This is a brief Q & A Last Day Deaf had with Johnny Highway, inventor and organizer of Music Highway Festival about its 7th edition. Take a deep breath…. and action!
What was the idea behind the Music Highway Festival? In other words, how did it all start?
It all started 7 years ago. We (Mr. Highway Band) were a new band without even an album. We just wanted to play our music and meet other bands. This was, and still is, the basic idea behind the festival. To have our own space and time, to present our work in the best conditions we can have, with respect to the musicians and the fans. The people of KYTTARO Live Club understood very well from the beginning what we wanted to create and have supported us a lot through the years and here we are now.
How did you end up with this line-up for the 7th edition of the Fest?
The basic goal of our festival is to give a chance to some of the new bands of the Greek independent music scene to play their music. So this year we chose 3 bands that have just released or are about to release their debut albums. They are all great bands with different musical styles so it will be a very interesting night.
How difficult is it to organize such an event in the so-called crisis years?
It is difficult for the obvious economical reasons. We have to do everything on our own without any help from outside. So many times we feel tired and that we can’t afford it any more. But at the same time we believe that this is our proposal of how things can work good even in the most difficult situation. If you believe in something, if you are creative and have new ideas, you can find a way to make it happen. This is our strongest belief.
Which festivals are the ones that have inspired you most to organise your own one?
Every festival that we have visited as fans or as musicians. When you see some people trying hard for their love for music and art, you can only be inspired.
What’s your vision about Music Highway Festival?
We hope that it will continue through the years as a quality meeting point for the bands and the audience with the higher standards and the same passion and excitement.
Christos Doukakis