Herceg Novi’s Hercegnovски Strip Festival (HSF) once again confirms, at its milestone 20th edition, that in addition to offering some of the finest programmes dedicated to the ninth art, it also boasts one of the best music programmes. The Herceg Novi festival dedicated to the ninth art has earned its reputation as a cultural phenomenon partly because, throughout all six evenings, it also organises outstanding concerts with free admission. This year will be no exception: on the legendary Forte Mare Fortress in Herceg Novi, during the first three nights, September 4, 5 and 6, audiences will be treated to performances by Cane and Partibrejkers, Jura Stublić and Film, and the Rambo Amadeus Quintet.
The HSF’s spectacular music programme, taking place from September 4 to 9, kicks off on the very opening night, Friday, at 8 p.m., when the official opening ceremony will begin with a performance by the Đenović Local Music Band. From 10 p.m., Forte Mare Fortress will host one of the best-known rock bands from the former Yugoslavia, Partibrejkers, led by the brilliant Zoran Kostić Cane. Opening for the Brejkers will be NeonoeN from Podgorica, one of the most interesting musical projects from Montenegro, launching the concert programme of the 20th edition of HSF.
At the same venue, Forte Mare Fortress, on Saturday, September 5, also starting at 10 p.m., an extraordinary programme will open with the Belgrade pop-rock band “San Gvida sa Hokaida”, representing the “Bunt Rock” festival, with which HSF has been collaborating for almost a decade. The star of the evening will be the phenomenal Zagreb band Film, led by Jura Stublić, one of the most distinctive figures in the musical scene of this part of Europe. Their timeless hits, including “Zamisli život u ritmu muzike za ples”, “Sjećam se prvog poljupca”, “Mi nismo sami”, “Pjevajmo do zore”, “Srce na cesti” and many others, will be heard in Montenegro again after more than twelve years. This will be only their fourth performance in the country ever.
The exceptionally rich concert programme at Forte Mare Fortress, as part of the 20th Herceg Novi Strip Festival, will be rounded off by Herceg Novi’s most famous rock star and a musician of enormous regional popularity, Antonije Pušić, aka Rambo Amadeus, performing with his quintet. He is preparing a spectacular surprise for his full-length concert on Sunday, September 6, in his hometown. Rambo’s opening act will be another musical sensation from Montenegro, the band “Gorostas”, led by another Herceg Novi native, the highly energetic and exceptionally talented musician Jovo Čeprnić.
The music programme of HSF’s jubilee edition will be completed by “Boka All Star”, a line-up of outstanding Montenegrin musicians consisting of Marko Vlahović, Dragan Ivanović, Martin Đorđević, Goran Milojević and Miodrag Šule Jovović. They will traditionally perform at the Amphitheatre of the Herceg Novi Theatre on Tuesday, September 8, from 10 p.m. The funk-soul party will be preceded by a performance by “Seagulls”, an excellent band of musicians from Đenovići and Tivat.
It is worth reminding audiences that admission to all concerts taking place as part of HSF is free of charge.
Alongside this detailed overview of the music programme, let us once again highlight that this year’s jubilee edition of HSF brings a truly glamorous line-up of more than 150 creators and comic-book professionals, led by twelve special guests: Filipe Andrade (Portugal); Marco Costiello, Josephina Tomarchio, Katja and Luana Vecchio (Italy); Dani (Greece); Darick Robertson, Terry Moore, Jim Mahfood and Shawn Crystal (USA); and British artists Geof Senior and Barry Kitson.
From the Apennine Peninsula, the festival will once again welcome outstanding artists Anna Lazzarini, Oscar Scalco, Marcello Mangiantini and Luca Strati, while the French contingent will be led by Jean-Charles Poupard, Tristoon and Christoph Bataillon. The Spanish comic-book scene will also have a strong presence this year, with returning artists Francis Portela and Fernando Dagnino at the forefront.
The guest artists will also include Brett Hobson, the renowned artist for Heavy Metal magazine and the comic Heart & Sin. Meanwhile, those who are practically HSF regulars will be led by Game of Thrones storyboard artist and festival ambassador William Simpson. Joining him will be stars of the American publishing scene Esad Ribić, Dalibor Talajić, Stipan Morian and Mirko Čolak, as well as Sarah Burrini, Aleksa Gajić, Jovan Ukropina, Milorad Vicanović Maza, Iztok Sitar, Izar Lunaček, Štef Bartolić, Krešimir Biuk and Tihomir Tico Tikulin.
In addition to these outstanding artists, from September 4 to 9 Herceg Novi will also welcome Dominika Czapska, director of the Warsaw Comic Book Festival, as well as Bob and Gina Chapman, owners of the Graphitti Designs publishing house.