Annual gathering of THE balkan UNDERGROUND community
18—20.07.2024.
3 days of sickness ★ 25 bands ★ distros ★ exhibitions
screenings ★ tattoo ★ circus ★ performances ★ sick after parties with band and DJs
donation based entrance ★ free campground ★ live screen printing ★ delicious food we make ourselves ★ punk cocktails
coffee and breakfast in the morning on donations ★ showers and free drinking water ★ CHEAP DRINKS ★ music trivia quizes ★ bbq ★ fucking popcorn all day long!
Wanna help with promotion?
We have limited promotional resources. We don’t make ads. We don’t create sponsorship content. We don’t do PRs. All we do is print out posters and flyers and bring them to local shows.
Any help here is appreciated. As a thank you note - get in touch so we can prepare some merch goodies to wait for you at the festival.
SHARE WITH FRIENDS
27 bands. 15+ ARTISTS. ALL DONATION-BASED.
2024 Lineup
18.-20.07.2024.
ALL EXCEPT ONE // Zrenjanin, RS
hardcore tarapana rats from Mužlja area
ASILE // SOIGNIES, BE
furious punk rockers from Belgium
DEAD DOG SUMMER // CAKOVEC, HR
post hardcore veterans
DISBAJA // Zagreb, HR
d-beat mutation machinery
DYING EAST // ZUPANJA, HR
local punk metalheads
GROUND ZERO // NOVI Sad, RS
fast and furious punx with heavy metal riffs
HYACINTH // PILSEN, CZ
hardcore kids from the Rokycany fields area
KIJAMET // Zagreb, HR
hardcore punk rippers
KORIDOR // Zagreb, HR
dark post punks straight from the 80s ex-Yu punk scene
LESS // TOURS, FR
post punk noise with two basses and drum
LIQUID SUPERCHARGE // PULA, HR
speed rockers from the underground of Paradiso
MAZUT // PULA, HR
mediterranean d-beat butchers
NEVEN // BELGRADE, RS
hardcore straight from the streets of Belgrade
NAGÖN // BELGRADE, RS
punk and roll barbarian hörde
NAILED IN // Zagreb, HR
restless hardcore punks kvatric force
OKOV // Zagreb, HR
raw melodic hardcore punk smashers
PASMATERS // PULA, HR
oldschool hardcore punk from the streets of Pula
PERIPETIJA // BELGRADE & NOVI SAD, RS
antifa straight edge maniacs
POPIK // Sarajevo, BA
punk and roll guardians from Bosnia
SKEETCH // LEIPZIG, DE
skate punk rockers from Germany
STARVATION // ZG & PZ, HR
metal crust punx shredders
STATICØ // BELGRADE, RS
not-so-static hardcore punk scene saviors
THE NONAME // XI’AN, CN
punk and rebellion from China since 2001!
VERRAT // Vienna, AU
furious blackened crust from Austria
ZOMBIES NO // Paris, FR
90s punk rock melodic gang
MORE THAN MUSIC!
We’re always trying to bring more activities than just loud noise from the PA, from info decks, to circus performances, goods exchange, exhibitions, various installations and more. Here’s what we have been cooking for 2024.
✚ SICK after parties with “KALIKAMO” band and legendary "BarabaDub SoundSystem" crew
✚ "The Taste Of The Pit" photography exhibition by Pavle Kocanjer "Vjetroslav Prdinski"
✚ Live tattooing with "Do Kosti Tattoo" vanagon crew - special SAWA tattoo flashes available!
✚ "Županja Hardcore - 30 years" gig posters and photography exhibition - vinyl promotion and listening party
✚ Performing collective "Tricycle Trauma" and dark circus show performance
✚ "Pank-o-laži” chill gallery tent and exhibition by Petja Kolenko "Pitja"
✚ Live screen printing by "Smudge Print Lab" - you can also bring your own shirts!
✚ "Priče iz Magle" poster and illustration showroom with Nadan Sarvan "LGNJ Graphics" and custom clothes, embroidery and handicrafts by Paula Sabrina "Revenant Rags"
✚ Illustration and artworks exhibition "ILLZLOŽBA" by Goran Kovačić "Cartbox"
✚ Video screenings “DIY or/and DIE” of behind the scenes with SAWA Crew
✚ Punk rock trivia quiz challenges installations in collaboration with Goodwill Records
✚ Second hand punk rock market from which we donate all proceedings for the good causes, and in return you to get fancy used clothes
✚ Slackline, Table football, Volleyball, Table tennis, Soccer and more activities you could enjoy
✚ Have an idea for an installations, exhibitions or other DIY craftworks? Come and experiment!
