. The so called Day 0, 6th July, already featuring Macklemore & Ryan Lewis on the Main Stage, Oliver Heldens in the Telekom Arena will also host acts at the Jager Arena, as Chocolate Puma or Milk & Sugar. Among the program we can also find Stadium X and Peter Kruder.

Besides the biggest stages as the Main Stage, the Telekom Arena and Jager Arena, many program venues will great vibes as well. This year the Bass Stage powered by Bladerunnaz will host more than 40 acts such as Mefjus, Die, Murdock, Black Sun Empire, The Upbeats, Nickbee, Dismantle and Lady Waks. The energy is guaranteed and the music will be powered from 5 in the afternoon until morning. Several venues will be built on the Lake itself, so one can enjoy names such as Guy Mantzur, Watermat, H.O.S.H. and more.

Those who want to leave the festival area for a short while, but stay in the festival atmosphere should get their ticket to the special exclusive Balaton Sound boat parties, taking place every day on Lake Balaton! Music will be brought to the boat by special DJs each day as Agoria and Rodriguez JR. Live on 6th July, Andhim on 7th July, Adriatique on 8th July, H.O.S.H on 9th July and Peter Kruder on the 10th July.

Various accommodation possibilities are still open, so one can choose to stay next to the festival area at the Beach Camping in pre-settled caravans or in the Caravan Camping or just in the regular camping area that is located approximately 10 minutes from the festival area.

Full program available HERE.

For more information and tickets visit HERE.

Photo: Péter Kálló

Balaton Sound: Chris Brown, Steve Aoki, Deorro joins line-up

Balaton Sound is happy to announce more names in the already prestigious line-up. The 5 days festival organized on the beach of Lake Balaton will celebrate its 10th edition this year featuring the biggest electronic and hiphop names. This time Chris Brown, Steve Aoki, Deorro, Ellen Allien and many more have been added to the program. Balaton Sound is held in Zamárdi between 6-10 July.

Balaton Sound is going to be one of the best parties of this summer. The festival will grow out from the Zamárdi beach for the 10th time in 2016 and the organizers promise many excitements and fun this year as well. The beach and the Lake is a beautiful setting for a festival, especially that more than five venues will be on the Lake itself! Visitors can enjoy the most prominent DJs as Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Martin Garrix, Armin Van Buuren, Steve Aoki, W&W, Oliver Heldens, KSHMR, Nervo, Don Diablo, Paul Van Dyk, Aly & Fila and many more. When it comes to hiphop A$AP Ferg, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, The Game, Tyga,Tyler,the Creator and Chris Brown will bring the beats. In addition many other sub-genres of electronic music will be represented as well. Already announced program is available here.
This year a special Day 0 will kick off the non-stop party series of Balaton Sound with such artists as Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Oliver Heldens, Alan Walker, Madcon and more. 5 day passes are available for those who would like to be there on all 5 days!

Lake Balaton is the biggest lake in Central Europe, with great beaches, a spectacular view and everything one needs for a perfect summer vacation. The organizers of Balaton Sound are willing to bring new services each and every year for those who are keen for real special experiences. The best artists of the international house, tech-house and deep house scene will have special daytime sessions from Wednesday till Sunday (6-10 July) on Balaton Sound’s Party Boat. The five program days of the boat will be awesome and colorful, among others, with: H.O.S.H. from Hamburg, the Swiss Adriatique duo, the live act of Rodriguez Jr., the legendary Peter Kruder, the Andhim duo from Cologne and Agoria from Paris.The tickets are available in a very limited number, only 300 per day are up for sale. More information: balatonsound.com

New names announced (in alphabetical order):
99 Souls
Chris Brown
Deorro
Ellen Allien
Hospitality presents: London Elektricity, Metrik, Logistics
Mr. Oizo
Sam Feldt
Spor
Steve Aoki
Tchami
Will Sparks

Full line-up with dates available: http://pressemail.szigetfestival.com/i/uHy8z3n57jgqBQtJkMAmuTzfA7mj7k3t

For more information and tickets visit: http://pressemail.szigetfestival.com/i/dXd5d9qekSutPEbwO1aXjAVXRKBY_Z6Q

Exclusive boat parties on Lake Balaton

The organizers of Balaton Sound are willing to bring new services each and every year for those who are keen for real special experiences. The best artists of the international house, tech-house and deep house scene will have special daytime sessions from Wednesday till Sunday (6-10 July) on Balaton Sound’s Party Boat. The boat awaits visitors from 2 pm already on all program days, leaving the Siófok port at 3 pm when the superb party-excursion starts on the water.

