The drama between Ultra Europe and Hajduk continues, as negations remain at a dead end. Radio Split reported on Friday morning that the Ultra Europe festival would be held at the RNK Split stadium, also known as Park Mladeži, instead of the current location at Poljud stadium, Slobodna Dalmacija announced on June 14, 2019. 

Since no agreement has been signed between Ultra and Hajduk, the festival organizers have allegedly turned to alternative solutions, and Park Mladeži was the first location that came to mind. 

As Radio Split reported, the negotiations between representatives of Ultra and Javne ustanova športski objekti Split (Public Institution Sports Facilities Split) have begun, though the City of Split still does not want to confirm this information, and all inquiries from the media remain unanswered.

RNK Split, the concessionaire of Park Mladeži, was also unable to provide any official information on where the Ultra Europe festival would be held this year. Allegedly, all official reports on the state of Ultra Europe will be released at the beginning of next week.

“We've been working intensely over the last few weeks. I believe we will have quality information next week. We are looking for a win-win situation in which everyone will be satisfied; Hajduk and the interest of sport, then the development of tourism and the further stimulation of Ultra, which we know will stay here for a few more years, as well as the many tourists, which we expect this year too and we will host,” said the mayor of Split Andro Krstulović Opara on Thursday. 

Recall, Hajduk has highlighted the destruction of their field after Ultra as one of the biggest problems brought by the festival, which is part of why the sides have been unable to agree. 

Hajduk was looking for Ultra to cover all the costs incurred by the club for holding the festival, and above all to financially cover and secure a new field in time as to not repeat, for example, last year’s catastrophe when the lawn was not brought in on time. 

For every unplayed European match at Poljud, Hajduk is forced to relocate (to the significantly smaller stadium capacity in Dugopolje), leaving them with estimated losses of around 1.5 to 2 million kuna, while the price of the new field is between 1.6 and 2.2 million kuna.

And it's already too late to buy and deliver a new field if you're looking to have it installed right after Ultra...

Stay tuned. 

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

Ultra Europe is set to take place in Split from July 12 to 14, 2019, however, Hajduk and Ultra are still without an agreement, and allegedly, a contract has yet to be signed, according to Slobodna Dalmacija on June 3, 2019. 

The Split football club and the leadership of one of Europe's largest music spectacles have apparently not found common ground in the latest round of negotiations, and Hajduk-Ultra talks so far have not been fruitful.

Namely, Hajduk is justifiably afraid of the aftermath of the music festival and how it has devastated the Poljud football pitch over the years. Hajduk does have reason to worry, because Ultra conflicts with the beginning of the season when European games are played and the Croatian First League begins. 

Thus, the club is looking for a guarantee that this will not happen again, and that above all, Hajduk has a functioning pitch on time and one that is suitable to host European clubs.

And, after years of experience, putting in a new pitch is the only guarantee that it will be at an adequate level after the festival.

Unfortunately, both sides are not on the same wavelength - and it's already too late to discuss changing the pitch now. Namely, if the other party agrees to replace the pitch, all the deadlines have already been exhausted. Recall, there are only 40 days left until the beginning of Ultra, and a lot that goes into implementing a new lawn, i.e., grass needs to be ordered, delivered, etc. 

Considering Hajduk’s first round of Europa League will be played from July 11 to 18, 2019, the club could potentially move the game to Dugopolje, which is some 30 minutes away from Split. The downside, however, is that the stadium holds considerably fewer fans, which would result in fewer tickets sales and, well, a loss of the atmosphere in general.

So, what will happen next? Stay tuned. 

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

We’re just two months away from the start of the most anticipated event in the summer season, and with that comes even more great news. Namely, Ultra Europe, which will take place from July 12 to 14 in Split, has announced 15 new performers for the seventh edition of the festival. Thus, festival goers can enjoy Cheat Codes, Steve Aoki, Nicky Romero, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, Gud Vibrations, Tchami X Mala, Rezz, Lost Kings and Jeffrey Sutorious. 

This year's edition is the most expensive festival lineup in history, and with the arrival of the mega Swedish House Mafia, Ultra Europe will surely mark the 2019 summer season all over Europe. 

