It all started on the Grodziec Castle in 1994. On August 20th a small group of fans (about 300 people) came to see 5 bands which were just starting their careers at that moment. They were: Moonlight, Daimonion, T.R.H., Pornografia & Fading Colours. The incredible ambience of this castle concert was the reason for the next edition of festival.
The second festival lasted two days (25th-26th August '95). Apart from Moonlight there came all the bands from the previous edition and also Closterkeller, De Ville, Robi, Christblood, Sirrah & Canadian duet Psyche. Darrin Huss, the frontman of the band, remembers the show up till today. Around 800 people took part in this edition of festival.
The third festival took place on 2nd-3rd August '96. The bands that gave their show there were: De Volanges (Belgium), Funhouse (Sweden), Artrosis, Reinkarnation, Closterkeller, Fading Colours, Charlottehead, T.R.H., Pornografia, Hedone, Daimonion, Agressiva 69, Moonlight, PCM, Christblood, Robi. The competition was won by polish band - Freeport. The large number of fans (about 1000) made the managers change the site of the festival. The Grodziec Castle was too small.
That's why the fourth edition was moved to the courtyard of the Bolkow Castle. Around 1500 people saw P. Vampire (the USA), Swan Death (Belgium), Agressiva '69, L.D., Fading Colours, Nowy Horyzont, Dom Snow, Artrosis, Mesmerisa, Batalion d'Amour, Riggor Mortiis, Lorien, Exit, God's Bow, T.R.H., God's Own Medicine, Season, Freeport. At the end of the festival, P. Vampire & Swan Death 'merged' to give a spectacular show for Polish fans. After party played there DJ Maken.
The fifth meeting of dark music fans (around 2000 of fans) took place on 24th-25th July '98 in Bolkow. There came: Attrition & Inkubus Sukkubus (England), Fading Colours, Batalion d'Amour, Lorien, God's Bow, God's Own Medicine, Undish, Aion, Mandragora, Stonehenge, Warthegau, Artrosis & Closterkeller. It was the last edition with the 'side' project: the contest. In the previous years the winners of this contest were: Batalion d'Amour, God's Bow, God's Own Medicine, Cold Sweat, Devain & Lorien.
During the sixth edition there gathered around 4000 fans from Poland, the Czech Republic & Germany. 16 bands performed on the stage. Clan of Xymox (Holland) was the headliner of the festival - the band gave an amazing 2 hour show. There came also: XIII Stoleti from the Czech Republic (enthusiastically welcomed in Poland), Undish, Artrosis, Batalion d'Amour, Closterkeller, Agressiva '69, 1984, T.R.H., Fading Colours, Moonlight, Jude, God's Bow, God's Own Medicine, Devian & Sepulcrum Mentis (Germany).
Castle Party 2000 was the first three-day edition (28-30 July). There came as many as 34 bands from all over Europe. The best of them were: German Dreadful Shadows, well-known in Poland XIII Stoleti from Czech Republic and Breath of Life from Belgium whose concert was unfortunately disrupted by an awful storm. Other bands from abroad were : The Dreamside from Holland, Lakha Muza from Slovakia and Dawn Visitors from Belgium. The Polish scene was represented by both gothic (Artrosis, Moonlight) and electronic bands (Fading Colours, Agressiva 69). For the first time in the history, the second stage in the Bolkow Youth Centre was opened. The fans could watch there Christblood's psychodrama, Ataraxia's dark folk concert and dark electro Psyche.
- The 8th edition of Castle Party hosted the biggest number of bands so far. Among them were bands from Russia (Canonis) Hungary (Land of Charon), Lithuania (Siela) - not well-known to Polish fans - Germany (Endraum, Illuminate), Britain (Attrition). The organisers also decided to invite some non gothic performers like Lech Janerka, Ankh or Quidam. Was it a good decision? Let the fans decide themselves. The secend stage developed. There were more bands playing different kinds of dark music. The big surprise was the positive reaction to black metal band Behemoth which played at the end of gothic-metal day. The Legendary Pink Dots concert will certainly stick in the fans' minds for a long time. Unfortunately two other headliners - Das Ich and Garden of Delight - had to cancel their concerts due to a very bad storm. Luckily, both of the bands are going to appear on the 9th edition of Castle Party.
