Exit, it’s a music festival but also a unique place. And what a place! Built in the Seventeenth century by the Austrians according to the principles of Vauban, the fortress of Petrovaradin was to be used to stop the invasions of the ottoman. The Danube river that it overlooks, this place, is only three metres wide and the current is strong. Powerful, high-perched on its hill, the fortress of Petronavarin draws up its high walls, and extends its network of tunnels with a length of… sixteen kilometres.

The last attempt of conquest by the Ottomans date from 1716. Unsuccessful attempt as were the previous ones, as the place is breathtaking. It is this area of 112 hectares in 2001, the Exit festival has invested. Now spread out over a long weekend, he hosted this year 200.000 spectators, who had the choice between a hundred concerts dailies on a twenty scenes. That is to say the dimension of this festival that goes well beyond music, as in Serbia, this event has a historical dimension.

He has seen the light of day in 2000, on the other bank of the Danube. Camped in front of the faculty, the event has from the outset claimed a strong political connotation, since it was created by three students who wanted to as well demonstrate against the power in place of Slobodan Milosevic. The following year, he invested the fortress of Petronavarin, decided to celebrate loudly for the occasion the departure of Milosevic. Hence its name: Exit summer Festival of noise. Originally, devoted to music and very local, it is quickly internationalized. He has gradually placed emphasis on pop and rock. A year again, and it’s the electro that has made its entry, served by DJ’s globally recognized.

The Cure in the opening

today, don’t expect to discover the song, or the folk. Now, this is 100% electro and rock. From sunset to sunrise. Throughout the night, the beer flows like water. And it will good child from one scene to the other. We grappille shards of what is going on here and there, as the baths go from one bath to the other. The music is most often without words. There will be so little noticed, although it regrets the very low representation of the French-speaking groups. Fortunately, the Belgian Lost Frequencies have saved the honor.

On the main stage, the major groups were filled as The Cure which opened the festival, or, well, the next day, two artists very different not to say opposite, which worked: the singer Scottish Tom Walker, whose bonhomie has galvanized the crowds (It was number 1 in sales in France last year with What a Time to Be Alive ). Then, at midnight, Greta Van Fleet, a group of hard-rock in the us in the inflections of Led Zeppelin. A little further down in the fortress, in front of a huge wall, the Dance Arena has been entrusted to the DJ who have made it their domain, for example by Peggy Gou, Paul Kalkbrenner or, to the dawn Carl Cox.

For all of these concerts, a practical tip: take repellent as they can be fierce in the dark of the night! Finally, before climbing up to the fortress, do you have the time for a river tour on a boat “Dunavski Rafting” to go up the Danube, the longest river of Europe, and watch the sunset beyond Novi Sad.