Postindustrial in the Czech Republic - Brutal Assualt festival - part 1

Brutal Assault festival takes place in fortress Josefov in the small town of Jaromer, 130 km East from Prague (the exact address: ul. 5.kvetna, 551 02 Jaromer-Josefov, GPS Coordinates: 50°20'25.54"N; 15°56'7.3"E). The biggest noteworthy, in our opinion, is just the venue is a fortress built in the 18th century by the Austrians, and currently functioning as the Museum and the festival turns into a great place for desperate metalheads, giving the largest share of the atmospherics in the event.

The organizers promote the festival as free from key headliners - after all, each visitor to your headliner.

Speakers this year can be viewed at the link: https://brutalassault.cz/ru/running-order/

The number of guests at the festival's standards is small. The fact is that the territory of the fortress was not allowing to accept more than fifteen thousand people, so the tickets here sold out pretty quickly. It should be noted that the idea to hold the festival in the fortress is magnificent for several reasons: the heat in the walls of the fortress is pretty cool, in case of heavy rain, and enough space for everyone to shelter from the weather, Josefov he inspires the realization of the unusual concept of the festival, and leaves room for imagination and creativity.

Transport

To get to Jaroměř public transport by train and bus.

From Prague, the bus company RegioJet from the bus stop to Black Bridge (Černý most - the final stop of the yellow line) going towards Trutnov. The ticket will cost 4.99 euros, the journey takes 1 hour 40 minutes (it took us 2 hours with traffic). Stop in the Town where you need to go is called Na Spici (it told you to go back, but we need to move to the other side). The road from the bus stop to the festival takes about half an hour: you need to go down the street for a bus stop, then reaching the crossroads, turn right and have nowhere to turn. On the road in several places signs with the inscription Koncert. Also, in addition to surely you will be on the festival field to get the crowd of metalheads, so feel free to go for them. And if you don't want to carry a handbag, then your taxi to the festival cost 100 CZK or 5 Euro.

Organizers recommend you to plan your trip on the festival using this website.

Getting a bracelet and entry to the festival

To put tent and to get the bracelet that allows you to avoid unnecessary movements with huge backpacks. The ticket you need to exchange the awning in front of the entrance of the festival. The bracelet has two important functions: it is a pass to the festival and a payment instrument. To go to the festival, you must attach the wristband to a special panel to signal. The same procedure needs to be done and on the way out. In addition to the bracelet, guests were given a set of cards attached on lanyard, with performances and a booklet with all necessary information.

The camp was to bring anything – no examination of things was not, but on the festival grounds it was impossible to carry the glass, drinks, sharp objects, fireworks, etc. Inspection before the gates of the festival also included the verification of the integrity of the bracelet.

Fulfillment

This year the organizers have introduced an additional service Fulfillment, the essence of which is that for 6 euros, the customer brought the bracelet straight home, which allowed him to save time without spending it in the queue and reduces the queue itself. Read more about this service you can read here.

Safety and health

At the entrance to the festival was a fenced area reserved for the camp physicians. We also saw ambulance crews on duty in areas with large concentrations of people on site.

As for guards, we saw them in large numbers, but the mess was not. Not seen any fights or even quarrels, and in General, metal heads a very positive and friendly and all the people came to relax, not to fight.

Camping

At the festival there were two kinds of camping: regular and VIP

Normal

No different from the natural, except that starts from the plate Camping and is located on the hill closer to the fortress. In fact, the city blends in with the camping, as people put up tents and along the road, and on free lawns – in short to any place. Neither natural nor conventional motor home would not be protected and there is access by anyone, including local residents, among which there are Gypsies, so be warned once – valuable things to take with you during sleep hugged her as tightly as possible, and to calm hung a small padlock on the tent (such locks are sold in the shops of tourist equipment). It is clear that the knife lock will not protect, but still worth a try. As part of the camp is at the top of the slope and is a narrow strip in the forest with a path, I advise you to settle on the border of the slope which is quite steep, that is, from the other side, you hardly anyone would fit, but on the other hand, your tent will be covered next, and not be too conspicuous way.

By the way, from the slope one can go down only on specially designated trails and be out on the slopes is prohibited, as warned of severe signs, where it is written that the penalty for breach is 500 EUR or CZK 18500. But, taking into account the steepness of the slope, after rain and pass him a few hundred pairs of legs, have a little to deviate from designated trails and look for a convenient way of launching/recovering, not to roll him head over heels.