- The 9th edition of the festival was a success, all the bands came and played and most of them met with a very enthusiastic audience response. In spite of the scorching heat, people really enjoyed the festival. During the festival nearly 4 thousand people could see and hear 16 bands and for the third time it was possible to buy a festival CD (Castle Party Compilation vol.3). The audience was most impressed by Clan of Xymox, a band really popular among Polish fans. It was quite surprising how enthusiastically Hocico was received. They came to Poland for the first time and made Polish electo fans go crazy. As always, Polish stars Closterkeller and Fading Colours played great concerts, each finishing with several encores. The night concert of New Model Army was surely an experience not to be missed, and its special attraction was a big screen on which we could see the band. The anniversary 10th edition will take place next year. Will it bring us music as good as this year's festival? The Bolkow Castle is probably the only place where sound acquires such a dimension.
line up :
27.07.02
NEW MODEL ARMY
DAS ICH
FADING COLOURS
CHRIST AGONY
VARIETE
DANCE ON GLASS
SOMNAMBUL
VENUS FLY TRAP28.07.02
CLAN OF XYMOX
HOCICO
CLOSTERKELLER
MOONLIGHT
DANCE OR DIE
GOD'S BOW
ACCESSORY
INSCAPE
- 10th edition of CP as usual gathered a few thousand of people who had a great time during concerts on the castle yard and after them in two clubs: Blue Ice and Hacjenda. One new thing about this year was the Friday night Before Party. This edition featured Polish rock legend from the 80s - Brygada Kryzys, XIII Stoleti (appearing at the CP for the 4th time), Umbra Et Imago (and their perverse show at the end of the first festival day), Eve of Destiny (from Japan), Garden of Delight and a very well received Diary of Dreams. Apart frome those you could listen to Fading Colours, Closterkeller, Artrosis, Delight, Scianka, Sweet Noise (whose appearance was highly controversial for some people) and from abroad: Terminal Choice, Other Day, The Ancient Gallery,L'ame Immortelle, Dance On Glass, Final Selection and Immunology.
The eleventh Castle Party has made a return to three-day formula. On Friday evening fans had a chance to dance during two DJ sets by Leszek Rakowski of Fading Colours and Ronny Moorings of Clan of Xymox. When the clock struck midnight Arcana - dark ambient band from Sweden revealed spiritual and atmospheric sounds in the moonlight.
Another day of the festival went on bringing on the two highlights: hard and vital concert of the electro beat legend Suicide Commando from Belgium and acoustic show of German duet Deine Lakaien awaited in Poland for long time. Musical gift of Ernst Horn and gorgeous voice of Alexander Veljanov put spell on the bolkow audience.
Among the bands performing on Sunday (3rd day of festival) polish band Sui Generis Umbra had a great feedback from the fans because of their original dark ritual electronic sound mixed with the most evil and gloomy female voice. Third day of festival was ended with concerts of two real stars: both atmospheric show of Clan of Xymox that always keep on performing on the highest level and dynamic, decent concert of Project Pitchfork with charismatic frontman Peter Spills caused movement in the front of the stage.
As a no-gothic guests we had two groups: Cool Kids of Death and Armia (eng. Army). It has to be indicate that Armia gig caused huge, unexpected interest of the fans probably because Tomek Budzyński squad unveiled earliest and well known (to old school goths) punk rock songs. However, concerts of the bands different from gothic or dark electro style still seems to divide castle Party audience - some people take it as chance to broad their musical interest, others treat it like a break.
Every festival night all fans could have dance and party till early hours in two clubs: Hacjenada and Blue Ice. Polish and abroad DJ's (Lithuania, Germany, France, Hungary ) presented various dark styles during their sets. In the conclusion we have to say the 11th Castle Party was a big success. Audience was huge and great - both literally (increasing number every year) and figuratively (decent people and fantastic dark fashion show). During the whole festival there wasn't awkward or suspicious accidents except one unpleasant and bouffant incident when one of the bands didn't perform (Blutengel dropped out just before their show.what a disgrace) because of reasons independent of the organizer.
Once more extraordinary climate of the Bolkow Castle was supernatural background of the musical pleasure and all kind of social meetings.
