The Poolbar Festival is an annual music and culture

festival A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, Melā, mela, or Muslim holidays, eid. A ...

in the city of Feldkirch in the

Austrian Austrian may refer to: * Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent ** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen * Austrian German dialect * Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ** Austria-Hungary ** Austria ...

province of

Vorarlberg Vorarlberg ( ; ; , , or ) is the westernmost States of Austria, state () of Austria. It has the second-smallest geographical area after Vienna and, although it also has the second-smallest population, it is the state with the second-highest popu ...

. Between 20,000 and 25,000 visitors attend the festival each year.

The festival

It was first held in 1994 as a cultural summer-academy and is through organization and implementation of landscape and architecture very different to other open-air events. Placed at the geographical interface between Austria,

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

Liechtenstein Liechtenstein (, ; ; ), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein ( ), is a Landlocked country#Doubly landlocked, doubly landlocked Swiss Standard German, German-speaking microstate in the Central European Alps, between Austria in the east ...

and

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

, the "Altes Hallenbad" in Feldkirch becomes a cross-border hotspot every summer, when the poolbar festival opens its doors to all its visitors, cultural disputes and events for several weeks during July and August. In addition to concerts and parties, the festival offers for six weeks a broad variety of

cinema Cinema may refer to: Film * Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of moving image ** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking ** Filmmaking, the process of making a film * Movie theate ...

and short films,

cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...

poetry slam A poetry slam is a competitive art event in which poets perform spoken word, spoken word poetry before a live audience and a panel of judges. Poetry slams began in Chicago in the 1980s, with the first slam competition designed to move poetry rec ...

, pop quiz, fashion performances and discussions. The festival takes place in the city center in the former indoor pool (''Altes Hallenbad'') of the private school

Stella Matutina The Stella Matutina (Morning Star) was an initiatory magical order dedicated to the dissemination of the traditional occult teachings of the earlier Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Originally, the outer order of the Stella Matutina was known ...

in the Reichenfeld park. The furniture, which is renewed every summer, is determined by an international

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and construction, constructi ...

competition Competition is a rivalry where two or more parties strive for a common goal which cannot be shared: where one's gain is the other's loss (an example of which is a zero-sum game). Competition can arise between entities such as organisms, indi ...

. The competition is organized by the Vorarlberger Architekturinstitut (VAI; Institute of Vorarlberg Architecture) as well as the local

Chamber of Commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to a ...

. Art and fashion competitions are also held at the festival. Despite the COVID-19-pandemic, 10,000 visitors were able to attend the festival in 2020. Since 2020, the Poolbar Festival has been awarding the Vorarlberg Music Prize "Sound@V" together with ORF Vorarlberg and Wann&Wo. This is endowed with 20,000 euros in prize money.

Awards

* 2013: Culture award of the City of Feldkirch ("Kulturpreis der Stadt Feldkirch") * 2014: Austrian culture award for cultural initiatives ("Österreichischer Kunstpreis für Kulturinitiativen")

Line-ups

Line-ups of past festival years (not complete): *2023:

Gentleman ''Gentleman'' (Old French: ''gentilz hom'', gentle + man; abbreviated ''gent.'') is a term for a chivalrous, courteous, or honorable man. Originally, ''gentleman'' was the lowest rank of the landed gentry of England, ranking below an esquire ...

, Danger Dan,

Xavier Rudd Xavier Rudd (born 29 May 1978) is an Australian singer, songwriter, musician, and multi-instrumentalist. Several of Rudd's songs incorporate socially conscious themes, such as spirituality, humanity, environmentalism and the rights of Indigen ...

Digitalism (band) Digitalism are a German electronic music duo formed in Hamburg by Jens Moelle and İsmail Tüfekçi in 2004. The duo are signed to French label Kitsuné, as well as Virgin Records and Astralwerks in other parts of the world. Band history Form ...

Heaven Shall Burn Heaven Shall Burn is a German extreme metal band from Saalfeld, formed in 1995. The band consists of vocalist Marcus Bischoff, guitarists Maik Weichert and Alexander Dietz, bassist Eric Bischoff and drummer Christian Bass. They are currently sig ...