The five program days of the boat will be awesome and colorful, among others, with: H.O.S.H. from Hamburg, the Swiss Adriatique duo, the live act of Rodriguez Jr., the legendary Peter Kruder, the Andhim duo from Cologne and Agoria from Paris.

The Badacsony catamaran will be our boat for this 5 days and we’ll transform it into a real party boat with high quality sound system, cocktail bar and chilling area as well. We suggest to buy the tickets as soon as you can because they are available in a very limited number, only 300 per day are up for sale. Transfer from the festival to the port of Siófok and back is included in the ticket price. Transfers are available every day from 1 pm, leaving from the main entrance of Balaton Sound.Tickets on a discounted price are available for Balaton Sound pass holders from today. You can get tickets on any of the Balaton Sound ticket pre-sales points or online.

Photo: Sándor Csudai

14 reasons why Lake Balaton “is the Riviera”

Balaton Uplands view

Szeretlekmagyarorszag.hu played a trick on their readers on the last April Fools’ Day, when they collected reasons why you shouldn’t travel to Lake Balaton. We were inspired to turn all those cons into pros and set up a list of reasons why you should definitely visit Lake Balaton and why “it is the Riviera” for many Hungarians. Get ready for our impregnable reasons!

  1. First and foremost: as Hungary doesn’t have a sea, we like to say that Lake Balaton is the Hungarian sea. And it can be seen from space: Sam Cristoforetti, Italian astronaut, even made a photo of it!balaton a világűrből
  2. There are plenty of sights! We don’t even know where to start since no matter which city or village you travel to, it’s guaranteed that you won’t be bored. Badacsony, Csopak, Hévíz, Keszthely, Tihany or Tapolca are all must-see places!
  3. The beautiful landscape: we are lucky to have a wide range of natural resources, which you can admire while drinking a glass of the famous wines from one of the Balaton wine-districts.
  4. The Tapolca Cave Lake was formed by volcanic forces in the neighbourhood of Lake Balaton. How is this possible? Geysers spouted due to the volcanic forces in the place of the onetime Pannon Lake, in Transdanubia. These gouged out the passages of the Cave Lake, which offers a unique experience to its visitors.
  5. You can have a great time at one of the many beaches, go swimming, dabbling, sunbathe or rent a paddle boat.
  6. The incomparable ‘Balaton-smell’: we don’t know what it’s made up of, but it is definitely typical.
  7. You can eat European hake, lángos (Hungarian flat bread) and pancakes in the buffets. These form an important part of the ‘Balaton-feeling’.
  8. The lavender field and festival in Tihany is an invaluable experience. Once you’re in Tihany, make sure to also visit the Benedictine Abbey.
  9. If you seek some adventure, like sports and being in the nature, then you should definitely go on a bicycle tour around the lake, which is a very popular activity among Hungarians.
  10. Other sport events include swimming, sailing, volleyball etc. Did you know that hundreds of people take part in the Lake Balaton cross swimming competition every year?
  11. You can choose from crazy festivals in the summer like Balaton Sound, B.my.Lake and Strand Festival.balaton-sound concert-2
  12. If you want to take your favourite pet with you on your vacation, then we have good news for you: there are quite a lot of dog-friendly beaches at Lake Balaton.
  13. Lake Balaton’s ice-cream selection is divine. The best ice-creams are awarded each year and you can try all of them during your sweet vacation.
  14. Last but not least, there is a beautiful variety of historic castles around the lake. Make sure to visit the stunning Festetics Castle in Keszthely, the Esterházy Castle in Szigliget, the Széchenyi Castle in Somogyvár or the Vaszary Mansion in Balatonfüred.balaton festetics

All in all, we might get biased when it comes to Lake Balaton, but Hungarians have many childhood memories connected to this lake that can seem like an ocean to us. There is even a famous Hungarian song with the title “Lake Balaton is the Riviera for me”. This place forms an important part of the Hungarian culture, and we warmly recommend travelling to the lake and visiting some of the surrounding sights. Hopefully, you get a sense of the ‘Balaton-feeling’ or the ‘summer at Balaton feel’ that is loved so much by the Hungarians.

