No Festival: A Concert for No One

We continued to work on this year's edition until the very last moment. After we announced the postponement of EC8 until 2021, besides the overall heavy impact with artists, builders, production people, partners and collaborators, vendors or service providers, the worst part was still not having an edition happening this year. Because seeing people having fun and enjoying everything we've prepared for them becomes our joie de vivre after a year of hard work. So we had to do something to mark the date. We had to show our community that Electric Castle happens even when it doesn't. But how can we do that and still be insightful and memorable? How can we offer everyone a moment that could even slightly resemble "that" special EC feeling? We were talking with everyone involved and realized the heaviest impact of the pandemics context was suffered by artists. Because concerts as we all knew them were cancelled for the foreseeable future and they were suddenly left without any income. That's when the idea of a concert without an audience was born. A concert without an audience held in an empty festival.The perfect metaphor for the status quo. For the state of the music and festivals industry. We named the project No Festival. Because in a few years, when we look back at 2020, we will remember it as the year with NO FESTIVALS. But hopefully as a year that made each and every one of us rethink what we do and come up with backup plans.We invited 3 of the most representative Romanian bands to take the stage in an empty Booha Mansion at Banffy Castle. Just the artists and the stage. We also challenged them to do a jam session together, for the very first time. Different styles, different genres, different personalities. They had a few weeks to rehearse. Luckily they were able to gather together at the studio or practice spots and enjoy doing what they love doing most: music. We sent a photo/video crew to follow them closely and document their journey. To dig deep into their minds and souls and extract the purest feelings. When the date came, they packed all the tools and got on the road. Back on the road, heading towards probably the weirdest experience of their professional lives. The good part was that the empty festival location is completely unexpected. Instead of sadness, it brings incredible peace of mind.