Inside Poland's Soviet-era festival that's now a thriving music hub

Euronews

a day ago

The origins of the Jarocin Festival date back to 1970, when it began as Wielkopolskie Rytmy Młodych (Wielkopolska Rhythms of the Young) - a regional music competition to promote amateur rock bands.
Taking place in the small town of Jarocin, the event quickly gained popularity, attracting young people from all over Poland.
In 1980, the festival changed its name and evolved into a platform for alternative and underground music.
The festival gained a unique status in the Eastern Bloc. Unlike most communist countries, where rock music was suppressed, Jarocin became an officially tolerated (though closely monitored) space. It was one of the few places where bands could express themselves artistically freely, and give vent to frustrations about authoritarianism, censorship and social norms under the repressive communist regime.
Jarocin in the 1980s was both a musical and socio-political phenomenon, offering a subversive voice for Polish youth during and after martial law.
It became a breeding ground for Polish punk and rock icons such as Dezerter, Kult and Armia.
With the fall of communism in 1989, Jarocin entered a period of transformation. The festival's original role - as a sanctuary of freedom of expression in a repressive regime - was no longer so necessary.
The 1990s brought increased commercialisation of Polish culture, and Jarocin struggled to redefine itself in a more open, market-driven society.
But the event went experienced a renaissance in the 2000s, fuelled by a growing nostalgia for the 1980s and a revived interest in alternative music.
The festival is now organised by the Good Taste Production agency from Poznan, which has festivals such as NEXT FEST, SALT WAVE BY PORSCHE and BITTERSWEET Festival under its wing.
In the beginning
Edgar Hein, the festival spokesman explained more about the importance of event's past: "This is an absolute legend. A festival that dates back to 1970, where the careers of the biggest Polish bands began, and not just the rock ones. It was here that a kind of social revolution took place, you could say, because the subcultures of the 80s, 90s were here to find a place to show off. We always try to give a nod to the history of the festival, (and mark) things like the 40th anniversary of Darek Malejonek, the band Hunter or Kobranocka."
Indeed, Darek Malejonek who's also known as "Maleo" was one of the first acts to perform at Jarocin: "In '84 we came to Jarocin for the competition with the band "Israel" and "Culture" to compete in the preliminaries. We managed to qualify for the big stage and that was the start of my artistic activity which continues to this day."
"Today it is a commercial festival but my heart always beats stronger in this place, because this is where it all started."
"There were a lot of security service agents and there were different, strange people in civilian clothes who sometimes even provoked riots. Television was filming such these riots and at that moment they were [portrayed as] disgracing in the eyes of the nation these dirty punks, metalheads."
"Those communist times are now just a memory but they were difficult enough to give us the strength to cope in all times."
Playing to perform
Competition for young bands is still a very important part of the festival. Wirefall are one of the few bands who qualified to perform on the small stage.
"We play very alternative, I think, that kind of alternative metal, new metal," explains Tomasz Piesiak.
The musicians noted that many bands here play heavy, alternative music and yet the festival gets a family feel.
"There are a lot of children, for example Mateusz and Konrad read Tuwim poems to the children as part of the festival," he said.
"For the next Jarocin festival, when we play I will definitely take my family."
Away from the music, there are a series of accompanying events and an exhibition to bring the events from the communist era closer to home
Today's Jarocin combines nostalgia with modernity. It pays homage to its heritage while presenting contemporary punk, rock, indie and hip-hop artists.
This allows Jarocin to maintain a bond with its roots, support independent musicians and alternative voices, and remain a symbol of youth rebellion and artistic freedom in Poland.
It is not only a celebration of music, but also a living archive of Polish socio-political changes, reflecting changing identities, values and artistic expressions across generations.
It is considered part of Poland's cultural heritage, with documentaries, exhibitions and academic studies dedicated to its history.
From a subversive gathering of youth during the communist era to a dynamic music festival in democratic Poland, Jarocin's evolution reflects the country's historical trajectory.