Photos: Wiki Commons By txd, www.facebook.com/tavasbarlang.latogatokozpont, www.facebook.com/TihanyHivatalosOldala, www.facebook.com/BalatonSoundOfficial, www.facebook.com/festeticskastelyhivatalos

Copy editor: bm

5 reasons to be at Balaton Sound 2016

Balaton Sound is the place to be this summer if you’re looking for a beach holiday with the most prominent names of electronic music and hip hop. You still cannot decide? Here is a little help from us! 

1. The real sounds of Balaton Sound

The beach and Lake is a beautiful setting for a festival, but the music is super important! We have the most important names of electronic and hiphop music, playing at the biggest stages of Sound. You can enjoy the most prominent DJs as Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Martin Garrix, Armin Van Buuren, W&W, Oliver Heldens, KSHMR, Nervo, Don Diablo, Paul Van Dyk, Aly & Fila and many many more! When it comes to hiphop A$AP Ferg, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, The Game, Tyga and Tyler, The Creator will definitely be there for you entertainment. In addition many other sub-genres of electronic music will be represented, so make sure you check the already announced names here!
Prepare: Listen to the official playlist of Balaton Sound on Spotify!

2. Lake Balaton and things to do

Lake Balaton is the biggest lake in Central Europe, with great beaches, a spectacular view and everything you need for a perfect summer vacation. While music is non-stop, during the day you can cool down in the water, chill and develop your summer tan. The location for this is also set as there are several piers and exciting venues built on the Lake, so you can relax in the best environment. Special boat parties with special program are also awaiting you! The festival is very multicultural, people arrive from more than 60 countries, so you will definitely have new friends by the end of the 5 days craziness. At the festival area you will have the chance to choose from a wide range of foods, try out excellent Hungarian wines and taste many local specialties.

Prepare: Make sure you pack your swimsuit!

3. Getting there and sleeping

Zamárdi is approximately one hour by car from Budapest, so you either arrive to the airport (BUD) or one of the Budapest train stations. You should definitely pick 1-2 days before or after Balaton Sound to look around in lovely Budapest as it has many exciting stuff to offer! Accommodation options vary, you can choose to sleep in a basic camping area, but you can also book yourself into the Beach Camping, right next to the festival area, where you can also get a pre-pitched tent, a wooden house room or even a pre-settled caravan! Arriving by own caravan is also possible, while Flexotel and Flexotents are also ready for you to move-in. (http://pressemail.szigetfestival.com/i/exFFk5IrdhotE_39zhbzUIxvRgX3Qt6a)

Prepare: Balaton Sound is ready to pick you up, so check the transfers available!

4. Celebrating 10 years of Balaton Sound

After the first edition in 2007 Balaton Sound has been a sold out event, more and more discovered and beloved by foreign guests. The last 9 years of Balaton Sound is full of stories, celebration, amazing line-ups and a lot of developments. This year’s edition will be special in many aspects, so make sure you don’t miss out on this massive party. The organizers are preparing many specialties, so you can live through this historical moment (at least in the life of Balaton Sound).

Get ready for fireworks, confetti, cake – this will be a real birthday party! Join the celebration already!

5. Massive kick-off day – 6th July

Warm-up days are all about settling down and getting accustomed to the vibe. This year is special as right on Day 0, Balaton Sound will be loud from Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Oliver Heldens, Alan Walker, Madcon and more names to be announced soon. Make sure you get your 5 Days Pass as it includes this warm July day or you can also get a day ticket.

Tip: have a full Balaton Sound experience and move-in to the camping areas already on the 5th July!

Photo: Péter Kálló// https://www.facebook.com/kallopeterphoto // www.kallopeter.hu

Balaton Sound 2016 – 16 new acts confirmed

Balaton Sound is the place to be this summer if you’re looking for a beach holiday with the most prominent names of electronic music and hip hop. The 5 days party on the shore of Lake Balaton now welcomes The Game, Martin Solveig, KSHMR, Nervo, Dixon and many more. Discounted tickets are only available till 15th March.

Balaton Sound will be a crazy 5 days with a very exciting line-up, bringing all the important icons of electronic music, representing many sub-genres, while also focusing on the hip hop scene. In addition to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Martin Garrix, Armin Van Buuren, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Tyga and Robin Schulz 16 more names have been added to the line-up.