Thursday—Sunday
18+19+20 July 2024
poloji—zupanja—balkan
The festival is located in Županja, Croatia (Europe) at Poloji river beach.
Sarajevo: 190km ★ Belgrade: 150km ★ Zagreb: 250km ★ Budapest: 360km ★ Ljubljana: 400km ★
Sofia: 540km ★ Vienna: 570km ★ Skopje: 590km ★ Munich: 800km ★ Prague: 850km ★ Milan: 880km
Are you sick enough to be one of us?
Photo gallery
We don't like monotony, that's why we shuffle things around every year. We change locations, festival layouts, campgrounds, stage setups, equipment, additional activities and more.
We went from shows under the wooden marquee, to big fancy aluminium stages, back to tent stages and self-built improvised stage setups next to the river and in the forest. From pictures it could look like completely different shows and that’s exactly what we wanted to achieve in the last 16 years and share here with you. We first and foremost do this for ourselves and the way we like it. Hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we do too!
Frequently asked questions
-
Completely donation based and a voluntary basis. Donate as much as you can. No minimum donations.
You will find donation boxes all around the location, so please look for them or ask at the bar and help us run the show.
-
We’re happy every other year when we get to the break-even point. So, in short - no.
Also, everyone included in the organization is doing this completely voluntarily without a single cent given for the hard work and contribution to both festival organization, as well as other projects SAWA does.
We often spend our own money to cover losses and invest in equipment we need to do this.
-
Since the location is a public beach on the Sava river bank - in thousands.
However, we keep it small and intimate, so expect hundreds of attendees, without entrance, security or stage fences.
-
Yep. It’s free and in the shade under the trees. Keep it clean and respect other groups though!
-
We have mobile toilets all around the location. We suggest bringing your own wet tissues/toilet paper since it gets used quickly.
There are also showers with potable water (the same water connection that the whole city is using for drinking).
-
Yep, basic alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages on the bar. Same goes for food, nothing too fancy but both vegan and vegetarian, as well as omnivore options are available at the “Yayara” stand.
Our volunteers often prepare cakes, craft beers, cocktails, coffee + breakfast in the morning and more - so feel free to bring something you made and share with others!
-
Of course! Both SAWA merchandise show truck as well as other bands and punk distros within the tent.
Support bands and artists by buying something from their stands so they can keep doing amazing work for all of us!
-
You can join from July 15th onwards on any given day. We will be on festival location and slowly building the infrastructure and cleaning up the space for the festivities. Join the Telegram group if you are able to assist in any way.
Another way of helping is just being reasonable to our equipment and installations and not breaking (or stealing!) them intentionally, cleaning up after you and your friends in the campground, keeping the place tidy even if the garbage is not yours, and in the end by respecting other attendees and not playing macho shit.
-
There’s no application process for volunteers. Most of the hard work is done by local SAWA Crew, so what we look for are extra hands to get the outdoor place in order for the best festival experience.
In other words, as volounteer you can help us with arranging the space, cleaning the coast from plastics, mowing the grass, chopping bushes, carrying and assembling musical equipment, building the stages, occasional work in the bar and at the merchandise stand, creating various decorations and art installations, transporting props from last year, construction of various seating areas and places to enjoy and chill, etc.
We will have a full list of activities on the ground you will be able to check and see where to contribute. Your suggestions are welcomed, so come up with something sick and useful and get your hands dirty by leading the initiative - don’t wait for others to instruct, but ask for tools, guidance & help! 💪
-
Some of us are designers over here. We like to keep our shit in order. We also tend to experiment on how to transmit our message to a wider audience besides social media monsters.
The goal is simple: To bring more kids to punk rock scene and show them alternative ways of making things happen - for them, by them.
Cannot find answer on your question?
Take a look how it was at SAWA Fest in 2022.
We came back stronger and more dedicated in 2022 after taking a short break for in-person gatherings during the 2020/2021 pandemic and focusing instead on actions for social good, contributing to society and helping those in need.
Play video on the left side or support it here on You-The-Media.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT SAWA
SAWA is a non-profit association of enthusiasts from Županja, Croatia who are passionate about underground culture, alternative art, and loud music tunes.
We organize shows, festival, screenings, exhibitions, eco-actions, discussion panels, street art sessions, and more. Started 16 years ago, back in 2009. with the first festival edition and keep on rockin’ since then, getting more ambitious year after year!
SOLI GIGS AND BENEFITS
12 shows + dozens of actions
Last year, in 2023, we had a huge storm destroying festival location twice in 3 days, forcing us to cancel the whole event. We have left with thousands and thousands of euros in debt, but together with the balkan hardcore punk community we were able to recover and stand on the foot in 2024 again.
