For the first time ever the two foremost Gypsy brass bands from Romania and Serbia are taking the stage together to see who blows hottest and hardest! Following in the great tradition of brass battles from the Balkans to New Orleans, this scrap will determine who is the king!

BOBAN I MARKO MARKOVIC ORKESTAR
FANFARE CIOCARLIA

The showdown has been taking shape over the past decade. As Fanfare Ciocărlia arose from rural Romanian obscurity to storm stages they developed a reputation as the world’s fastest, hardest Balkan brass band. Yet word reached them about another Gypsy brass band, one that had survived the Yugoslav Civil War, appeared on the soundtracks of Kusturica’s crazed movies and considered themselves No 1: Boban i Marko Marković Orkestar. As the Markovićs’ began performing beyond Serbia they got to hear of Fanfare and how the Romanian raggamuffins had conquered the world. Boban, unbeaten heavyweight champion of Guča Brass Festival, was not about to let this pass and he brooded that Fanfare Ciocărlia claimed to be No 1. How could this be when he, surely, was King?

Fanfare were experiencing a similar sense of resentment. They had rocked clubs and theatres from Sydney to Moscow yet everywhere they went promoters, journalists and fans asked them about Boban and his teenage son, Marko: were Fanfare really the best or was Boban the true master blaster of Balkan brass? The Romanians could not believe anyone could dare match their furious groove and sour horns! But the whispers continued …

Entrance with full festival ticket or one-day ticket.