The 10th Balaton Sound will have many surprises, but the beautiful setting of Lake Balaton and the great atmosphere is guaranteed, all happening in Zamárdi between 6-10 July. Discounted tickets are available until 15th March and this year 4 days and 5 days passes are both available. Fans of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis or Oliver Heldens should definitely get the 5 days pass including this special Day 0.

Newly announced names in alphabetical order

Adam Beyer
ADRIATIQUE
Alan Fitzpatrick
Alan Walker
DIXON
Don Diablo
FEDER
GTA
HVOB
KRAAK & SMAAK (live band)
KSHMR
Madcon
MARTIN SOLVEIG
Matador
NERVO
THE GAME

Full line-up with dates available HERE.

New names for Sound 2016

Balaton Sound is celebrating its 10th event in 2016 with the top names of the electro and hip-hop scene. After the previously announced ten stars more than ten new acts join the line-up of the 5 days party: Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike * Tyga * Sven Väth * Ferry Corsten presents Gouryella * Tyler, The Creator * Timmy Trumpet * Booka Shade live * Borgore * Sub Focus Dj Set * Aly & Fila * Julian Jordan. Sound takes place between 6-10 July at the well-known venue of Zamárdi, on the shores of Lake Balaton, Hungary.

Besides the fantastic line-up we’re also bringing you some other novelties and developments to make the Balaton Sound beach party experience unique and unforgettable. Zamárdi is a lovely city, situated exactly at the shores of Lake Balaton, the biggest lake of Central Europe. Balaton Sound is one of the few electronic music festivals with a real lakeside connection, as about 2 km of beach awaits fans of music and summer right at the festival area. Accommodation options are available for all needs: camping areas are located 10 minutes from the festival, while one can also choose the Beach Camping right next to the festival area. In the Beach Camping glamping packages are also on sale, so one can have a real comfy place to have a rest while partying 24/7.

Already announced acts (in alphabetic order):

A$AP FERG
ALY & FILA
Armin van Buuren
Booka Shade
Borgore
Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike
FERRY CORSTEN
Fritz Kalkbrenner
Hernán Cattáneo
JULIAN JORDAN
LOST FREQUENCIES
MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS
Martin Garrix
Oliver Heldens
Paul van Dyke
Robin Schulz
Sub Focus DJ Set
Sven Vath
TIMMY TRUMPET
Tyga
Tyler, the Creator
W&W

Tickets on a discounted price are available until 15th March. You can find our line-up so far, the dates of the shows, all ticket types, prices and info, accommodation info and booking all in one place HERE.

Get in party mood and relive the amazing beach party moments through the Balaton Sound 2015 Aftermovie!

Photo: Sándor Csudai

Copy editor: bm

Balaton Sound 2016 – 10 strong names kick off the 10th Balaton Sound

Balaton Sound is celebrating its 10th edition in 2016 with top names of the electro and hip-hop scene. Ticket sales just started and already 10 names have been revealed for the 5 days of non-stop beach party. Armin van Buuren, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, W&W, Oliver Heldens and many more will meet festival fans at Zamardi, Lake Balaton this year. Early bird tickets are available for 72 hours starting 2 PM (CET), 8th December.

The Balaton Sound line-up is always focusing on the diversity of the electro and hip-hop scene. The first announced names are (in alphabetical order): A$ap Ferg, Armin van Buuren, Fritz Kalkbrenner, Hernán Cattáneo, Lost Frequencies, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Oliver Heldens,Paul van Dyk, Robin Schulz, and W&W. Many more to be expected in the upcoming months!

Tickets
Early bird tickets are available for 72 hours starting from 2 PM (CET), 8th December until 2 PM (CET) 11th December. This year visitors can get two types of passes. The 5 Days Pass, including the additional Day 0 program of Wednesday, 6th July, featuring Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Oliver Heldens so far, will guarantee 5 days of crazy beach party in Zamárdi. The 4 Days Pass is valid for the so called regular festival days (7-10th July) with names as Paul Van Dyk, Armin Van Buuren, Robin Schultz and many more. Day tickets for Day 0 and for the regular festival days are also available. For those who are looking for some extra goodness VIP passes and day tickets are available with a separate VIP entrance and entry to the VIP area with a grand stand facing the Main Stage.