line-up:
30.07 (friday)
Warm Up PARTY (Castle Bolków) - Off Night (Off Magazine show)
1. Dj Leszek Rakowski (Fading Colours/Off Magazine)
2. Dj Ronny Morings (Clan of Xymox)
3. Arcana - special night show
31.07 (saturday)
1. Daemonicum
2. Naamah
3. God's Bow
4. Moonlight
5. Cool Kids of Death
6. BlutEngel
7. Suicide Commando
8. Deine Lakaien (acoustic)1.08 (sunday)
1. The Unholy Guests
2. Eva
3. Desdemona
4. Sui Generis Umbra
5. Agressiva 69
6. Armia
7. Clan of Xymox
8. Project Pitchfork
- The twelve Catle Party was musically interesting and varied as usually. The festival had been opened on Friday - it was a dance day at the castle so all gathered in the courtyard enjoyed DJs sets ( one of the DJs was Mark Jackson of VNV Nation). Among all seventeen bands performing at the festival on Saturday and Sunday evening concerts of three bands received warm and unique reception. Grendel (hard elektro from Holland), Epica (gothic metal, also Holland) and The Last Days of Jesus (gothic rock/punk band from Slovakia that has lots of fans in Poland) were very enthisthiastically received. A wonderful live performance by the band Crüxshadows from USA had to be cancelled after a few songs because of the thunderstorm. The headliner of the Saturday night- Camouflage didn't perform due to same weather reason. A quiet surprise was a vital and very positive crowd response to Renatra Przemyk concert and her performance easily fit in with the festival atmosphere. The professional show of the german legend of synth-pop Wolfsheim brought the festival to a close. In two well known clubs, according to the festival formula, fans enjoyed dark sounds and beats played by east european DJs (Polish, Russian, Ukrainian and Lithuanian) every festival night.
- The thirteenth Castle Party wasn't unlucky as one might have expected. Moreover, the audience was great - so many good-looking fans invaded small town Bolkow again and made the biggest dark scene party in this part of Europe possible. The festival started on Friday evening with DJs' sets and later, after dusk the industrial-ambient project Job Karma presented their performance supported by visual art. It took place in the small courtyard of the castle for the first time in the festival's history. Following days (Saturday and Sunday) fans saw plenty of concerts that happened on the main stage as usually. The best received bands were VNV Nation (the frontman Ronan Harris managed to get on perfectly well with the audience), The Birthday Massacre (with charismatic, lovely Chibi on the vocal) and Leaves Eyes (gothic metal with well known Liv Kristine). Among polish bands the most interesting were Deathcamp Project that had excellent effect on female fans (some of them were throwing their underwear onto the stage during the concert), Riverside with progressive sound creating real magical atmosphere in the courtyard. Also Fading Colours after few years absence managed to make their comeback both possible and successful. the festival clubs were packed, off course, serving various dark sounds (electro, industrial, ebm, synth-pop, power noise, bat cave, cold wave, gothabilly.), as always full of happy and crazy people.
line-up:
28 July
Job Karma
Dj's29 July - No Name Desire (CZ)
- De Facto (HU)
- Deathcamp Project (PL)
- Hedone (PL)
- Agressiva 69 (PL)
- Bonczyk & Krzywanski (PL)
- Riverside (PL)
- Clan of Xymox (NL)
- VNV Nation (GB)
30 July - Dust Heaven (UA)
- Mano Juodoi Sesuo (LT)
- Batalion D'Amour (PL)
- Delight (PL)
- The Birthday Massacre (CA)
- Funker Vogt (DE)
- Fading Colours (PL)
- Leave's Eyes (DE)
- DE/VISION (DE)
- The 14th edition (July 27-29 2007) turned out to be special for two reasons. Firstly, according the fans' opinion , in terms of music this year festival was better than the previous ones. The groups that played on the festival stage generally presented high artistic level, and as for the list it was varied enough to satisfy all the fans-both them who are keen on dark bits and those who like the guitar kind of dark music. Secondly, in contrast to the sunny and hot weather from the previous years, during Castle Party 2007 it was rather chilly and rainy. However, it did not distract the festival guest from great fun - the unfavorable weather did not spoil the festival.
The festival started with a performance of French people from the artistic Body Piercing studio, who presented a original show based on hanging on the metal hooks to the sounds of music played by the DJs. It was presented on the inside part of the courtyard. Saturday and Sunday-according to the tradition- were the concerts' days. Among 18 groups that played for the festival audience, the ones that were welcomed the warmest were: lively death rock Miguel and the Living Dead , such well known groups In Poland as dark wave Deary of Dreams and Diorama ( the vocalist of the latter moved the fans by appearing in the polish flag, that he had received during the festival two years ago.), formed by the ex- members of the cultic group Fields of the Nephilim, British gothic-rock NFD ,and the group which is beyond of any kind division, which has been recording for more than 20 years- The Legendary Pink Dots from Holland. The stars did not let as down as well; on Saturday IAMX gave an original and very professional performance. On Sunday the audience was moved to dance by the legendary electro-industrial group Front Line Assembly.
