Hell Island: Royal Republic Brought Swedish Energy, Dymytry Took Command of the Crowd, and Rybičky 48 Raced Against Time

A year has passed, and Holýšov Island was once again engulfed in the infernal flames of rock music. The first Friday and Saturday of July in Western Bohemia were filled with heavy riffs and fire (sometimes quite literally). This year marked the 13th edition of the festival, once again hosted by well-known Hitrádio presenter Jirka Pelnář from Plzeň.

Early Friday Kick-Off…

The gates of Hell opened as early as Friday afternoon. The festival featured two main stages standing side by side – DOTIKO Stage and ALTO SYSTEMS Stage, with performances alternating between them. A brand-new addition this year was the Skutečná Liga Stage. Skutečná Liga is the Czech Republic's largest live band competition, dedicated to discovering and supporting new bands and emerging talent. The stage showcased some of the best acts the competition has uncovered over the years. The only downside was its location on the opposite side of the festival grounds, making it difficult for many visitors to reach. Even we struggled to move back and forth often enough to discover these promising new artists.

Our editorial team arrived during the afternoon just as Alkehol was setting the stage ablaze. Festival anthems such as Připíjim and Spalovač chlastu echoed throughout the venue - an ideal way to kick off the weekend. Although the hottest temperatures had already come the previous week, don't be mistaken - the stage was boiling, with flames shooting impressively high. The set also featured classics such as Nechte vlajky vlát and concluded, as tradition dictates, with Na Slamníku.

There's no time to lose - next up came punk rock veterans Visací zámek, who are celebrating 44 years together this year. Still performing in the same five-member lineup, they continue to deliver the same youthful energy they had when they first started playing live. Their set opened with the classic Traktor, followed by fan favourites including Pitomá and Známka punku.

For a short while, we managed to visit the Skutečná Liga Stage, where we caught young hard rock/metal band Fret from Rakovník. The band won the Skutečná Liga competition in 2023, and deservedly so their performance was full of energy and drive.

Czech Rock Classics…

We then made our way back across the festival grounds just as Walda Gang took to the stage. Although opinions on the band have been divided since the arrival of Miro Šmajda, the entire venue was dancing as songs such as Pověste ho vejš, Asi se mi stejská, Eldorádo, and Svařák echoed through the air.

Next up was rock outfit Traktor. This year, the band is playing its summer tour exclusively with the Rock-In festival, where they are celebrating their 5×5, or 25th anniversary. Their appearance at Pekelný ostrov was therefore a rare exception. They certainly gave it their all—we ventured into Jungle XXI, made our way through Defenestrace, were almost devoured by the Láskožrouti, lured away by the Bludičky, for whom we lit the way, and by the end of the set we were counting Letokruhy together.

No Czech rock event would be complete without Harlej. Even though we had already heard some of the same songs earlier in the day performed by Walda Gang, the audience sang and danced with endless enthusiasm. The set included Přirození, Zfetovanej, and Proč pocit mám.

Staying firmly within the realm of Czech rock, we then moved on to the heavier riffs of Prague's Škwor. The band surprised fans by revealing that they are currently working on their twelfth studio album. If everything goes according to plan, it should be released this autumn. Their performance, including Síla starejch vín, certainly Knocked Us to Our Knees.

Castles in the Air and A Night at the Opera…

The next band to take over the already fired-up crowd was Divokej Bill from Úvaly. Lining up these classic Czech rock bands one after another proved to be an excellent decision - every rock and metal fan found something to enjoy. Frontman Vašek Bláha even stepped off the stage to sing Malování with the audience from the front barrier.

Friday night's closing act was Moravian alternative metal band Panoptiko. Their performance is built not only on the music itself but also on a striking visual presentation, from the stage design to their distinctive costumes. They entered the stage following the intro Mein Herz Brennt by Rammstein and immediately launched into Noc v opeře. During the set we encountered Pinocchio and Escobar, while the evening concluded with visits to Moulin Rouge and Countess Bathory.

The Friday lineup delivered one outstanding rock performance after another, leaving the audience barely enough time to catch their breath. But it was finally time to retreat to the tents (or head back to comfortable beds) and gather strength for Saturday's infernal show.

Saturday Kick-Off…

The second infernal day of the Holýšov festival once again began in the afternoon. Although the air (thankfully) wasn't nearly as scorching as it had been the previous weekend, the audience created a devilish atmosphere from the very beginning.

Our editorial team arrived just in time for metal band Komunál, whose crowd was already packed with enthusiastic fans. They performed songs including Déšť nad Seinou, but most importantly shared one valuable piece of life advice: "Always keep the last bullet for yourself."