Accommodation and travel
Zamárdi is a lovely city, situated exactly at the shores of Lake Balaton, the biggest lake of Central Europe. Only 1 hour from Budapest, Zamárdi is easily reachable from Liszt Ferenc Airport and main stations of the Hungarian capital. Direct shuttle buses are also available. Balaton Sound is one of the few electronic music festivals with a real lakeside connection, as about 2 km of beach awaits fans of music and summer right at the festival area. Accommodation options are available for all needs: camping areas are located 10 minutes from the festival, while one can also choose the Beach Camping right next to the festival area. In the Beach Camping glamping packages are also on sale, so one can have a real comfy place to have a rest while partying 24/7.

Re-live Balaton Sound 2015

BALATON SOUND AFTERMOVIE HAS ARRIVED – WATCH HERE!

photo: [ Sandor Csudai ] . www.facebook.com/csudaisandor

Big concerts are coming in 2016 as well

2016 concert calendar is taking shape, although we are still very much at the beginning. Balaton Sound and Sziget Festival have not announced performers so far, but itthon.blog.hu has already found 5 concerts worth waiting for in the next year.

Iron Maiden

They were in Hungary in 2014 the last time, and it has been recently announced that they would come again to the Volt Festival 2016. The legendary English metal band inserted the Hungarian performance into the world tour of its new album called The Book of Souls, but since they rarely get here, singer Bruce Dickinson promised they would play well-known classic Maiden tracks as well.

The Cure

After 8 years, The Cure starts a tour again in 2016. The major alternative rock band visited Hungary several times, but their 2016 concert will definitely be an exciting event, whether it will be a best of concert, or a premiere of their new album which has been promised by the band’s founder-songwriter Robert Smith for a long time. The supporting band will be The Twilight Sad, and the venue the Budapest Arena, itthon.blog.hu wrote.

Lara Fabian

The Canadian Lara Fabian (she is of Italian-Belgian descent, but she will sing in English and French in Hungary), who sings in the footsteps of Celine Dion and Sarah Brightman, will perform in the Budapest Arena. Tens of thousands visit her concerts for her powerful, magical voice. She sings, in addition to her own songs, the hits of Edit Piaf, Barbra Streisand and Charles Aznavour. Her popularity is increasing in Hungary, too, but if you have not heard about her, here is her biggest hit:

Ennio Morricone

The uncrowded king of soundtracks will give a concert in the Budapest Arena on January 17. The master summarizes the 60 years of his career as a composer and conductor, so his most famous soundtracks will definitely be heard, and allegedly he will perform novelties and surprises as well. Morricone has worked with the biggest names from Sergio Leone to Quentin Tarantino, but he also wrote music for Bud Spencer films, moreover, he composed for Fatelessness in 2005.

Ignite

The Californian punk-rock band will begin the year with a new album, and they will also present it in Barba Negra Track in Budapest. The singer has Hungarian ancestors, so you can hear Hungarian-related things in their songs repeatedly, and you should not even be surprised if he starts singing a song in Hungarian.

based on the article of itthon.blog.hu
translated by BA

Photo: Iron Maiden Facebook page
Copy editor: bm

Vote for Sziget @ European Festival Awards

The annual voting season of the European festivals is now ON! You can vote for the Island of Freedom in 2 categories: Best Major Festival and Best European Line-Up. Sziget is reigning the Best Major Festival Award for last year, so vote for it to make it the best of the bests this year as well!

Sziget is not just a festival of the summer, but a lifetime experience that everyone has to live through! We are happy that so many of you had fun and enjoyed the Island of Freedom! Now you can also testify this by voting for Sziget in 2 categories at the European Festival Awards until 12th November at the Festival Awards site! All festivals organized by Sziget Cultural Management are in the race at the European Festival Awards, so besides Sziget Festival you can also leave your votes for MasterCard Balaton Sound and VOLT Festival in the Best Medium-Sized European Festival category. Spread the Sziget love and vote now!
VOTE HERE!
Related article:
BEST FESTIVAL CAN BE HUNGARIAN

Balaton Sound organisers expect up to 150,000 visitors

Budapest (MTI) – Organisers expect 140-150,000 visitors to attend this year’s Balaton Sound music festival in western Hungary, they said on Wednesday, the event’s first day.

The festival organised in Zamardi on the southern shore of the lake last year attracted 145,000 people, Norbert Lobenwein, a chief organiser, told MTI.

The event is highly popular among foreigners, 60-70 percent of whom come from Belgium and the Netherlands, followed by festival-goers from Austria, Slovakia, Germany, Britain and Italy.

