Rock band Lucie will perform at the Trutnoff festival for the first time this August, joining a lineup that will commemorate the 90th anniversary of Václav Havel.
The annual Trutnoff festival is scheduled to take place from August 13 to August 16 in Trutnov. Organizers announced that the upcoming gathering will pay tribute to the late Václav Havel on what would have been his 90th birthday. Havel was a visitor to the event during his presidency after 1990, and festival organizers formally designated him as their náčelník
or chieftain.
A First-Time Appearance and a Special Festival Message
Rock band Lucie is slated to perform at the festival for the first time. Festival founder Martin Věchet noted that the timing aligns with the band’s milestone anniversary, pointing out that Trutnoff is 42 years old while Lucie celebrated 40 years since its founding.
In connection with the appearance, musician Robert Kodym composed a poetic dedication for the mountain gathering. Organizers shared details of the text, noting its thematic ties to the festival’s underground roots.
Festival organizers stated via Novinky that after one thing led to another, Robert wrote his own magical shamanic message titled Letíme na TrutnOFF for their mountain encampment, adding that the text blends underground footsteps and the chieftain with the Slavic Woodstock, shamanic drums, the pipe of peace, fire, the river, and the moon overhead, and expressing hope that the message might also take musical wings so they could hear it at Trutnoff for the first time in a musical arrangement.
Lineup Changes and a New Chemical Formula for Lucie
The upcoming festival appearance arrives during a transitional period for Lucie. Following the departure of singer David Koller, the band welcomed Viktor Dyk as its new singer. Robert Kodym described the current dynamic as a rejuvenating shift for the group.
Robert Kodym stated via budejovice.rozhlas.cz that it works wonderfully and is great, noting that the change also involves the band having a different chemical formula, energy, and charisma, and expressing that they have the kind of courage they had when they started, which they haven’t felt in a long time, calling it a new challenge for them.
Reflecting on the band’s origins, Kodym explained that the name Lucie was inspired by the Beatles track Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, noting that the title symbolizes bringing light into dark moments. Alongside his work with Lucie, Kodym continues to perform with Wanastowi Vjecy, a punk-influenced project he co-founded in 1988.
Eclectic Musical Lineup and Non-Musical Programming
The four-day event will feature an expansive mix of genres, including rock, underground music, world music, folk, swing, rap, indie, punk, and electronic projects. Opening night on Thursday will feature performances from Pražský výběr, Jasná Páka with David Koller, Visací zámek, Krásné nové stroje, and Hentai Corporation starting at 5:00 p.m.
Additional artists scheduled across the weekend include underground mainstays The Plastic People of the Universe, a resurrected Garage featuring singer Tony Ducháček, American punk group Gogol Bordello, reggae ensemble The Wailers, Monkey Business, Portless, singer Mucha, metal rapper Redzed, electronic artist Ventolin, and Ondřej Havelka and his Melody Makers.
Beyond the concerts, organizers have prepared a non-musical program consisting of exhibitions, debates, and film screenings dedicated to Václav Havel and alternative culture. Families will also have access to a dedicated children’s camp featuring theater productions, an observatory, and art workshops, according to organizer and musician Marta Indiánka
.
Historical Roots Dating Back to Communist-Era Dispatches
The festival’s origins trace back to October 1984, when Martin Věchet attempted to organize an independent gathering in Staré Buky u Trutnova. That initial country-pub concert was broken up by the State Security (StB). Authorities similarly dissolved the first unofficial festival year in Volanov u Trutnova in September 1987, at which point organizers successfully concealed their musical equipment at Václav Havel’s cottage in Hrádeček.
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