Hi,
We won't come back to Hellfest this year:
http://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2013/11/hellfest-2014.html
http://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2014/09/hellfest-2015.html
http://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2015/09/hellfest-2016.html

I just bought my ticket for this instead:
-Brutal Assault 2016:
http://brutalassault.cz/en/





Anybody else going to this fest, please? Any tips or recs?

Ok, accomodation options:
http://brutalassault.cz/en/accommodation/
-Free Camping.
-VIP Camping.
-Hotels.
-Others.
I think I'll look for a hostel, think about the camping or sleep in my car.

See you there Hope they could book a few more good bands, line-up is a bit meh compared to last year. But well.. IMMOLATION!

Sure! Do you think so? I like the line-up:



Way better than fucking Hellfest!

Last year had 5 ultra favorites like Benighted, Katatonia, Blood Red Throne, Bloodbath and Death DTA + a bunch of good "seen 800 times" bands like Cannibal Corpse, Kreator, Candlemass and Vader. This year the only really mandatory band for me Immolation I'll probably watch Septic Flesh, Chelsea Wolfe, Leprous, Dark Tranquillity, Mastodon, Neurosis, Exodus, Moonspell and Obituary though. Mostly going there to drink cheap beer and fuck shit up

I think I'm gonna go. There's a chance I may have to go alone, since I don't have any true metalhead friends, in which case I'd love to organise some beers with people here! But I am literally in the process of trying to convince some open-minded friends to come with. I've been to about 20 music festivals in my life, but none of them have been a metal festival Ireland doesn't have any. I am fiending to go to one!

Line up doesn't look AMAZING compared to what I've seen for other metal festivals, but it looks pretty solid. Archgoat, Behemoth, Cattle Decapitation, Destruction, Electric Wizard, Eyehategod, Gojira, Immolation, Mastodon, Neurosis, Nile, Obituary, Satyricon, Vektor... and those are just the best of the bunch!

It's pretty easy to find new people on Brutal Assault. Found a big bunch of really nice dutch people, as well as a couple of czech people that I'm meeting again this year

I will go on holidays tomorrow!
http://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2013/08/planificar-viaje.html
One week starting in Austria, the fest (http://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2016/04/brutal-assault-2016.html) and another week in Western Europe!

How did you like it?

It's was amazing for me, thanks!
How about you, guys?

-Fest:
http://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2016/04/brutal-assault-2016.html
-Holidays:
http://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2016/08/vuelta-austria-y-europa-del-este.html

P.D: Best festival in all Europe at the moment for me. 21th edition!

Besides the absurdly long wait for a fucking wristband, it was a stellar experience. The second time for me but definitely not the last!
Beyond the great line-up (too many highlights to mention), this is one of the best and most unique festivals I've ever been to. Especially the cheap beers! Me and an Irish mate spent many an hour in the Music Bar in Josefov too. Open until 6am and permits you to choose songs with a mouse on the bar. Pounding pints of Czech lager for 30czk until daylight and spinning Suffocation tunes with people from all corners of the world. Doesn't get any better than that!
Although some grubby fucker tried to steal my jacket and run out the door with it one night.

Awesome!

It was a bit of a disappointing year compared to the last one. Concerts were great, but I got some fever/flu bullshit the first day we got there that kept on going through the entire festival which limited the social part to the afternoons.. got really tired in the nights so no fun partying. The crappy weather and stuff getting stolen all over the place didn't really help Saw a lot of bands though and Aborted, Chelsea Wolfe, Dark Tranquillity, Immolation and Neurosis ruled bigtime!

Were you in free camping Stefan? I heard numerous reports of burglaries but not sure if anyone in VIP camping got robbed. One thing that turns me off about a lot of the camping at BA is the fact that anyone without a festival ticket can run amok among the tents... People more or less pitch up anywhere they find a space... VIP was worth every bit of the €20. Valuables could be stored for free in the reception which was staffed around the clock, and the sections were guarded around the clock as well.

Yeah, would never use the VIP camping.. like Guantanamo down there with the fences and no cover for sun/rain. Pretty much everyone in the free camp got mugged or attempted the first night, I woke up when they opened my tent and scared the guy (or guys) away. I got my shirt stolen when I was resting in a park, even found the bitch who stole it but the gang was around the corner so they would've beaten the shit out of me if I wouldv'e done more than asked. I'd say all over the people on/around the fest were not as good as last year, a lot of annoying shit happened like dickheads starting fights at gigs and feeling up my girlfriend etc.

I don't really know how it happened but could avoid the wait for the wristbands in BOTH festivals (http://www.metal-archives.com/board/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=114419) to which I went alone this year!
It's nice to make friends so easily!
Same for me about the good experiences.
Didn't know about the bad ones.


Thanks! I must still write my report.



I sleeped in my car during all the festival and glad I did!

Solid plan to avoid VIP Bagdad factor as well as getting your shit stolen. I wouldn't be so sure about them leaving the cars alone either though (at least when empty). They went straight for my buddy's money in his pants that were lying in the tent while he was sleeping in there, so sick.

Man, when I hear stories like that though it makes me feel like it's worth it... As I said, I had one instance of some guy trying to steal my jacket on the first night while I was in the bar. But I caught his arm and he let go and ran out quick. Whenever I go to a festival I always take extra steps like security lockers and such so I don't have to carry passports, credit cards, etc... Worth it for the peace of mind!