The concert line up of the five-day event this year includes Faithless, Moti, Nicky Romero, Tiesto, Hardwell, Ludacris on the main stage, among others.

There will be 200 music, leisure and sports programmes offered at 15 venues.

Photo: MTI

Balaton Sound will merge everything a good summer vacation and a true electronic party – Official anthem VIDEO

MasterCard Balaton Sound, the premium electronic music festival at Lake Balaton, will open its gates in 2 weeks. Not only will top DJs like Hardwell, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Tiesto, Nicky Romero and Afrojack bring the music, but more than 200 programs on 15 venues will get the party rolling at the 5-day mega event. A 2 km beach and several services guarantee that the host town Zamardi is simply the place to be between 8-12 July.

Summer has arrived to Zamárdi, where in only 3 weeks MasterCard Balaton Sound will kick off for the 9th time on the lovely shore of the biggest lake of Central Europe, Lake Balaton. One can choose a Festival Pass that is valid for all 4 regular days of the event as well as the special Day 0 (8th July), when Tiesto, Oliver Heldens, Moti and many more will kick off this year’s party. Day tickets are also available in a limited number, so those who would like to be part of #sound2015, should secure their tickets now.

Program by day & night

The five days of MasterCard Balaton Sound will merge everything a good summer vacation and a true electronic party series has to offer. During the day, there is no need to leave the festival area as visitors can enjoy the lake right from the site on a 2 km long beach with a mesmerizing view of the Northern shore of Balaton. There will be plenty of venues to chill, enjoy the sun, cool down in the lake, dance to great music, eat and drink and just prepare for the huge party by night. Visitors must try the excellent food and wine offer of the Balaton Region or relax with some sports. As this year’s focus is the lake itself, there will be six piers built on the lake, among them a yacht, where the party will never stop. Beach and fitness sport facilities are awaiting the guests, including football, volleyball, ping pong and many more. Those who would like to try some extreme sports can try out the bag jump, catapult, bungee jumping, but water sports will also be available.

The five nights will host a record number of international star DJs, live acts and bands, among them the top performers of the top 100 list of DJ Mag as Hardwell, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Tiesto, Nicky Romero and Afrojack. More than 200 programs on more than 15 venues will fill up the night shift of the 5 days, where the main program venues will go through an exciting re-make. The MasterCard Main Stage and its expanded pit will feature extra show elements. To sum up: 500 kg of confetti, 10 lasers, 5000 kg of CO tanks and other special effects and pyrotechnic will crown the shows. Meanwhile the area of the Telekom Arena has grown as well, now reaching almost 5000m2. Built right next to the gigantic tent, the Telekom Relax zone of 1500 m2 will host those who would like to chill by the popular venue. This relaxing chill area will have comfy deckchairs, a bar and a 150 meter long digital fence with 50 m2 of interactive platform. In addition, the B my Lake Terrace will be dressed into a flowery outfit with 100 m2 of ledscreen and an exquisite cocktail bar complex.

Festival site

MasterCard Balaton Sound is situated in Zamárdi, just one hour from Budapest. Several options are available to get to the festival site as a direct shuttle service leaving from the airport or downtown Budapest. Those who are more adventurous can choose the ride sharing option. Accommodation possibilities are also available: basic camping site is located near the event, so those bringing their tents can enjoy nice services and a great area to have a little sleep. While the VIP Camping is already sold out, premium offers are still available on the festival site itself: Flexotel offers cabins for 2 and the #festivalhotel powered by Telekom is a also a great way to have a little rest. Services as guarded lockers, camping set, camping accessories can be still purchased in the webshop. In addition, visitors can buy a portable phone charger in advance, so their phones can keep up with the party and they can be social all day and keep the memories forever. All these items are available in the MasterCard Balaton Sound webshop.

Since the last event the organizing crew started a big project to develop the core qualities of the festival area. Thanks to this the area became a lot more efficient in terms of water management, so even in case of a rainy day the water finds an easier way out, just to make sure that fans stay dry and happy. The area is now covered by a new, more resistant type of grass, so it stays green longer. The roads at the area have also been reconstructed, so logistically it’s easier to run the event. All this means that the festival can take place on a slightly more natural area, using less provisional infrastructure, as it needs less protection. In short: greener, nicer, more fun!