Kruder & Dorfmeister Kruder & Dorfmeister, named after members Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister, is an Austrian duo, known for their trip hop/downtempo remixes of pop, hip hop and drum and bass songs. Career In 1993, they released their first EP '' G-Stoned'' ...

Russian Circles Russian Circles is an American instrumental post-metal band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was originally formed by childhood friends Mike Sullivan and Dave Turncrantz after their previous musical projects dissolved. After parting ways wit ...

*2022:

Sportfreunde Stiller Sportfreunde Stiller () is a German indie rock band from Germering near Munich, Bavaria. History The band was founded by Peter Brugger (guitar, vocals), Florian "Flo" Weber (drums), and Andi Erhard (bass). They initially wanted to name themse ...

Metronomy Metronomy are an English electronic music band, formed in Totnes in 1999. Their lineup consists of founding member and leader Joseph Mount (vocals, keyboards, guitar), Oscar Cash (keyboards, backing vocals, guitar, saxophone), Anna Prior (drums ...

Local Natives Local Natives is an American indie rock band formed in Orange County, California, and based in Los Angeles. The band currently consists of Taylor Rice (vocals, guitar), Ryan Hahn (guitar, backing vocals), Matthew Frazier (drums) and Nik Ewing (ba ...

, Kytes, HVOB, 5/8erl in Ehr'n, Alicia Edelweiss, My Ugly Clementine, Wolf Haas,

Alfred Dorfer Alfred Dorfer (; 11 October 1961) is an Austrian comedian, writer, and actor. He is one of the most well-known cabaret artists and comedians in Austria, not least due to his commitment to numerous Austrian film productions. After initial success ...

*2021:

The Notwist The Notwist are a German indie rock band. Formed in 1989, the band moved through several musical incarnations, despite maintaining a relatively stable line-up. While their early records moved through heavy metal into dark indie rock, their re ...

, Cari Cari, Sharktank, Mighty Oaks, Patrice *2020: Lou Asril, Nneka, Buntspecht *2019:

Bilderbuch Bilderbuch (English: "Picture Book") is an Austrian rock band and was formed in Kremsmünster, Austria in 2005 but has been based in Vienna since 2008. The current band members are Maurice Ernst (vocals, guitar), Peter Horazdovsky (bass), Mich ...

, Mattiel,

The Twilight Sad The Twilight Sad are a Scottish post-punk revival, post-punk/indie rock band, comprising James Graham (vocals), Andy MacFarlane (guitar), Johnny Docherty (bass), Brendan Smith (keyboards) and Grant Hutchison (drums). They have released five stu ...

Tove Lo Ebba Tove Elsa Nilsson (born 29 October 1987), known professionally as Tove Lo (), is a Swedish singer and songwriter. She is known for her raw, grunge-influenced take on pop music. Referring to her autobiographical lyrics, ''Out (magazine), O ...

Propaghandi Propagandhi is a Canadian punk rock and metal band formed in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba in 1986 by guitarist Chris Hannah and drummer Jord Samolesky. The band is currently located in Winnipeg, Manitoba and completed by bassist Todd Kowalski ...

*2018:

Eels Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order (biology), order Anguilliformes (), which consists of eight suborders, 20 Family (biology), families, 164 genus, genera, and about 1000 species. Eels undergo considerable development from the earl ...

Ziggy Marley David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley (born 17 October 1968) is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is the son of Bob Marley and Rita Marley. He led the family band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers until 2002, with whom he released eight studio albums. After ...

Shout Out Louds Shout Out Louds is a Swedish indie pop band from Stockholm. History Formed in Stockholm by childhood friends Adam Olenius (vocals), Ted Malmros (bass), and Carl von Arbin (guitars), Shout Out Louds found an international audience during the e ...

The Subways The Subways is an English rock music, rock band from Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. Formed in 2002, the band consists of Billy Lunn (guitar, lead vocals), Charlotte Cooper (bass, lead vocals), and Camille Phillips (drums). Founding member a ...

Seasick Steve Steven Gene Wold (né Leach; March 19, 1951),freight trains">freight_trains.html" ;"title="/nowiki>freight trains">/nowiki>freight trains/nowiki> for 14 years off and on..", adding "I've been married to this one girl for 25 years, so I’m a litt ...