It's almost impossible to turn on the radio without hearing a tune by Cheat Codes, a trio from Los Angeles, featuring Trevor Dahl, Matthew Russell and Kevin Ford. The group released the song ‘Sex’ in 2016, and the single ‘No Promises’ from 2017, collaborating with American pop star Demi Lovato, reached the top of the charts in the US, UK, and Australia. The group will play their many hits, and especially their currently single ‘Who's Got Your Love’. Another star arrives from Los Angeles, Steve Aoki, who needs no special introduction. This energetic, eccentric, and always entertaining DJ is ready for two crazy hours on the biggest dance floor in Split.

The first lady to play on the grand stage is Rezz, a DJ by the real name Isabelle Rezazadeh. Her debut album 'Insurrection', which was released in 2015, is the next in line to sign a contract with the Deadmau5 'Mau5trap' publishing house. Her second album, 'Mass Manipulation', won the Juno Award for Best Electronic Album in 2018. Rezz is playing at all major world festivals, and this summer will premiere to the Croatian audience. The name Jeffrey Sotorious is already a well-known name on the international EDM scene. He is a performer who has acted under the name Dash Berlin for years, and at the seventh edition of the festival, this talented Dutchman will perform for the first time on his own.

Dutch DJ Nicky Romero is known for his hit ‘Tolouse’, which has almost half a billion views on YouTube, and 'Legacy', 'Symphonica' and 'I Could Be The One', which is a collaboration with Avicii. He cooperated with stars such as Zedd, David Guetta and Calvin Harris, Rihanna and Britney Spears. Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, two more famous Dutchmen, return to Ultra Europe to the joy of many fans. This attractive duo is known for joining elements of house, tribal, techno, electro and Latino rhythms into contagious hits. They recently released the single ‘Shameless’, though we can’t forget the hit ‘You Are’, a collaboration with Armin van Buuren, Badman, Born Again and many others.

There are even more names to perform on the attractive RESTISTANCE stage, a tech, house and underground concept that has attracted more and more fans in recent years around the world. Split will host some of the most prestigious techno performers in electronic music such as Nic Fanciulli, Patrice Baumel, Dubfire and Jon Rundell. DJ and producer Sasha is coming to Poljud, best known for his live performances and collaboration with British DJ John Digweed, with which he acts under the name Sasha & John Digweed. In 2000, he was chosen as the best DJ in the world, and is known for his heavier rhythms. The Art Department is another exciting name on this year's line-up. The Canadian musicians Jonny Whitenapor and Kenny Glasgow have teamed up to become one of the electronic success stories of the world. The Guardian, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Vogue, ID, Nylon, and Vibe Magazine have written about this duo as a phenomenon that can stand beside Daft Punk.

Ultra Europe in Split will bring the already announced Above & Beyond, Adam Beyer, Afrojack, Alesso, Armin van Buuren, Carl Cox, The Chainsmokers, David Guetta, DJ Snake, Jamie Jones, Joseph Capriati, Maceo Plex, Marco Carola, Richie Hawtin, and Swedish House Mafia.

Furthermore, this year’s Ultra Beach in the Amphora Hvar Grand Beach Resort on the island of Hvar will feature the most vibrant and world-renowned Martin Solveig and Jax Jones. The second name on the list is the British duo Sigma, and the names of other performers will be known by the end of May.

Just two days ago, the lineup of the Brač Regatta parties was announced! This island party will feature the popular trio Cheat Codes, as well as the biggest domestic DJ star - the Croatian-Slovenian duo Vanillaz, who will soon appear on the main stage of Ultra Singapore and Ultra Korea.

The Ultra Europe Festival offers electronic music lovers a comprehensive experience of the destination, and this year the entire festival experience will be even better thanks to the festival's partners, including the Croatian National Tourist Board. You can find more information and tickets on the official Ultra Europe website.

DESTINATION ULTRA 2019 

11. July - RESISTANCE Opening Party / Giraffe Palm Beach House, Split

12.- 14. July - ULTRA Europe / Poljud, Split

15. July – Regatta Party / 585 Club, Bol, Brač

16. July - ULTRA Beach Hvar / Hotel Amfora Grand Beach Resort, Hvar

16. July - RESISTANCE Hvar, Carpe Diem Beach Club

17. July - RESISTANCE Vis Closing Party / Fort George, Vis

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

March 25, 2019 - It is the news that many ‘Ultranauts’ around the world have been waiting for… Ultra Europe, the world's only destination festival, has finally revealed the second phase of performers set to take the stage in Split this summer. 

