Last weekend, Gigwise writers Dom Gourlay and Jimi Arundell flew out to the idyllic Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca. Situated deep in the heart of Transylvania where it was the capital until 1867, it’s a city steeped in history and folklore. It also plays host to Electric Castle, a music festival based on the site of Banffy Castle in the village of Bontida approximately half an hour’s drive from the main city. Taking place over the course of five days from 18-22 July where Gigwise spent the final three soaking up the sun, checking out some of the historical sites around the region and of course, immersing ourselves in an eclectic smorgasbord of musical delights.
With a line-up amassed from every corner of the globe, this really was an international affair and although the majority of Electric Castle’s audience is made up of 70% Romanians with around 30% also travelling from nearby Hungary, it’s an all encompassing, all inclusive party where everyone’s invited and those that RSVP are made humbly welcome.
So without further ado, here’s 16 things we learned at this year’s Electric Castle
The Organisation Is First Class Throughout
From the moment Gigwise arrived onsite to the moment we left, everything ran like clockwork. There were very few queues at bars, food vendors or toilets while the scheduling and stage times were also punctual, the only occasional blip being caused by delayed flights such as happened with Little Boots’ rearranged set on Saturday evening.
The sound was pristine throughout on every stage, with paths and walkways clearly signposted wherever one chose to venture.
Idles’ Community Spirit Stretches Far And Wide
Forget the impending stench of Brexit, Idles’ community spirit breaks boundaries and transcends borders. Where songs about the NHS might sound amiss to foreign audiences, there’s a general feeling of camaraderie throughout their unifying hour-long set. Friendships are born and songs communally sang with a general feeling that Bristol’s finest are more than just a band of the people. This is pure joy as a defiant act of resistance as the title of their forthcoming album suggests, and ultimately, never has a truer set of words been spoken.
Cash At A Festival Is So Over
Similarly to many European festivals, Electric Castle employs a chip, which is attached to your wristband that you use to access the festival and pay for absolutely everything whilst inside, including food, booze and merch. Although this may be initially intimidating to some, it takes the worry out of losing any cash whilst you’re out raving and exploring the beautiful site. Plus, it reduces the waiting time considerably as you never have to wait for anyone to count their cash and wait for the change. Which is really helpful when you’re still getting your head around the currency.
You are able to claim any unspent money back at the top up stations or by using an online form found on their site for a limited time. But be quick, as the organisers keep any money you don’t request.
It Offers Staggeringly Great Value For Money
Tickets for Electric Castle are ridiculously cheap and the festival is easy to get to from the city of Cluj-Napoca. Flights from Luton are available from as little as £30 while the campsites are clean, welcoming and friendly, also offering a wide range of activities outside of the festival. Early bird tickets for 2019 went on sale at the end of this year’s event priced at 65 Euros for a full, five day weekend pass, which represents unbelievable value for money while putting many of its UK counterparts to shame.
But hurry, as Electric Castle regularly sells out well in advance, which is hardly surprising at that price.
Learn The Lingo
There is nothing worse than ignorance and it doesn’t take much to learn a handful of the most commonly used words. It is amazing how easy it is to get by with just some basic phrases and you should always say thank you (multumesc)! But don’t worry if you’re not exactly the master of words, most staff on site have a rudimentary understanding of English meaning its still possible to party without being fluent in Romanian.
It Doesn’t Matter Who’s Headlining
Seriously, it really doesn’t! It isn’t a major selling point here as there is something for everyone across Electric Castle’s eclectic range of areas and stages. Furthermore, the majority of people we spoke to at the festival were dedicated music lovers evidently clued up on just about everything on the line up. Which meant sandwiching Jessie J in between Idles and Cancer Bats on Sunday’s bill wasn’t as bizarre a decision by the organisers as it first appeared.
Britain isn’t the only country with temperamental summers
When Electric Castle is hot, it gets incredibly hot. And when it rains, it is torrential. So make sure you pack clothes with both climate extremes in mind as we are told it fluctuates between the two every year. By the time we arrived, we had missed the rain and were bathed in glorious sunshine and sweltering nighttime heat but the mud remained throughout.
All weather sites and apps kept telling us that another storm was on its way each day but it never appeared. So, maybe trust your instincts rather than the Internet.
Supermarkets At Festivals Are The Way Forward
Don’t laugh, it’s true. The 24/7 onsite LIDL store catered for everyone’s needs morning, noon and night meaning nobody ran out of supplies at any point.