VIP

There were six VIP camps, located at the foot of the above hill. Besides that the tent was standing on an illuminated protected area and on flat ground, the advantages, in our view, in the VIP camp is questionable. Firstly, on a hill with trees, so all the tents are in their shadows, allowing you not to jump in at 7am from the sun, and sleep as much as you want, and vipovskikh the tent top does not secure. Secondly, on the one hand, the lighting is, of course, night is good, but how to sleep if light shines directly into the eyes? Also benefit from the proximity of the toilets seemed to us doubtful.

Check in at the VIP camp was held directly in the booth standing near the VIPs, where the inhabitants were hung for more orange bracelet and marker noted by a number of the camping.

Scene

Main

The festival had two main paired scenes: Sea Snepherd and Jagermeister, on which performances are held alternately. On the first day of the stage opened at 14.00, in the remaining days of the first performance started at 10.30. Between scenes, hung a large screen broadcasts of performances.

Metalgate

It's a covered stage, located away from the main scenes where you could listen to not only metal artists, but also groups such as, for example, God Is An Austronaut. Opened the scene at 16.30.

Oriental

It is a scene that is open to experiments, for example, in the first day it gave a concert of Japanese band Boris. Opened the scene is Oriental in the evening. On the first day it made, the rest of the speech consisted of two groups.

It is worth noting an important fact – the area in front of all the scenes was covered with a special coating, and Oriental and so stood on the pavement, so on the third day, when it started to rain, such as mud baths, as in most other European festivals, it was not but the boots and raincoat were superfluous.

Food

Power to Brutal Assault, one of the most diverse among the festivals. Here you can find the national Czech cuisine, Italian (two slices of pizza for 70 CZK), Greek (gyros), Turkish (prices at the local Shawarma started from 120, - CZK), Chinese (noodles and rice) and, of course, good old burgers of various flavors, sizes and price tags, sausages, potatoes. Even the most sophisticated in terms of gastronomy, the metalhead will find something suitable.

The Russian people would like to try the local pickles.

Has become very popular in recent times glasses with pieces of fruit.

Chocolate lovers will rejoice candy floss, ice cream, donuts and candy liquid

For everything on the field, you have to pay for the bracelet and outside the field can spend and cash.

But if you want to save even more, you should do just a couple of steps into the town and immediately you will find two minimarket in Josefov, which keep local Asians (one that is closer is smaller, but cheaper). Also about a kilometer away (in the Town) located the dining room, where over 130 CZK for you will be available to large portions of the first and second with a side dish and a cold coffee for 60 crowns (and if not too lazy to walk to the stop, exactly the same coffee for 38 CZK) and Wi-Fi and a restaurant serving Czech cuisine – prices are higher, but the national dishes, which go well under a foamy drink.

Do not forget that we are in the city, so there should be supermarkets and they are there. Penny supermarket is located in the one and a half miles from the festival. You enough not to collapse on the street leading to the stop Na Spici, and pass right by. Well if you and it is not enough, then go to the other side of the same stop and you will see several supermarkets, one of which grocery like our Auchan (by the way, it also has free WiFi).

Bracelet

The whole festival area is declared free from cash. As we said above, the bracelet is a payment instrument. To put money on it at points TopUp located on the festival grounds and camping site. Despite long lines, they move fairly quickly. Payment is made in two stages: first, you attach the bracelet to the device, and the display shows your current balance, then re-apply the bracelet to debit the required amount of funds. We would recommend not to throw a lot of money because the return of the balance you will be charged a Commission of 50 kroons and boxes Top Up enough for the festival and "refuel" you can always easily.

Drinks

System glasses is about the same as on many European festivals, with one exception – the glass you will be given a token with which you can convert the glass back on the money (50 dollars), so the organizers have excluded the possibility of collecting glasses throughout the festival and putting them wholesale.

Of course, the most popular drink of the festival was the foam in the usual bright pavilions were worth CZK 45-50, dark 38, and the bars prices are slightly increased for beer had to pay 60 CZK.

Also diverse was the range of bar cocktails

A beautiful girl carried the crowd Jagermeister.

In addition to the intoxicating beverages were sold a large amount of hot tea (35 CZK) and coffee and refreshing: for example, a cold coffee with chocolate and whipped cream costs about 60 kronor.

Also it was nice to see the range of Mead

Merch and stores

Points, with merchandise as always a long queue, therefore it is better to buy the coveted thing into memory at once, until everything is sold out.

In addition to merch at the festival you will find a great variety of hats, glasses, t-shirts, magnets, scarves – all metal-no soul will wish! And, of course, what a metal festival without shop Nuclear Blast.

Continued on the link.