We have some heartbreaking news to share with you. Fluff 2023 will mark the end of an era as it will be the last ever Fluff festival. As we eagerly await the final batch of bands to be revealed tomorrow, the Fluff team has announced the unfortunate news. The festival has been a beloved staple of the European punk and hardcore scene for over 20 years, and its absence will surely be felt by many.
The Fluff team has not given a specific reason for why this will be the final year, but we can only imagine that it was a difficult decision to make. However, the team has promised to make the final year of Fluff the best one yet, so be sure to get your tickets while you still can.
Don’t forget that you have until the end of April to purchase cheaper full festival passes during the pre-sale.
Fluff Fest has always been a festival that bridges the gap between music and political activism, and this year’s lineup is no exception. The multi-genre festival, which has its roots in hardcore and punk, has announced a diverse and inclusive lineup for its 2023 event, taking place at Airfield Rokycany in the Czech Republic.
The festival’s final lineup includes a wide range of artists from all over the world, such as A Place To Bury Strangers, Astio, Berlin Manson, Bibione, Doldrey, Faim, FAÜST, and Fuck It… I Quit!. The festival is also proud to include acts like GAG, Gillian Carter, Ginger Wizard, GLAAS, and many others who represent marginalized communities.
One of the more interesting band names on the lineup is “2 Manky Hookers & a Racist Dwarf,” a provocative name that challenges societal norms and raises questions about identity and acceptance. Other notable acts include Powerplant, Suffering Quota, and Warfuck.
See more live videos from various Fluff Fest editions after the scroll.
Fluff Fest 2023 is a self-funded independent event, free from sponsorship or government funding, and its mission is to create a safe space for discussion, personal and artistic freedom, and fun. The festival supports inclusivity, diversity, social justice, and environmental activism.
Here’s the official word about the end of the Fluff era:
“I feel massive pride in what Fluff has always been – a self-sufficient and self-funded event where people from the hardcore punk community could be themselves. It has started two decades ago in a very different world, and I believe it has succeeded in what was our original idea – to bring like minded hardcore/punk bands and fans from all over the world to our hometown. There wasn’t much happening in late 90s for us over there, and Fluff has changed it all, for which I am grateful.
But the reality twenty years ago was a different reality than we live in today. The world around us is changing, including the hardcore scene. It has become increasingly more physically, mentally and financially challenging for us to put the festival together, especially in these uncertain turbulent times. Fluff has always been made by a small group of people, the way small diy shows are done. We were able to keep the festival running for over 20 years in the same or similar way. Something I could not have imagined in the beginning. But I do not see a way to keep Fluff that way any longer.
Building a festival from scratch on an airfield is quite demanding. We’ve always been trying to do our best to make the festival as sustainable as possible, but when we look at it from today’s perspective we think that it’s not enough and that building a festival on a bare field is unnecessary splurge, and with the climate crisis in mind things can be done in a more sustainable way.
So here we are, doing the last ever edition of Fluff in Rokycany airfield. We would like to thank everyone who has ever been part of it in one way or another (crew, visitors, bands…) and helped make it special. Fluff couldn’t become what it is without you. And it would be really nice if we met one more time in Rokycany and closed this chapter together.
But we are not disappearing completely. We will continue to run Underdogs’, a place for all misfits as we like to call it. We will continue to promote shows. We might even come up with a new festival with a slightly different concept in the future… who knows.
Thank you and maybe see you this summer.”
Michal, Fluff
