Garage is a festival that gives space every year to bands that have not yet played on big stages, but have something to say. In its sixth edition, it will feature ten discoveries from the Slovak music scene, Chiki Liki Tu-A, The Wilderness, and David Kollar with his solo project Guitar Stories. In addition to music, we will also enjoy an accompanying programme, including discussions – for example, about why sad music makes us happy, or who actually decides what we listen to today.
This year, Garage is at a new location. It is moving to Bunky na Looke, a new cultural venue in Trenčín, between the underpass on Hasičská Street and the Fiesta Bridge.
Admission is free.
We are gradually publishing the programme. Follow us.
Friday, 3 July
3:00–3:30 PM – DJ Ya x OutKid b2b DJ Set Pt. 1
3:30–4:00 PM – JULIA VRANUCH (folk / singer-songwriter)
4:05–4:45 PM – DJ Ya x OutKid b2b DJ Set Pt. 2
4:50–5:20 PM – Noise Fleur (trip hop / electronic)
5:25–6:05 PM – DJ Ya x OutKid b2b DJ Set Pt. 3
6:10–6:40 PM – st.vertigo (alternative rock)
6:40–7:20 PM – Discussion: Who Chooses Our Music Now That We No Longer Watch MTV?
(Karel Veselý, Pavol Hubinák)
7:30–8:00 PM – Haney (alternative pop / electronic)
8:00–9:10 PM – Music Quiz
9:10–9:40 PM – MOSAYQRA (electronic / experimental)
9:50–10:20 PM – Discussion: Without Garages, There Are No Big Stages
(Michal Kaščák, Martin Višňovský) + Announcement of the winner of a ticket to Pohoda Festival 2026
10:30–11:30 PM – Chiki Liki Tu-A
Additional Programme
3:00–7:00 PM – Workshop: Textile Printing with Linocut Blocks (meraki print)
3:00–8:00 PM – Children’s Workshop: Acoustic Armor
3:00–9:00 PM – Knihy z podkrovia Second-Hand Bookshop
Throughout the day: Trenčín 2026 Info Point, street food, chill-out zone
Children’s Programme
3:00–7:00 PM – Children’s Activities: Plejs for Movement
Saturday, 4 July
3:30–4:00 PM – Adam Traumer (folk / spoken word)
4:05–4:45 PM – Discussion: We Have the Talent. Why Not the Export?
(Jarmila Vlčková, Katja Thalerová)
4:55–5:25 PM – lull devours (alternative rock)
5:30–6:10 PM – Discussion: From Prešov to Zimmer
(David Kollár)
6:20–6:50 PM – mela (shoegaze / alternative rock)
6:55–7:35 PM – Discussion: Why Does Sad Music Make Us Happy?
(Karel Veselý)
7:45–8:15 PM – pulverize! (alternative rock / sadcore)
8:20–9:10 PM – David Kollár: Guitar Stories
9:10–9:40 PM – MonoPlastic (electro-rock / post-punk)
9:45–10:35 PM – Kenji Araki (AT)
10:40–11:30 PM – The Wilderness
11:30 PM–1:00 AM – TAPCUE DJ Set
Additional Programme
3:00–7:00 PM – Workshop: Textile Printing with Linocut Blocks (meraki print)
3:00–9:00 PM – Knihy z podkrovia Second-Hand Bookshop
Throughout the day: Trenčín 2026 Info Point, street food, chill-out zone
Children’s Programme
3:00–4:00 PM – Hudbohry: Free Play
4:00–4:50 PM – Hudbohry: Workshop for Children and Parents (Limited for 30 participants)
5:00–7:00 PM – Hudbohry: Sound Workshop
3:00–7:00 PM – Children’s Activities: Plejs for Movement
10 Musical Discoveries from the Slovak Scene
From more than 100 submitted bands and artists, an international professional jury selected ten who will be given space at Garage this year.
🟡 MonoPlastic – electro-rock / post-punk | Futuristic aesthetics, dance rhythms, and the rawness of post-punk from a Slovak duo balancing between a concert and a rave.
🟡 Haney – alternative pop / electronic | A songwriter and producer who combines intimate vocals with atmospheric soundscapes and meticulously crafted production.
🟡 mela – shoegaze / alternative rock | Melancholy with a gothic atmosphere and noise-driven outbursts – a dense yet romantic sound from Bratislava.
🟡 pulverize! – slowcore / sadcore | Gentle electric guitars, ethereal vocals, and a delicate sonic space from a four-piece band from Nové Mesto nad Váhom.
🟡 MOSAYQRA – Alternative / Electronic | A composer whose work is distinguished by sonic sensitivity, cinematic atmosphere, and dramaturgical precision.
🟡 st. vertigo – alternative rock | A female trio from Nitra with emotional melodies, layered guitars, and strong stage energy.