Among the accompanying performances worth mentioning is Friday's Industrial Night, during which one of the most interesting music projects were presented. These are [haven] and synta[xe]rror. What is interesting, due to the to problems with Sorento club, which were beyond the organizer's control, the performances finally took place outside Hacjenda club. However, this fact did not spoil the reception of music at all.
Line-up:
27 July - OFF NIGHT
Exiting Body Piercing (FR)
SINusoid Squad (DJ MarKucH & DJ kobylinski - Think4Future Team, PL)
DJ Khimaira (Club Inferno Team, JP)
C.H. DISTRICT (PL)
DJ 4-got-10 (Forgotten Sunrise, Beats >From The Vault Team, EE)
DJ Leszek Rakowski (Fading Colours, PL)28 July - TEAR (CZ)
- THE ROYAL DEAD (JP)
- CATASTROPHE BALLET (DE)
- MIGUEL AND THE LIVING DEAD (PL)
- DIORAMA (DE)
- PRIDE AND FALL (NO)
- SUICIDE COMMANDO (BE)
- DIARY OF DREAMS (DE)
- IAMX (UK)
29 July - MASSKOTKI (PL)
- CEMETERY OF SCREAM (PL)
- DESDEMONA (PL)
- ANGELSPIT (AU)
- NFD (UK)
- FADING COLOURS (PL)
- THE LEGENDARY PINK DOTS (NL)
- MORTIIS (NO)
- FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY (CA)
- The 15-th edition of Castle Party gathered impressive crowd, far more than five thousand people. Extremely various line-up as usual and awesome possibility for perfect fun among dark-sound lovers from the whole world made this success possible. Marvelous weather undoubtedly had an impact on cosy atmosphere of this both social and musical weekend meeting.
Amidst many concerts of the festival notably has to be indicated the performance of the dark-wave band Daine Lakaien led by the singer Aleksander Veljanov who came back to Bolkow after 4 year’s break (played acoustic show in 2004). Equally good concerts that were well received by the audience played: American death rock band Cinema strange known for unconventional and distinctive image and English poet and singer Anne Clark in the company of band named Implant. Traditionally good reception had bands like Closterkeller I stulecie which are very popular in this part of Europe.
A body-art performances taking place on the festival’s fridays throughout past few years became kind of tradition. This year polish-greek duo Dive'Ine Eye presented eccentric fetish and bdsm show that included for example needles stuck into the body or lips sewing. And last but not least, acoustic and cameral Persephone’s concert which took place in genuine scenario of the Bolkow’s church was something worth to see.
Line-up:
July 25 - OFF NIGHT
DJ MarKucH (SINusoid Squad, PL)
THE MOON AND THE NIGHTSPIRIT (HU)
SIEBEN (GB)
DIVA'ine EYE (PL/GR)
ERROR::GENESIS (UA)
DJ Emmanuelle 5 (The Dead Sexy Inc., Lt-No, FR)
CLICKS (PL)
Concert in the Catholic Church (Bolkow Townsquare)
PERSEPHONE (side project of Sonja Kraushofer (Lame Immortelle)) (AT)July 26 - THY DISEASE (PL)
- COLONY 5 (DE)
- 1984 (PL)
- CINEMA STRANGE (USA)
- CRASH 32 (BE)
- XIII. STOLETI (CZ)
- GARDEN OF DELIGHT (DE)
- IN STRICT CONFIDENCE (DE)
- ANNE CLARK (GB)
- DIE KRUPPS (DE)
July 27 - XESS (LT)
- RED EMPREZ (PL)
- MADE IN POLAND (PL)
- REAPER (DE)
- SITD (DE)
- CLOSTERKELLER (PL)
- PATI YANG & FlyKKiller (GB)
- THE CRUXSHADOWS (US)
- DEINE LAKAIEN (DE)
- The sixteenth edition of the festival (July 24-26, 2009) had a dramatic prelude. The day before launch there was an uncommonly huge thunderstorm that caused electricity cut off in Bolkow and blew the stage out of the castle?s walls. Luckily the next morning there was no trace of this incident and we were able to start up the festival with full force. In the year 2009 after few years of efforts we manage to invite Front 242 from Belgium ? the legend of the EBM long-awaited in Poland. Front 242 delighted the audience by energy and professionalism. The last act of the fetival was the core of the night, however the gig of KMFDM was equally perfect, full of vitality and passion. Nice and warm reception had the bands well known from the previous editions of the festival: Psyche, Dreadfull shadows and last but not least Diary of Dreams which pleasantly surprised fans with re-arranged versions of some of the songs. Obviously fans of the music different to gothic rock or synthpop could have found something for themselves. On Friday appeared two neofolk bands - Irfan and Moon Far Away, and for those more into heavy sounds metal band Crematory played on Saturday night. Like usual during Friday's evening the audience was hit by body modyfication performance of the german group Asthetic Meat Front.