February 13, 2019 - Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Angello! Three of the most famous names in the electronic music world. You might have guessed the members of Swedish House Mafia would be visiting Split based on the mysterious posters plastered around the city, though today we can finally announce that the news is true - Swedish House Mafia has been confirmed as a headliner of Ultra Europe 2019! This is the strongest musical name and the most significant enhancement in the history of the festival, and since they are only the first performer announced so far this year, it can be said with certainty that the seventh edition will be one for the books. 

Split is preparing for a historical moment and a day that will be hard to repeat. This is confirmed by numerous fan comments that did not stop on social networks from Thursday when mysterious posters appeared around Split and Zagreb. The army of faithful Swedish House Mafia fans has been waiting for their return for years, and Split will be among the first few cities to see the DJ trio’s comeback. This is a great acknowledgment to Croatia, but also to the local organizers of the ULTRA Europe festival, who are especially delighted to treat their visitors with this kind of musical delicacy.

"We are honored that the group that marked not only the electronic music scene but the entire modern music history will come to Croatia. We have entered a really special society that will witness the return of this musical phenomenon in the world, and I believe that all those who love them and who are familiar with their draw and the magnitude of their return will be with us in Split. There are those moments in life that you just cannot miss, and we’ll wait for dawn at Poljud with the spectacular return performance of Swedish House Mafia,” said Joe Bašić, director of MPG Live, the local organizer of the ULTRA Europe festival which will take place this year from July 11 to 18 in Split, Brač, Hvar and Vis.

Swedish House Mafia has been called the new rock stars of today by Rolling Stone, which can be seen by the incredible figures of albums sold, sold out arenas, and a series of hits that ranked first in the world charts - and they even have two documentaries about their lives and careers! This trio has easily conquered fans around the world, and whenever they come together behind a DJ deck, they create unique energy and magic that is difficult to beat. 

Swedish House Mafia has popularized electronic music and introduced it to the big door of mainstream music. However, in 2013, at the height of their glory, they announced that they would no longer perform together, resulting in one of the hardest-hitting days to the electronic music scene. But, after a break of more than five years, at the end of October 2018, they officially confirmed their comeback tour and announced the release of new songs and an album, to the enthusiasm of their millions of fans around the world. 

"We felt it was time! The feeling of butterflies in our stomachs came back, and we felt excited again, and besides, our many fans were so patient and believed in our return, which is really impressive. We feel that we need to return to them for all the strong support they have given us over the years, and we feel that we owe it to ourselves,” the group said in an official announcement, adding that they would launch a new music chapter in their native Sweden. 

Their last tour, "One Last Tour", was held in 2012, featuring 52 cities and more than a million tickets sold. The last official performance was in March 2013 at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami, where they also reunited for the first time last year for the 20th anniversary celebration of the festival, which has been awarded the best festival in the world for three years in a row. Their biggest hit, "Do not You Worry Child," recorded more than 340 million streams on Spotify and over half a billion views on YouTube. You might also know Greyhound, One, Miami 2 Ibiza, Reload and Save The World, which you'll be able to hear at the biggest Split festival stage this summer.

Croatian fans will also be pleased to hear that a limited number of regional tickets will be issued on March 1, for a price of 799 kuna, which will include entrance to all three festival days at Poljud, and will be provided through Ticketshop.

All other news about the ULTRA Europe festival can be found on the official Facebook page of the festival, the Twitter profile, the Instagram profile and through the iTunes application. You can find information about ULTRA Worldwide at www.umfworldwide.com and about RESISTANCE at www.resistancemusic.com.

To read more about Split, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

Preparations for the next Ultra Europe Music Festival are underway. Hundreds of people have been tirelessly working on the project that has changed Split - from finalizing and arranging performances to logistics, meetings with city authorities, police, utility services, and more. 

Joe Bašić, the owner of MPG Live, the alpha and omega of the Croatian Ultra, revealed everything we need to know about the upcoming edition, and just how Ultra got here in the first place, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on January 2, 2019. 

How did Joe come up with the idea of organizing Ultra?

“I have been involved in organizing various events, concerts and music festivals in North America, and in Croatia since 1997, for over 25 years. The economy started to change here in 2006 and Croatia became a marketplace where it was possible to organize international music events but needed further development and investment in infrastructure to attract the best performers and projects. That same year, MPG began developing strategies and investments in local and regional music events, concerts and festivals. One of the important steps was to develop the electronic music fan base in Croatia because we recognized that the new generation wanted new and different music to express themselves. Before that, electronic music was ‘underground’ and just released in small clubs and could not get mainstream radio and media attention.”

