By I. Hansana, Jadetimes News
Ukraine’s largest music festival, ATLAS, is set to return this July for the first time since Russia’s invasion. Renamed ATLAS UNITED, the festival will welcome Ukrainian music enthusiasts back to Kyiv from July 12:14, relocating to the Blockbuster Mall.
Founded in 2015, ATLAS has previously hosted major international artists such as The Prodigy, Kasabian, The Chemical Brothers, Liam Gallagher, and the Black Eyed Peas at its original Expocenter of Ukraine venue. The last festival took place in 2021, drawing over 600,000 attendees, despite a lineup focused mainly on local acts due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Notably, Fatboy Slim performed alongside Ukrainian stars, including Eurovision entrant alyona alyona.
This year, the festival will feature exclusively Ukrainian performers, with headliners BoomBox , Artem Pyvovarov and Bez Obmezhen across six stages. Additionally, there will be an underground stand up comedy program featuring Ukrainian comedians.
Tickets from previously canceled events due to the invasion remain valid for the 2024 edition. ATLAS UNITED has partnered with UNITED24, the government’s fundraising platform for the war effort, allocating 15% of ticket sales to a fund aimed at providing drones to the armed forces for defending the Kharkiv region. The festival aims to raise 100 million hryvnia (€2.3 million).
ATLAS UNITED marks a significant event as major Ukrainian artists gather to perform for the first time since the invasion began. While this is a celebratory moment, safety remains a priority. Organizers have assured that the most certified State Emergency Service of Ukraine (DSNS) cover will be on site to accommodate attendees in case of air alarms.
In related news, two years after their Eurovision victory, Ukrainian artists alyona alyona and Jerry Heil finished third in the 2024 competition in Malmö, Sweden, with their song “Teresa & Maria.” The song, which emphasizes themes of kindness, love, and unity, was a collaborative effort with UNITED24, focusing on fundraising to rebuild the Velykokostromska School in Dnipro.