🟡 JULIA VRANUCH – folk / singer-songwriter | Voice, lyrics, and simple guitar lines in the tradition of old-school songwriting, drawing on iconic folk energy.
🟡 Noise fleur – trip hop / electronic | An eclectic journey into the 1990s with an atmosphere reminiscent of Czech film soundtracks and the sound of Hooverphonic and Ecstasy of Saint Theresa.
🟡 Adam Traumer – folk / spoken word | A slam poetry performer with an acoustic guitar, English-language lyrics, and the intimate atmosphere of summer evenings.
🟡 lull devours – alternative rock | A Slovak band based in Prague whose music seeks originality and authenticity as goals in themselves.
See the full information about the bands.
Musical Guests
🔴 The Wilderness
A HC/punk band from Trnava active since 2011, proving that punk in its best form is far from dead. Engaged lyrics, raw sound, and no clichés.
🔴 Chiki Liki Tu-A
This iconic band from Prešov is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year—and they’re still as energetic as ever. They might even show up in their signature tracksuits and shake up Garáž with legendary hits like “Láska moja de si” and “Kristína.” Winners of the Radio Head Award for Album of the Year, Chiki Liki Tu-A have played countless shows in Slovakia and abroad, winning audiences over with their infectious energy, unmistakable humour, and guaranteed dance-inducing performances.
🔴 David Kollar – Guitar Stories
A solo concert project by the Slovak guitarist and composer, moving between ambient music, film music, and improvisation. Using electric guitar, effects, and live electronics, he creates hypnotic musical landscapes full of space and emotion. Kollar has collaborated with musicians such as Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson), Trey Gunn, and Erik Truffaz.
🔴 Kenji Araki (AUT)
A digital artist of Japanese heritage based in Austria, whose work is influenced by the deconstruction of contemporary art and music. His experimental post-club sounds ignore genre boundaries and create an aesthetic that is at once harsh, alienated, and beautiful. The performance is presented in cooperation with the Austrian Cultural Forum Bratislava.
🔴 TAPCUE DJ Set
A Bratislava-based DJ and producer with a distinctive sound situated between hard house, trance, hardgroove, and house music. She draws inspiration from the music scenes of Melbourne, Berlin, and Amsterdam.
🔴 DJ Ya! & OutKid
Expect dancehall, hip-hop, rap, UK sounds, and electronic music. The vibe and energy will be off the charts—and there might even be a few guilty pleasures thrown into the mix.
🔴 We Have the Talent. Why Not the Export?
How to get Slovak music to international audiences
Slovak music has a lot to offer – yet it reaches international audiences more through the determination of individuals than through a system. In countries where music export works well, it is supported by structures, networks, and long-term backing. So far, we do not have that.
We will talk about how this can change – and what is already working – with people who are actively helping Slovak bands reach the world.
Guests: Katja Thálerová, music manager who brought the first Slovak band to the Glastonbury Festival and works with the non-profit organisation LALA Music Export; Jarmila Vlčková, Programme Director of the World Music Festival, who has helped Slovak world music gain significant international recognition.
🔴 Who Plays Our Music Now That We No Longer Watch MTV?
On listening to music in the age of algorithms
MTV officially came to an end this year – but it lost its role long before that. Music television channels, radio stations, critics, and programme curators once decided what we would listen to. Today, that role is played by algorithms, TikTok, playlists, or recommendations from people within our communities.
What has this shift done to the way we discover music? And who actually shapes our musical taste today?
Guests: Karel Veselý, Czech music journalist and writer; Pavol Hubinák, presenter at Rádio_FM.
🔴 Why Does Sad Music Make Us Happy?
With Karel Veselý on melancholy, The Cure, and the history of musical sadness
We listen to sad songs voluntarily – and more often than ever. Why are we drawn to them? And what do they reveal about ourselves?
Karel Veselý explores this question in his book Všechny kočky jsou šedé (All Cats Are Grey), which examines melancholy, anxiety, and hopelessness in popular music over the past decades. From The Cure and Nirvana to contemporary pop – music that hurts, yet helps us survive.
The discussion takes place just a few days before The Cure’s first concert in Slovakia.
Guest: Karel Veselý, Czech music journalist and writer.
🔴 From Prešov to Zimmer
The musical journey of Dávid Kollár
Dávid Kollár is one of Slovakia’s most distinctive guitarists and composers. From Prešov, he went on to collaborate with Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree, composer Thomas Newman (American Beauty, The Shawshank Redemption), and musicians associated with King Crimson. He has worked on feature film and documentary soundtracks, with some of his most significant projects including the films Miki and Černák.
We will talk about dreams, coincidences, persistence, and how the pursuit of one idol can ultimately lead to finding your own voice.
Guest: David Kollar, musician and film composer.