Line-up:
July 24
CONCERTS - Castle
- DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (cz)
- VEIN CAT (pl)
- IRFAN (bg)
- MOON FAR AWAY (ru)
- AESTHETIC MEAT FRONT (de)
- SKINNY PATRINI (pl)
- VARIETE (pl)
- PSYCHE (ca)
INDUSTRIAL NIGHT - Old Cinema
- Rumours About Angels (pl, label: Alchera Visions)
- [haven] (pl, labels: Tympanik Audio, Rage in Eden Records, War Office Propaganda)
- synta[XE]rror (pl, labels: Ars Benevola Mater, War Office Propaganda)
July 25 - SANE (pl)
- VIC ANSELMO (lv)
- JOY DISASTER (fr)
- INDUKTI (pl)
- MADRE DEL VIZIO (it/de)
- SPECTRA PARIS (it)
- DREADFUL SHADOWS (de)
- FADING COLOURS (pl)
- CREMATORY (de)
- COVENANT (se)
July 26 - HEAD-LESS (de)
- JACQUY BITCH (fr)
- SOLAR FAKE (de)
- NOT (pl)
- DEATHCAMP PROJECT (pl)
- ARTROSIS (pl)
- KMFDM (de/us)
- DIARY OF DREAMS (de)
- FRONT 242 (be)
- The seventeenth editio of Castle Party (29 July - 1 August 2010) wasn’t less successful than the previous ones. The fans have been partying since Thursday, during the shows in the Bolkow cinema opening the festival (i.a. dj set played by musicians from De/Vision and musically and visually original concert of the group Christblood). On Friday, according to few years’ tradition, the concerts took place in the internal courtyard of the castle. Among especially successful shows we can surely number an accoustic show of the American group Faith and the Muse, a gothic-rock one of the Swiss The Beauty of Gemina and energetic, folk-rock one of the Polish Zywiolak.
Saturday and Sunday’s concerts, which took place in the main courtyard of the castle, with their musical variety satisfied fans of probably all kinds of dark music. Unforgettable impressions were left by i.a. Kirlian Camera from Italy (electro- darkwave with charismatic Elena Fossi on vocals), And One from Germany (one of the most popular synthpop bands, adored especially by enthusiasts of Depeche Mode), well prepared as always - Clan of Xymox – which is, during their another show in Bolkow, recording material to the planned DVD. The festival was closed by a Polish black/death metal legend, Behemoth, which, despite the vocalist Nergal’s disease, gave one of the most professional concerts of all Castle Party editions (what was admitted even by those who are not quite on their way with this music genre).
An attraction of this year’s festival was a concert of a neoclassical group, Bacio di Tosca, which - following Persephone’s performance from 2008 – took place in the Bolkow church, and accompanying parties, i.a. Procession of the Fallen Angels referring to gothic subculture and local history, arranged by a group of performers.
Thursday - 29.07.2010
Old cinema
RED EMPREZ (pl)
CHRISTBLOOD (pl)
Hacjenda
GORTHAUR (pl)
MONOLIGHT (pl, side project of d'Archangel & Co.In.) - live+DJsFriday - 30.07.2010
Upper castle
QNTAL (de)
THE BEAUTY OF GEMINA (ch)
FAITH AND THE MUSE (us) - acoustic show
ŻYWIOŁAK (pl)
OTTO DIX (ru)
WIEŻE FABRYK (pl)
THE VIOLET TRIBE (de)
GRAY/SCALE (ua)
Church
BACIO DI TOSCA (de)
Old cinema
C.H. DISTRICT (pl)Saturday - 31.07.2010
Castle
AND ONE (de)
KIRLIAN CAMERA (it)
THE EDEN HOUSE (gb)
ALEC EMPIRE (de)
THE CASSANDRA COMPLEX (gb)
THEATRES DES VAMPIRES (it)
DEVIANT UK (gb)
CHRIST VS WARHOL (us)
DOPPELGÄNGER (ru)
Old cinema
JOB KARMA (pl)Sunday - 1.08.2010
Castle
BEHEMOTH (pl)
CLAN OF XYMOX (nl)
ANNE CLARK (gb)
FAITH AND THE MUSE (us)
NOISUF-X (de)
DAIMONION (pl)
ALVARÉZ PERÉZ (cz)
THE PROOF (pl)
Old cinema
WIELORYB (pl)