Thank you everyone who donated, organized benefit shows, soli actions and more, you rule and this year edition is dedicated to you sickers!
16 years // 2009-2024
The SAWA Family keeps getting bigger and stronger.
We’re close to hosting 200 unique bands so far. We’re grateful to each band that came to our little town and made a noisy statement, so here’s to the wall of sickers! Go check their music even if you haven’t seen them live - support by buying merchandise and try to catch them somewhere on the road in the future.
70cm3 of Your Chest (Berlin/Germany & Vilnius/Lithuania) ★ Against The Odds (Novi Sad/Serbia) ★ AK-47 (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Aktivna Propaganda (Ljubljana/Slovenia) ★ All Except One (Zrenjanin/Serbia) ★ Another Breath (Syracuse/United States) ★ Baka Yaro (Ljubljana/Slovenia) ★ Asile (Soignies/Belgium) ★ Bakterije (Čakovec/Croatia) ★ Become As One (Novi Sad/Serbia) ★ Bed Religion (Ajdovščina/Slovenia) ★ Bible Thrower (Rijeka/Croatia) ★ Black Gust (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Black Sheep (Mouscron/Belgium) ★ Bomber (Novi Sad/Serbia) ★ Boredom (Graz/Austria) ★ Break The Mold (Pula/Croatia) ★ Caloris Impact (Graz/Austria) ★ Canine (Marseille/France) ★ CC (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Concrete Worms (Belgrade/Serbia) ★ Confusion (Lille/France) ★ Contwig (Strasbourg/France) ★ Crasso De Odio (Zadar/Croatia) ★ Crustalno Jasno (Mostar/BiH) ★ Cvlt of Grace (Pécs/Hungary) ★ D.J. and The Wootchyak (Pula/Croatia) ★ Dead Dog Summmer (Čakovec/Croatia) ★ Deafness By Noise (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Debeli Precjednik (Osijek/Croatia) ★ Declaration (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Deer In The Headlights (Banja Luka/BiH) ★ Despite Everything (Athens/Greece) ★ Different Directions (Pula/Croatia) ★ Disbaja (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Dispro (Split/Croatia) ★ Diverzija (Osijek/Croatia) ★ Doble D (Distrito Federal/Mexico) ★ Dosta! (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Dying East (Županja/Croatia) ★ Eaglehaslanded (Belgrade/Serbia) ★ Eat My Fear (Berlin/Germany) ★ Eke Buba (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Elephant Opinions (Ternopil/Ukraine) ★ En Mi Defensa (Santiago/Chile) ★ Faak Am See (Slavonski Brod/Croatia) ★ Fake Off (Lille/France) ★ Family Vacation (Washington/United States) ★ Fight Back (Požega/Croatia) ★ Final Approach (Krško/Slovenia) ★ Frekvencija (Fažana/Croatia) ★ Fried Brain (Pula/Croatia) ★ Gloves Off (Banja Luka/BiH) ★ Ground Zero (Novi Sad/Serbia) ★ Growing Rats (Krško/Slovenia) ★ Gust (Trollhättan/Sweden) ★ Hak Attak (Idrija/Slovenia) ★ Harry (Ajdovščina/Slovenia) ★ Hexis (Copenhagen/Denmark) ★ Hidden Layer (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Hitman (Belgrade/Serbia) ★ Hobson's Choice (Tuzla/BiH) ★ Human Behavior (Graz/Austria) ★ Hyacinth (Pilsen/Czechia) ★ In-Sane (Gornja Radgona/Slovenia) ★ Insekticid (Županja/Croatia) ★ In-Sane (Gornja Radgona/Slovenia) ★ Jaded (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Jodie Faster (Lille/France) ★ Joliette (Puebla/México) ★ KDP (Slavonski Šamac/Croatia) ★ Kids Insane (Tel Aviv/Israel) ★ Kijamet (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Kill For Peace (Valenciennes/France) ★ Koridor (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Kriva Istina (Slavonski Brod/Croatia) ★ Krlja (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Kurve (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Lack Of Soul (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Laff Box (Leipzig/Germany) ★ Last Hope (Sofia/Bulgaria) ★ Lazarath (Novi Sad/Serbia) ★ Left In Ruins (Trento/Italy) ★ Less (Tours/France) ★ Liquid Supercharge (Pula/Croatia) ★ Ljubiša Samardžić (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Loš Primjer (Požega/Croatia) ★ Love Equals Death (California/United States) ★ Low Relief (Poitiers/France) ★ Mališa Bahat (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Mazut (Pula/Croatia) ★ Me As Well (Karlovac/Croatia) ★ More Dangerous Than A Thousand Rioters (Strasbourg/France) ★ Motherpig (Sarajevo/BiH) ★ Motus (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Muerto Rico (Belgrade/Serbia) ★ My Own Voice (Milan/Italy) ★ My Turn (Athens/Greece) ★ Nagön (Belgrade/Serbia) ★ Nailed In (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Neven (Belgrade/Serbia) ★ New Dead Project (Budapest/Hungary) ★ Niboowin (Michigan/United States) ★ Nine Eleven (Le Mans/France) ★ Nionde Plågan (Jönköping/Sweden) ★ Niyazov (Novi Sad/Serbia) ★ Nulajednanulanula (Prague/Czechia) ★ Nulla Osta (Pula/Croatia) ★ OAK (Jönköping/Sweden) ★ Obscene Revenge (East Coast/Italy) ★ Ona Snop (Leeds/United Kingdom) ★ One Step Away (Koprivnica & Varaždin/Croatia) ★ Okov (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ OSS (Rome/Italy) ★ Ottone Pesante (Faenza/Italy) ★ P.R.S.O! (Sombor/Serbia) ★ Pasi (Rijeka/Croatia) ★ Pasmaters (Pula/Croatia) ★ Passive Agressive (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Path of Cestoda (Karlovac & D.Resa/Croatia) ★ Peripetija (Belgrade/Serbia) ★ Pestarzt (Sombor/Serbia) ★ Pijn (Manchester/United Kingdom) ★ Polywhy (Novi Sad/Serbia) ★ Ponor (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Ponte De Carla (Šibenik/Croatia) ★ Popik (Sarajevo/BiH) ★ Proslov (Županja/Croatia) ★ Public Disgrace (Pula/Croatia) ★ Radost-Stradanje (Belgrade/Serbia) ★ Reanimacija (Pula/Croatia) ★ Reflections Of Internal Rain (Novi Sad/Serbia) ★ Replicunts (Belgrade/Serbia) ★ Rules (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Rutka Laskier (Znojmo & Brno/Czechia) ★ Sedativ (Kraljevo/Serbia) ★ Sekta (Osijek/Croatia) ★ Sentence (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Shin (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Skeetch (Leipzig/Germany) ★ Skinpin (Sydney/Australia) ★ Slander (Venice/Italy) ★ Slimboy (Basel/Switzerland) ★ Smrt Razuma (Osijek/Croatia) ★ Socijalna Služba (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Starvation (Požega & Sisak & Split/Croatia) ★ Staticø (Belgrade/Serbia) ★ Stepped Out (Split/Croatia) ★ Struggling For Reason (Brussels/Belgium) ★ Šutnja (Županja/Croatia) ★ The Bridge (Belgrade/Serbia) ★ The NoName (Xi’an, China) ★ The Snub (Graz/Austria) ★ The Truth (Kraljevo/Serbia & Zagreb/Croatia) ★ This Day Will Burn (Osijek/Croatia) ★ Totalni Promašaj (Kraljevo/Serbia) ★ Trophy Jump (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ Uragano (Sanremo/Italy) ★ Vipera (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ VitaminX (Amsterdam/Netherlands) ★ Verrat (Vienna, Austria) ★ Vox Populi (Beograd/Serbia) ★ Vršnjačko Nasilje (Novi Sad/Serbia) ★ Wake The Dead (Marseille/France) ★ What Matters Most (Koprivnica/Croatia) ★ Wish Upon A Star (Athens/Greece) ★ Woes (Copenhagen/Denmark) ★ Worst Days (Providence/United States) ★ XV. Čeh (Zagreb/Croatia) ★ YÖU (Skopje/Macedonia) ★ Zilp Zalp (Dortmund/Germany) ★ Zombies No (Paris, France) ★ Zrada (Kharkiv/Ukraine)
+ performances and installations from Inex Cirkus Teatar, Smudge Live Screen Printing Lab, Slama Land Art, Trycicle Trauma, Kalikamo, BarabaDub System, Pitja, Cartbox, LGNJ Graphics, Do Kosti Tattoo Van, Lord Chardak, and more…
Start your own band
✪
Play your own music
✪
Scream the change
✪
Make it loud
✪
Do it together
✪
Come to SAWA Fest
✪
Start your own band ✪ Play your own music ✪ Scream the change ✪ Make it loud ✪ Do it together ✪ Come to SAWA Fest ✪
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2022
2023