Taste the vibe of Balaton Sound with this year’s official anthem of MasterCard Balaton Sound:

2015 – The best concerts in Hungary

Slipknot, Roxette, Motörhead, One Republic and Nickelback and Bad Manners fans should be excited, because among others, these bands will come to Hungary, reports kulturpart.hu.

If you like live music, you won’t get bored this year! Check out the monthly programme, summarized by kulturpart.hu:

January

9th Budapest starts the year with Philip Catherine’s concert on January 9 at Müpa, and after the Belgian jazz quartet
10th Thomas Anders from the ‘80s pop duo Modern Talking at Syma
11th Michael Borstlap, the Dutch jazz pianist plays on January 11 at Müpa
17th Folk Music Festival at Müpa with Hungarian folk bands
24th Epica, the Dutch symphonic metal band at Petőfi Csarnok, and The Raveonettes from Denmark at A38
25th Sabaton, the Swedish power metal band performs at Petőfi Csarnok
31th Ignite, the American hardcore-punk band gives two concerts, the first one will be held at Barba Negra, on the 31 th of January, the second on the following day, at A38.

February

4th Earth, an American drone metal band awaits fans at A38
5th the popular American metal band, Slipknot will give a concert at Budapest Sport Arena
7th Matt Bianco, the popular jazz pop band of the ‘80s will perform at MOM Sport Center
8th The 8th of February will offer two great programmes for electro-fans, as two of the most popular American DJs will visit Hungary on this day: DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist will play electro-funk at Dürer Garden
9th Fink, the British singer-songwriter gives a concert at A38
23th For those who like grunge music, kulturpart recommends Mark Laneghan’s concerts at A38, while those who prefer jazz, should check out Arturo Sandoval’s performance at Müpa
24th Lordi entertains monster-metal fans at Barba Negra
27th Bad Manners, the ska band plays at A38

March

12th Devin Thownsend plays at A38
30th Sleepmakeswaves, the Australian postrock band plays at A38

April

6th Arena, the 20-years-old, British neo-progressive rock band plays at A38
11th Apocalyptica gives a concert at Petőfi Csarnok
15th David Sandborn Band, the Grammy-winner American jazz band plays at Müpa
16th Against Me! awaits punkrock enthusiasts and anarchists at A38

May

9th Roxette, the popular Swedish pop duo visits Hungary and play at Budapest Sport Arena

June

7th OneRepublic plays at Budapest Sport Arena
17th Budapest Park presents two bands that could fit into the ‘hardcore’ category: Asking Alexandra and Hollywood Undead

August

29th The teenage stars of Disney channel will give a concert at Budapest Sport Arena, Violetta Live! offers entertainment for the fans of the show ‘Violetta’

The festival season starts in June, with Fishing on Orfű, a festival that provides quality music for fans of Hungarian alternative, pop and rock bands. The festival will be held in the village of Orfű, from the 17th until the 20th of June. In July, from the 1st until the 4th VOLT Festival will be held in Sopron, with impressive headlines like the Motörhead, John Newman and Parov Stelar. From July 9 to 12, Balaton Sound; from July 13 to 19 Rockmaraton; and from the 14th of July until the 19th, EFOTT continues the entertainment of music fans. Sziget Festival is the most widely known festival in Hungary, and the only one that takes place in Budapest. Sziget starts with the concert of Florence and the Machine at August 10 and ends on the 17th. The festival season ends with Strand Festival, held in Zamárdi, and SZIN, held in Szeged – both of which feature the leading music acts of Hungary from the Carbonfools to Ákos.

Szeptember

13th The Day of the Hungarian Music offers concerts featuring the most popular Hungarian musicians and bands

October

21 th – 25th World Music Expo, probably the most important event in the Hungarian music scene debuts at Millenáris Park.

based on article by kulturpart.hu
translated by Laura Kocsis

Photo: pixabay

Balaton Sound Organisers Expect 150,000 Participants

(MTI) – Organisers of this year’s Balaton Sound, starting on Wednesday evening, expect some 150,000 people to attend the music festival.

At a press conference ahead of the festival opening, organisers said that all passes were sold out weeks ago and the number of foreign visitors has doubled since last year.

Zoltan Fulop, one of the founders of the festival, said that this year’s event will take place on a larger area than before, and the venue has also been rearranged in light of the large number of expected participants.

The festival is held in Zamardi, on the southern shore of popular holiday resort Lake Balaton.

Photo: Peter Kallo