{{Cite news, url=http://www.vol.at/poolbar-festival-2018-ersten-bands-stehen-fest/5638932, title=Poolbar-Festival 2018: Erste Bands stehen fest, work=vol.at, access-date=2018-04-04 * 2017:

Pixies Pixies may refer to: * Plural of Pixie * Pixies (band) The Pixies are an American alternative rock band from Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1986 by Black Francis (vocals, rhythm guitar, songwriter), Joey Santiago (lead guitar), Kim ...

Jake Bugg Jake Bugg (born Jake Edwin Charles Kennedy on 28 February 1994) is an English singer-songwriter. His self-titled debut album, ''Jake Bugg (album), Jake Bugg'', some of which was co-written with songwriter Iain Archer, was released in October 20 ...

, Sohn,

The Naked And Famous The Naked and Famous are a New Zealand indie electronic band from Auckland, formed in 2007. The band currently consists of Alisa Xayalith (vocals, keyboards) and Thom Powers (vocals, guitars). The band has released four studio albums: ''Passiv ...

, HVOB, Leyya,

Conor Oberst Conor Mullen Oberst (born February 15, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter best known for his work in Bright Eyes (band), Bright Eyes. He has also played in several other bands, including Desaparecidos (band), Desaparecidos, the Faint (previou ...

* 2016: Nada Surf, Travis, Dispatch, Peaches, Lola Marsh, Bilderbuch * 2015: Patrice, Wanda, William Fitzsimmons, Elektro Guzzi,

Dillon Dillon may refer to: People *Dillon (surname) * Dillon (given name) *Dillon (singer) (born 1988), Brazilian singer * J. J. Dillon, primary ring name of American professional wrestler James Morrison (born 1942) Places Canada * Dillon, Saskatchewa ...

, Darwin Deez,

Colour Haze Colour Haze is a stoner/psychedelic rock group from Munich, Germany, consisting of singer and guitarist Stefan Koglek, drummer Manfred Merwald, bassist Mario Oberpucher and keyboardist Jan Faszbender. Formed in the mid-nineties, Colour Haze is ...

* 2014: Shout Out Louds, Bonaparte, The Dandy Warhols, Anna Calvi,

Maximo Park Maximo or Máximo may refer to: Arts * Capcom video game series ** ''Maximo: Ghosts to Glory'' (also known as just ''Maximo'') ** ''Maximo vs. Army of Zin'', the sequel to ''Ghosts to Glory'' * Maxïmo Park, a British indie rock band * Maximu or M ...

* 2013: My Bloody Valentine, Frank Turner, Young Rebel Set, Casper,

Bad Religion Bad Religion is an American punk rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1980. The band's lyrics cover topics related to religion, politics, society, the media and science. Musically, they are noted for their melodic sensibilities and ...

, Kate Nash * 2012:

Marilyn Manson Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), known professionally as Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician. He is the lead singer and the only original member remaining of the Marilyn Manson (band), same-titled band he founded in 1989. Th ...

, Regina Spektor, Yann Tiersen, Theophilus London, The Whitest Boy Alive, Gogol Bordello * 2011: Portugal The Man,

, Molotov, Kettcar, dEUS, Hercules & Love Affair * 2010: Nada Surf, Juliette Lewis, Flogging Molly, Ebony Bones, Die Goldenen Zitronen * 2009: Dropkick Murphys, Anti-Flag, Morcheeba, Art Brut * 2008:

The Wombats The Wombats are an English indie rock band formed in Liverpool in 2003, consisting of Matthew Murphy (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Tord Øverland Knudsen (bass, backing vocals, keyboards), and Dan Haggis (drums, backing vocals, keyboards). ...

, The Notwist, Friska Viljor, Modeselektor, Iron and Wine * 2007: Shout Out Louds, Kosheen, Final Fantasy, Slut, IAMX * 2006: Calexico, Vendetta, Trail of Dead, Attwenger, Eagle*Seagull

References

External links

Official Website of the Festival (in German)
Festivals in Vorarlberg Feldkirch, Vorarlberg Music festivals in Austria