British Festival Goers Need To Grow Up
Sometimes, the worst thing about a British festival is all the people around you. The intimidating drunken blokes looking for a fight, the attention grabbers who think they’re so kooky for turning up in a morph suit and the screaming kids running around whilst gurning to extinction. Fortunately, there was none of that at Electric Castle.
Instead, the typical EC reveller tended to be demure, stylish and polite. Interesting to talk to, up for it when the music got going and respectful of everyone attending. They certainly aren’t the sort of person who thinks reciprocating calls of ‘bollocks’ is in any way funny.
A member of our group lost his passport on the first night, which is frustrating at the best of times but is an absolute catastrophe when partying abroad. Especially because we were staying in the nearby city of Cluj-Napoca and the British Embassy is located at the capital Bucharest which is a significant 8-hour trip. Fortunately, it was found by some kind stranger and was safely returned the next day, which is yet another example of just how nice and welcoming the local people are.
Customers Are Treated As Such
So as a result, behave in a dignified and respectful manner towards each other and the festival site itself. An ample supply of amenities ensured no one was seen pissing against railings or even worse, into plastic cups then hurling them into the audience.
The concept is simple. Treat your customers with the respect they deserve and chances are, they’ll respond in the same manner.
EC Goers Know How To Party
Attendees tend to be relatively quiet during the day, especially between acts. But as Electric Castle truly comes to life at night, audiences are quick to embrace the thrill of music in the dark and rave hard well into the early hours. It’s an attitude that reflects their thriving electronica and dance scene as well as eager appetite for a new sound.
Context Is Everything
If Russian techno rappers Little Big suddenly appears on your shuffle at a house party in Shoreditch, it’s going to be pretty embarrassing. However, when you are surrounded by a huge crowd of Romanian ravers at the Hanger stage, suddenly banging tracks like ‘Big Dick’ make sense - and it’s the best thing ever!
Jessie J Won The Chinese X Factor!
Yes, the same Jessie J that’s sold millions of records worldwide since launching her career with ‘Do It Like A Dude’ back in 2010 came first in a Chinese talent show called ‘Singer’, becoming not only the first international artist to compete on the show but also the first overseas act to win it.
Undoubtedly the most recognisable name on the entire bill, she wowed an expectedly large crowd on Sunday evening with a set that comprised of both originals and covers, not to mention asking bringing her own brand of unification in asking audience members to shake hands with the person standing nearest to them they’d never met before.
It might sound cringeworthy back home but I can assure, it was a spectacle genuinely worth being a part of.
The Food And Drink Is SO Good
The food on offer varies from standard festival fare cooked to an exceptional standard to local delicacies and international specialities that included Indian, Japanese, Vietnamese cuisine and more. Plus, it is so easy to find vegan and vegetarian food at both the festival and in Cluj-Napoca with a range and quality that far exceeds that of many British events and high streets.
The drink measures are truly huge, the cocktails are satisfyingly strong and no one is seen without at least one drink in their hand. The plethora of cool bars offer a massive range of tastes and everyone seemed to be going mad for the invigorating taste of Fresh Gin.
With the average price of a large beer retailing at 9 Romanian Lei (or about £1.80 in UK Sterling) and the price of a delicious Pork Vindaloo with rice, naan and chutneys just 25 Romanian Lei (approximately £5), it really is impossible to remain thirsty or hungry for long.
Cluj-Napoca Is A Beautiful City
Situated in the heart of Transylvania, it offers a wide range of historical buildings and architecture away from the festival, with must see highlights including the Salina Turda, a salt mine dating back to the 13th Century. Hoia Baciu, a forest on the outskirts of the city that’s known as the “Bermuda Triangle Of Romania” and said to be haunted with reports of missing persons and UFO sightings among many strange and unexplained happenings said to have taken place there.
Also, the Cluj Arena was built in 2011 and as well as being the home of up and coming football team Universitatea Cluj, is also one of Romania’s national stadiums, playing host to a couple of World Cup qualifying matches last year.
The Airport Is Tiny And Easy To Access
The nearby airport at Cluj-Napoca is so easy to get to and remarkably small. Though it may be lacking in bars and shops or much else to do after checking in, it can often be a relief not having to walk for miles after enjoying a big weekender trying to work out what signs in another language are saying.
We ended up on the same plane as Little Boots and Nothing But Thieves so you could even find yourself sitting next to your favourite artist!
