Colours of Ostrava

Colours of Ostrava

Location(s)	Ostrava, Czech Republic
Years active	Every year since 2002
Date(s)	Second or third weekend in July (4 days)
Genre	multi-genre
Website	colours.cz

Colours of Ostrava, or simply Colours, is a multi-genre festival, the biggest international music festival in the Czech Republic and one of the biggest music events in the Central Europe, held every summer in the centre of Ostrava, the third biggest city in the Czech Republic.

Colours will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2011, being held from 14 to 17 July.

Colours features 16 stages including 4 big open-air stages (the main stage of which has capacity of 15,000 people), 6 indoor stages, a theatre stage, a workshop stage, a kids stage, a cinema and live discussions.

Colours takes place in the well-known Silesian Ostrava Castle entertainment district and on the Cerna Louka Fairgrounds, as well as at other places in the city centre. The audience attendance for Colours is approximately 30,000 people and it was the first festival in the Czech Republic to be sold out one month ahead of time.

History

2002 (1st year): More than 300 musicians in 50 bands and 24 DJ's, out of which 14 were from abroad, including: Senses (FR), Transsylvanians (HU + DE), Uado Taraban (PL), Carantuohill (PL), Africa Mma. The festival took place at 6 scenes (3 outdoor and 3 indoor). About 8,000 visitors attended Colours of Ostrava in 2002.

2003 (2nd year): More than 500 musicians in 60 bands and 27 DJ's, out of which 16 were from abroad, including: Goran Bregovic & Wedding and Funeral Band (Eastern Europe), Geoffrey Oryema (Uganda), Kosheen (GB), Oi-Va-Voi (GB), Sheva (Israel), Te Vaka (Polynesia), ZikFa (FR), Drum Machina (PL), Hey (PL), Korai Öröm (HU). The festival took place at 9 scenes (6 outdoor and 4 indoor). About 9,000 visitors attended Colours of Ostrava in 2003.

2004 (3rd year): 384 musicians in 64 bands and 22 DJ's, out of which 26 were from abroad, including: Natacha Atlas (GB), Bob Geldof (GB), Rachid Taha (Algeria/FR), Zion Train (GB), So Kalmery (DR Congo), Duoud (Algeria/FR), Kanjar'Oc (FR), Urban Trad (B), Oyster band (GB), B. Traore (Mali), Elliot Murphy (USA/FR), UR'IA (BY), Haydamaky (UA). The festival took place at 7 scenes (4 outdoor and 3 indoor). About 10,000 visitors attended Colours of Ostrava in 2004.

2005 (4th year): More than 700 musicians in more than 100 bands and 25 DJ's, out of which 30 were from abroad, including: George Clinton Parliament/Funkadelic (USA), Asian Dub Foundation (GB), Fun-Da-Mental (GB), Transglobal Underground (GB), Alabama3 (GB), Mariza (PT), The Klezmatics (USA), Farlanders (RU), Septeto Nacional (CU), Enzo Avitabile (IT), Daara J, Alif (SEN). The festival took place at 8 scenes (6 outdoor and 2 indoor). About 12,000 visitors attended Colours of Ostrava in 2005.

2006 (5th year): More than 750 musicians in 123 bands, out of which 33 were from abroad, including: Salif Keita, Robert Plant, Gogol Bordello, Resin Dogs, The Frames, Delirious?, Woven Hand, Cheikh Lo, Senses, Rabasa, Oojami, Mariem Hasan, Titi Robin, Mojmir Novakovic, Dubioza, Zakopower, Bingui Jaa Jammy, Zagar, Sergnet Peper, Funset, Canaman, Stephan Micus. The festival took place at 12 scenes (6 outdoor and 6 indoor). About 16,000 visitors attended Colours of Ostrava in 2006.

2007 (6th year): The festival featured e.g.: Marianne Faithfull, Mando Diao, Bajofondo Tango Club, Gipsy Kings, Coldcut, Yungchen Lhamo, Vinicio Capossela, Orange Blossom, The Idan Raichel project, Ba Cissoko, Goran Bregovic, Richard Bona, Balkan Beat box, Watcha clan, J. Gasparyan, Salsa Celtica, Alfonso X, OSB Crew, CocoRosie, David Hykes, Martyna Jakubowicz, Saucy Monky. In 2007, for the first time, the attendance of Colours of Ostrava was over 20,000 visitors.

Jamie Cullum at Colours of Ostrava in 2009.

2008 (7th year): The festival featured e.g.: Sinéad O' Connor, Goldfrapp, Happy Mondays, Jan Garbarek Group and Trilok Gurtu, Gogol Bordello, Habib Koite, Dandy Warhols, Koop, Lou Rhodes, Shantel and Bucovina Club Orkestar, Daby Toure, Hawkwind, Noa, Sergant Garcia, Inga Liljestrom, Craig Adams and The Higher Dimension Praise, Recycler, Tim Eriksem, Tanya Tagaq, Les Boukakes, Irfan, Deva Premal and Miten, Tosh Meets Marley, A Filleta and others. About 22,000 visitors attended.

2009 (8th year): 99 music bands (35 from abroad), including: Ahn Trio, Asian Dub Foundation, David Byrne, Jamie Cullum, Jape, Johnny Clegg, Jon Anderson, KTU, LA-33, Michael Nyman Band, Morcheeba, Maceo Parker, Mamady Keita, Mercury Rev, N.O.H.A., Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Speed Caravan, Stereo MCs, Diwan Project, Nina Stiller, Dikanda, Glenn Kaiser Band, The Violet Burning, Terl Bryant & Red Drum, Svjata Vatra, and many others. The attendance was about 25,000 visitors.

2010 (9th year): More than 100 bands (39 from abroad), including: Iggy Pop & The Stooges, The Cranberries, Regina Spektor, Afro Celt Sound System, The Gypsy Queens and Kings, Jaga Jazzist, El Gran Silencio, Erik Truffaz Paris Project, Porcupine Tree, Dulsori, Peyoti for President, Alamaailman Vasarat, Huong Thanh, A Hawk and a Hacksaw, Valravn, Maria Kalaniemi, Nive Nielsen, Mor Karbasi, Oy Division, Acoustic Ladyland, Iarla O'Lionáird, Alejandro Toledo and the Magic Tombolinos, Mokoomba, Open Hands, The Proclaimers, Sophie Hunger, Zion Train, Dubmarine, Zagar, Etna Kontrabande, Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg, Don Blackman, Fernando Saunders, José James, Lord Bishop Rocks, New York Ska Jazz Ensemble, Thierry Arpino & Essouna, Brooklyn Funk Essentials. The attendance was almost 30,000 visitors, and for the first time, the festival was sold out before the opening.

External references

• Official page
• Colours of Ostrava on Sonicbids