Music has always been a great thing to bring people together. They say it’s a universal language that can be understood even when one doesn’t speak the native tongue of the lyrics. Then, just like a great tree, music branches itself to accommodate different tastes by dividing the genre that then bind together people who enjoy similar kind of music together. Not only through records, but greater than that, through music festivals.
Russia is not an exception. They also love music and cater the need of their people to enjoy it together by allowing music festivals to be held every now and then in different parts of the country. One of the most popular is Nashestvie Rock Festival that is also known as the “Russian Woodstock”. Being a famous event with thousands of visitors each year, here are some of the worth to know facts about Nashestvie Rock Festival in Russia you want to check out.
1. History of the Event
This biggest Russian rock music festival was initiated in 1999 by a rock radio station named Nashe Radio to present to their listeners the faces of their playlist by performing the most popular and elite rock bands in Russia. The first event was held indoor and not during the summer but in December. The venue was Gorbunov Palace of Culture in Moscow, Russia. At that time they only performed six headliners with around ten thousands visitors. The next year they shifted the event to summer and began the open-air tradition to liven up the spirit of the fesival. Nashestvie has only grown bigger eversince.
2. The Bands Don’t Get Paid
This is a unique fact from Nashestvie. Even the popular bands play for free. The festival is more like a great way for aspiring and obscure bands to promote themselves and get known by the crowd. So it’s safe to say that this event, for the bands, is actually a massive get-together where they show up for a gig and have fun with thousands of music lovers from all over Russia and even the world. The organizers do a great favor not only for the people who enjoy music and festival goers but also small bands that need a stepping stone.
3. Nashestvie and Russia Political Atmosphere
The only time the festival was not properly carried out was in 2003 after there was a terrorist attack at the Krylya Festival the same year. Considering the safety of everybody involved, the organizers decided to cancel the open-air festival and moved the event to the radio station where the bands performed live on air with the listeners as the audience.
For the last several years the festival had been joined by the Russian Ministry of Defence where they took one percent of the venue for them to display tanks, line up soldiers, let people take photos and carry out a simulaton of entrance test to the army. This brought up strong reactions from some bands that claimed themselves to be anti-war and said that tanks around the festival venue was betraying the good cause of the event. They even refused to play as long as the Ministry of Defence still had their booth there. But the organizers said it was not supposed to be seen as a pro war campaign but more to make people understand the military better.
4. Not Only Rock
In 2005 the festival was held for three days in a row for the first time. It was also the first year where they built up three scenes that play simultaneously. The major scene or the main stage was for classic rock. The second stage for punk and heavy metal bands, and then the third scene for other genres like reggae, ska, folk, and more. It was the first year people could discover more bands from varied styles through the Nashestvie.
5. Family Friendly Festival
When you think of rock music festival, you might think of heavy crowds jumping around with really loud sound systems blasting about. Can’t picture children around such scene, right? But surprisingly, Nashestvie actually welcomes families. Some people actually took their children to the event and everybody could have fun. There is more than just stages and crowds there, but also food and drink stalls, booths from record shops, camping goods for people who decide to build tents around the venue, and more. The drinking water is free, but hot water for instant noodle and coffee is not. Toilets are kept clean and free. There is also a charging station for devices. It is safe to say that the basic needs of the visitors are quite well-covered.
6. The Venues
The first Nashestvie Festival was held indoor in Moscow, and then the next year it was moved outdoor to Ramenskoye Hippodrome during the summer which then became the regular venue for three years. In 2006 the organizers shifted northwest out of Moscow to Tver Oblast suburb for a bigger, more convenient area and the festival has been celebrated there eversince.
7. Tickets and Seatings
Just like any other music festivals, Nashestvie also divides the placement of their visitors based on the price of the tickets that range from RUB 1.650 to 12.500 (around USD 25 to 192) starting from festival to VVIP. Of course this will make a difference in the convenience and distance to the main stage.
8. The Accomodations
To them who want to feel the full atmosphere of the festival, camping around the venue is very recommended. But visitors with children can always choose to stay in hotels or motels around Zavidovo – because Moscow would be too far. But of course the prices can get quite high in summer and especially when the festival is taking place. There’s always a price as an exchange to convenience.
Those were several worth know facts about Nashestvie Rock Festival in Russia. Interesting to know even though you may not be a rock music lover or plan to go to the event . There is always something new everyday to learn about.