When did this change begin?

“Well, with the events we've organized, like Fat Boy Slim, Armand Van Helden, Sebastian Ingros, Axwell, David Guetta, Fedde Le Granda, Eric Moril and others, which gathered between 3000 and 10,000 people. Recognizing the potential and great interest, we organized Umagination and Big Beach, and they attracted fans from Europe, Canada and the United States. With more than 20,000 people attending these festivals, electronic music has become more popular and has also found its way to the most important media in Croatia. After five years of creating a strong base of fans and our recommendations as organizers, we launched a discussion with leading world festivals with the intent to consider the possibility of organizing a major international event in Croatia. We felt that the Ultra Music Festival was the best way for us and after 18 months of presentation and negotiation, we managed to sign an exclusive partnership in Europe for their brand. In 2013, when Croatia joined the European Union, we organized the first edition of the ULTRA Europe Festival and the rest of it is history.”

How did the Americans react to this proposal?

“First they thought we were crazy! They never heard about Croatia and they thought we were from one of the former Russian states. But after seeing our references and rich experience, they decided to seriously consider our proposal. By presenting ULTRA Europe to them and once they arrived Croatia, they became convinced of the beauty and potential of this project, and the partnership decision came quickly.”

Which Ultra festival is the most successful with regard to the location? Of course, not counting Miami.

“ULTRA Europe is the second biggest event in the great Ultra Worldwide family, right after the Miami Festival. There are currently more than 30 events around the world, on all continents, with more than a million tickets sold annually. Our release has 15 percent of total sales and generates more than 200 million impressions in the media annually. ULTRA Europe's visitors come from more than 140 countries, while in Miami festivalgoers come from 90 countries, which is 50 fewer than us.”

What’s in store for the future?

“The US owners are convinced that our festival will become the largest Ultra festival in the world, but this will certainly require additional support from the Government and local partners, new hotels and all the necessary infrastructure for an additional 20,000 visitors. In 2013, Split had 7,000 registered beds, and today it has grown to 32,000. There is a need for additional investments in hotels of higher categories and the development of traffic, especially air traffic, so that Split is ready to increase guests.”

What should we expect for Ultra 2019?

“Our plans and current indicators are moving towards 160,000 visitors in 2019, so, this is the number of visitors who will visit Poljud all three days, as well as the events on the islands and all other events related to the festival. This will be possible with additional flights to Split, Zagreb and Zadar and increased investments in marketing activities and promotion of the festival in the world, and we are working diligently.”

Will there be any changes compared to Ultra 2018?

“The novelty is certainly the ULTRA WORLDWIDE STAGE on which we will present performers from all over the world. We will also promote our country through works by local artists, food and other entertaining events. We will continue to focus on improving the overall visitor experience, so we will further work on food, toilets and the arrival to the stadium. Given the excellent results, we will continue with the development of destination events on Bol, Hvar and Vis, and our goal is to show the world all the beauties of Croatia so they extend their stay here. Be sure to expect a lot of good surprises.”

How are preparations going for 2019?

“Great! We have entered the seventh year on the wings of last year's most successful edition so far. I think that behind us is tremendous knowledge and invaluable experience and we are most focused on improving the overall experience of visitors and for even better promotion of all the benefits that our festival offers as a unique destination in the world. We recently announced the ULTRA Europe 2018 Aftermovie, and in the first 24 hours it was viewed by more than 200,000 people. We are extremely pleased with the sales that again recorded a growth of 20 percent more than last year, and a 100 percent increase in the DESTINATION ULTRA Europe tickets, which includes the entrance to all seven festival events. We plan to invest more in the RESISTANCE stage, and there will be special RESISTANCE tickets for those who want to visit all the events under this brand, in Split, and on Hvar and Vis.”

To read more about Ultra, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

The 7th edition of ULTRA Europe will take place from July 11-17, 2019, in Split, Brač, Hvar and Vis. 

Is a lawsuit coming?

ZAGREB, July 9, 2018 - The third day of the Ultra Europe music festival ended on Monday morning. During the day, 127 Croatian and foreign nationals were arrested. One injured British national was hospitalised at Split's hospital and an American, who was hospitalised on Saturday, died on Sunday.

Day two of Ultra Europe kicked off on Saturday, July 7, 2018.