Well, yes and no. I go to the festival to let loose and generally don't give a crap, so the VIP camp would feel like being in a Swedish festival again which is exactly what I want to escape. It's just so fucking sad that everything involving people needs to turn into a massive shitfest of crappy behavior. It was already an uphill ride getting into a good mood when I was feverish 24/7 and virtually responsible for anything happening in my camp of friends that I brought from Sweden, and two times when the festival looked it was lighting up we found that stuff disappeared. Somehow I'm happy that all the uphill bullshit (thefts, fever, shitty weather) happened in the same year though, hopefully this means some kind of weird plus karma for next year's attempt.

But still, the bands were awesome.. so many cool gigs. No absolute 10/10 gig like Blood Red Throne and Benighted last year but there was like 12-13 REALLY solid performances. And the cheap prices rule, of course.

l]http://www.metal-archives.com/board/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=114419[/url]) to which I went alone this year!
It's nice to make friends so easily!
Same for me about the good experiences.
Didn't know about the bad ones.

I sleeped in my car during all the festival and glad I did! [/quote]

You avoided the line?? Good form! I stood in the rain for about two hours, and apparently I got off easier than a lot of others!
In terms of security, I didn't have any dramas in VIP camping, there are fuck tonnes of ugly fences but they serve their purpose. I actually stayed in Hotel Cernigov last year and that was a blast as well. It is loaded with people from the festival and you not only get the shuttle bus, but the taxis have a flat rate price deal (I think it was 500czk) for a lift back to the hotel. You also get to shower, leave all your valuables in your room and appease your daily hangover in the breakfast buffet.

Aeternus! My own white whale. On the short list of bands that I've never seen but would like to... played BA in 2014 but I'd already committed to Metaldays, Wacken and Summerbreeze. I'll be trying to get along to at least two festivals next year, maybe three. Got Wacken and Brutal Assault... looking at options in Austria and Slovakia for the following weekend... so I might get lucky!

I got my wristband after waiting like 10 mins, but we were there pretty early on the day without bands too.

Yeah, I heard no bad stuff last year... at least no worse than other festivals I've been to. I think it's in the hands of the festival organisers and local authorities to improve on it for next year...

There were the security lockers for free camp too though. Although what if you dropped the key in a drunken stupor?? Whoever found it would have a labelled key to all your stuff.

I'm an expert at losing stuff so the key would probably need to be glued to me permanently Yeah, I think the way the thieving problem dramatically increased shows that they can't ignore the parts that aren't connected to the festival, like the free camp and the places in the "city". It's gonna become an even more out of control situation.

Sneaky pickpockets seem to be a scourge in a lot of places from what I gather... but muggings and the possibility of violence are another matter. They can't just tell you to "take precautions" when that's involved.
At Wacken one of the companies (Big Box Berlin) actually give you a leather wristband that fixes on like a watch so the key is attached to you... the same thing in essence!

Fuck we have derailed this thread. Anyone who read the last few posts might think Brutal Assault isn't a good festival.
Basically before last year, I always thought I'd return to Bloodstock some day (went in 2013)... It is a very good festival, but I can now safely say BA is that much better than I'd never attend Bloodstock again.

Well, comparing to the Swedish festivals I've been to it definitely still kicks their ass of course. Summer Breeze, Brutal Assault and MetalDays are tied for me as the top ones I've been to. Thinking of trying something all new next year, but it usual comes down to the lineups

And most importantly, THERE IS A LOT MORE TO IT THAN STREET CRIME. I loved Bloodstock but it was extremely expensive, and a little more isolated in that you were certainly not walking distance from regular supermarket priced stuff as you are at Wacken, Metaldays and Brutal Assault. And there is no free shuttle like at Summer Breeze (at least there wasn't in 2013). So not only are you at the mercy of the £ exchange rate (Aussie Dollar comes a very poor second there), but if you don't have your entire supply sorted when you arrive, you're stuck festival prices all weekend.

Believe it or not, I usually end up buying my tickets before I know the lineups in many cases, as I can save a LOT of $$$ by booking connections and accommodation early. So while a few names are known early on, I often end up being surprised over ensuing months as the complete lineups are announced.

Yeah, I was in the line when it started raining and I walked under some trees since they were late.
When the line started moving, some polish friends called me to join them and drink some potato liquor with them.


It's!

I'm thinking of another fest next summer and BA seems cool with the location and setup, and I'd love to visit the Czech Republic, but man the crime seems out of control. Seems like camping is a bad idea due to the robbery and stealing, but staying at the camp is a cool part of an open air fest.

Just like I was afraid of!
Honestly mate, it's an amazing festival! I can personally recommend VIP Camping. Each section is guarded around the clock and requires a unique wristband for entry and you can put anything worth stealing in the locking reception office, which is also staffed around the clock!
I also did the hotel option last year (Cernigov) and it was fucking great! It's just across from Hradec Kralove train station, and includes a shuttle bus in the price. And seeing as the festival is cashless (you can preload your wristband with up to €100 before the festival) you don't even need a wallet at all inside the festival! Different story when you drink in town of course...
It's an awesome festival, and I've been to my share! Take a few simple steps and you'll be fine!

Stefan86, did you saw Leprous live?
http://www.metal-archives.com/board/viewtopic.php?p=2656398#p2656398
Impressive! What a monster of a singer!

Had to skip them since my fever/flu had me in bed by 23 pretty much every night. I really like their latest album though. Guessing the BA performance was nice?

Oops! This sucks.

It was:

Sounds pretty cool indeed, only band I wanted to see that I missed.