🔴 Without Garages, There Will Be No Big Stages
On the places that keep young music alive
Bands do not start out on major festival stages. They begin in rehearsal rooms, clubs, cultural centres, and small venues where someone gives them their first opportunity to perform. What happens when these spaces start to disappear? Who then gives young people the chance to experiment, make mistakes, find their sound, and build their first audience?
A conversation about Garage as a symbol of beginnings, about cultural centres as the real garages of today, and about why supporting young bands does not begin only once they step onto a stage.
Guest: Michal Kaščák, musician, promoter, and director of the Pohoda Festival.
All discussions will be moderated by Peter “Faun” Dolník (Rádio_FM).
Music Play
An afternoon open to children and parents who want not only to listen to music, but also to try it, discover it, and create it. There is no right way to play – just play wholeheartedly. No sheet music, no experience required – just a willingness to explore.
🟡 Free Play
Instruments are there to be played. Try things out, experiment with sound, draw to music, or let yourself be carried away by the rhythm. Everyone will find their own way.
🟡 Music workshop for children and adults
Voice, rhythm, movement, and a bit of improvisation. A shared workshop for children and parents where even well-known children’s songs can become something completely different. The workshop is limited to 30 participants. No advance registration is required—just sign up on site.
🟡 Sound Workshop
Build your own instrument, turn a drawing into music, or join a collective improvisation. The second part of the afternoon is dedicated to creating and discovering.
Music Play will be led by Mgr. Magdaléna Cifrová, facilitator of music and movement activities.
Plejs for Movement
Cones, gymnastics equipment, and colourful obstacles. A children’s obstacle course that kids can complete against the clock and test their agility from start to finish.
🔴 Garage Quiz
The sixth edition of Garáž—turned into a music quiz.
From legendary musical beginnings and the days when MTV truly mattered, to the moments when the mainstream sounded like a garage band, this quiz dives into the world of Garáž and its artists. Test your knowledge and compete for great prizes generously provided by Coffee Sheep and Lanius – Trenčín Brewery.
Teams of 2–5 players can enter. Registration is required via the link below.
🔴 Knihy z podkrovia Second-hand Bookshop
Garages don’t just hide musical gems—they’re full of literary treasures, too. Knihy z podkrovia has unearthed them for you from hundreds of garages, boxes, and bookshelves. Stop by our Bunka to browse a carefully selected collection of books, vinyl records, and cassette tapes—all waiting to be discovered.
🔴 Workshop: Textile Printing with Linocuts (Meraki Print)
Bring your own T-shirt, bag, or other cotton textile and give it a DIY garage look using black linocut prints. Ready-made designs will be available, as well as the opportunity to create your own detail directly on site. The workshop will be led by Adam Drga, who creates under the name Meraki.
🔴 Street Food and Chill-out Zone
Good food and a place to relax between concerts are an essential part of Garage as well.
🔴 Workshop: Acoustic Armor
Create your own “sound oasis” right on your head! As part of the Garáž Festival, we invite you to a hands-on workshop where we’ll transform everyday sound-insulation materials into functional, stylized helmets.
🔴 Festival Ticket Giveaways
During the Garáž Festival, you’ll have the chance to win tickets to Pohoda 2026 and Sharpe 2027.
- How can you enter? Simply fill out a short survey on-site with one of our clearly marked volunteers, and you’ll be entered into the draw.
- The winner of the Pohoda 2026 ticket will be announced on Friday, 3 July, after the discussion No Big Stages Without Garages.
The winner of the Sharpe 2027 ticket will be announced on Saturday, 4 July at 21:00.
Please note: Winners must be present at the festival site at the time of the draw to claim their prize. If the winner is not present, the prize will be forfeited and a new winner will be drawn.
🔴 Happy Hour
Win a ticket to Sharpe 2027 and other great prizes from Lanius Brewery in Trenčín and Coffee Sheep Roastery during our Happy Hour. Please note that only the first 50 visitors can take part.
How does it work? Every day from 15:00 to 16:00, visit the Trenčín 2026 Info Point at Garáž, where one of our volunteers will give you a raffle ticket. Winners are drawn every day after 16:00 on the Garáž Stage.
Please note: Winners must be present at the festival site at the time of the draw to claim their prize. If the winner is not present, the prize will be forfeited and a new winner will be drawn.
Event Accessibility
The event takes place outdoors, and parts of the site have uneven terrain. Getting around may therefore be more challenging for wheelchair users and people with reduced mobility, so we recommend attending with a companion. If possible, we also recommend approaching the venue from the indoor swimming pool side, where accessible parking spaces are available.
We are unable to provide a designated quiet zone within the event site. However, nearby you will find the Váh River embankment and the island, which offer a peaceful place to take a break from higher noise levels.
One accessible portable toilet will be available on site.