Meanwhile, De Bill Heads took us on a trip to Amsterdam, while frontman Honza performed Mám smůlu, preceded by a story about his ex-girlfriend - he snored at night, while she slept with everyone else. Although one might think it's an "overused stupid joke," it fit the situation perfectly. He also couldn't resist commenting that the atmosphere here was much better than "in Strážnice with Macinka." The set concluded with Dovolená s Elvisem.

An Infernal Woman, an Unchained Dog, and Trautenberk from Krakonoš's Mountains…

Jirka Pelnář then welcomed Jamaron to the stage, marking the band's second appearance at the festival. Their singer Marie was also the only female frontwoman on this year's lineup. She bounced across the stage with boundless energy that spread throughout the entire venue, while the crowd sang along. The band performed Ocel, Gambler, and traditionally closed with Smrt nás nerozdělí.

Like a dog unleashed from its chain, hard rock veterans Doga stormed onto the stage, bringing their trademark high-energy performance. The band has been active for 38 years, with founding vocalist Izzy remaining its only constant member throughout. They are currently finishing their twelfth studio album, Monster Truck, which is expected to be released this autumn. In case anyone had forgotten during the festival, they reminded us with Zelená that "a little alcohol never hurts—no matter the amount." Naturally, the set also included the classic Poletuju, along with the traditional sight of Izzy's backside beneath his lifted kilt.

Next, Pelny transported us to the beautiful Krkonoše Mountains with Trautenberk, a band that claims to make more noise than a Krkonoše thunderstorm. As fans have come to expect, the stage featured a backdrop with Krakonoš's signpost and wooden outhouses used to stash beers and sausages. We ended up with properly Umaštěný tváře, met Buržoust and Pan Pilous, and answered the band's recurring question: which side of the audience was better—the left or the right? As always, after the customary crowd battle, both sides mixed together, leaving the winner forever unknown.

Swedish Energy, Czech Masked Metal, a Touch of Punk, and RFP Talents Winners…

It was time for the international guest. Previous editions of the festival had welcomed bands such as Pretty Maids and Guano Apes, while this year Swedish rockers Royal Republic accepted the invitation. From the moment they stepped onto the stage, they unleashed a relentless barrage of raw energy. The set featured songs including Tommy-Gun and Getting Along.

The international guests were followed by a solid dose of Czech metal courtesy of Dymytry. Wearing their signature masks, the band immediately took command of the crowd. Flames burst, smoke cannons roared, and the audience jumped and sang at the top of their lungs.

Meanwhile, we made our way across the festival grounds to the Skutečná Liga Stage, where Wotazník from Mladá Boleslav were performing. The band won the Skutečná Liga competition in 2022 and also claimed victory in this year's RFP Talents, earning themselves a slot at Rock for People. Although the stage was tucked away on the edge of the venue, dedicated music fans gathered to witness a performance bursting with incredible live energy. While they may not yet be widely known, it's obvious they were born to perform on stage.

Then it was back to the main stage to quickly check how Fanánek was sounding after more than forty years of punk. Tři sestry completely won over the rock crowd, lightening the atmosphere with their energetic punk rock set.

Little "Devils," a Redhead, and a Punk Rock Party…

Rybičky 48 briefly threw the schedule into uncertainty, as it wasn't clear whether all band members would make it to the festival in time. Frontman Kuba Ryba was travelling directly from the maternity hospital, where his second son had been born shortly before the show. Guitarist Petr Lebeda found himself in a similar situation—his daughter eventually arrived the following day. Speaking of these little "devils," host Pelny had also welcomed his second son just a few days before the festival. On behalf of our entire editorial team, we wish all the newborn little devils plenty of health, happiness, and good fortune, while congratulating their proud parents and wishing them plenty of patience.

At first, it looked as though Rybičky 48 might have to swap their set time with closing punk rockers Nežfaleš, but in the end everything worked out and they made it to the stage as scheduled. Their performance was packed with raw energy—as one would expect. Flames shot into the air, making it feel even hotter than Hell itself. There was also a fiery little surprise: during Zamilovaný – Nešťastná, red-haired singer Bára Zemanová joined the band on stage.

It was Nežfaleš who ultimately closed the festival with their final punk rock set, bringing the last remaining fans together and putting the perfect finishing touch on this year's Pekelný ostrov.

A Few Final Words…

To wrap things up, we have to thank the organisers for creating such a fantastic atmosphere and for handling the inevitable operational mishaps so well—we know it can't be easy, for example, to reshuffle performance times during a festival. Of course, our thanks also go to all the bands for their outstanding performances and the great atmosphere they created. And finally, thank yourselves for coming, being part of it all, and helping create the perfect rock festival spirit. See you in Hell again next year!

Šári