[REview] MENT Festival + interview w/ Andraž Kajzer

3 days, 16 clubs, 71 concerts and snowy Ljubljana.
MENT is a great platform for the music lovers and professionals. Three-day speed networking, showcase festival and a conference. Let’s keep it short and simple – it was nice and lovely! A flawless organization, a great selection of the program and a wonderful atmosphere in Kino Siska and Metelkova. The awards for “Best Small Festival” and “Best Indoor Festival” in Europe are totally justified!

Elena RecomMENTs: Algiers (USA), Young Fathers (Great Britain), 5K HD (Austria), GLINTSHAKE/ГШ (Russia)…

To understand the meaning, the goal and the idea behind the MENT festival better, read the following interview with Andraž Kajzer, one of the main organizers and founder of MENT.

1. Tell us something more about the beginnings of MENT … What was the key element to make such a move? How many people are in your team?

MENT started 4 years ago with the idea of trying to move the Slovenian bands and to make a festival where we can present mostly unknown bands to the Slovenian audience. We felt that we need something like this – a platform for people to get the knowledge and where bands can present themselves. Our goal is to expose different European scenes and of course the local and regional music.

2. You’ve been involved in the alternative music scene for many years … By creating music and organizing events. What is your biggest challenge in the field of music (music business)? What is the ultimate goal of MENT?

Challenges come along. Currently I think the biggest challenge is shifting the mentality of artists and educating them. Being professional doesn’t mean you’re a sell out. It means you’re serious about your art.

3. Do you remember the first concert you attended and the first one that you organized?

One of the first concerts was definitely The Offspring, AFI & Elvis Jackson in Hala Tivoli when I was about 13 years old. I remember standing on the tribune for the whole time and just starring at the stage. At the end one of my friends said that it seemed like I was bored. But actually I loved it.
I was a part of the team that organized some little concerts for a magazine we used to run but my first go out there and do something experience was in 2011 when me and a couple of friends organized a 20th anniversary of the Nirvana’s Nevermind album. We invited 13 bands to the open air stage of Gala hala and it was a blast!

4. If you could book any band to perform @ MENT – which one would you choose?

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. If you’ll publish this on Facebook please tag them. 😉 We need to make this happen. I saw their gig at the Beaches Brew festival in Ravenna and it blew me away. January 30th 2019 would be ideal!

5. What is your favorite place in Ljubljana?

Metelkova. It brings out so many memories and it can be so many different places and scenes in one.
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Click here for the review and interview in Macedonian for Reborn.