Grasahu launches summer with live music and dancing in Szeged
The Grasahu Festival team will kick off the summer season with a night of live music and dancing on Saturday, June 14, featuring a double concert and DJs aboard the at Rakpart 62 – Szabadság Úszóház.
The event will showcase two rising regional acts: Hakumba, a genre-blending world music group with roots in Szentes, and Domingo, a pop-rock band from Szeged. Known for its energetic shows and hybrid sound, Hakumba weaves afrobeat, gypsy swing and jazz into its music, inspired by artists like Fela Kuti, Snarky Puppy, and Nubian Twist.
The band released its debut album, “Véletlen volt, nem direkt” (“It Was an Accident, Not On Purpose”), in 2023, followed by two singles and an EP. Their first concept album, Message, came out in 2024 with the support of Hungary’s National Cultural Fund (NKA) and producer András Weil. The release marked a turning point in the group’s growing dedication to afrobeat. They are now working on a new EP and second full-length album, both slated for release in late 2025.
Hakumba has toured the Balkans and played at many regional festivals, including Valley of Arts, Fishing on Orfű, Kolorádó, Bánkitó, Grasahu, Waldorfeszt, and Serbia’s Malomfesztivál. On June 7, the band performed at the first European edition of South by Southwest (SXSW) in London. They are scheduled to tour Switzerland later this summer, with smaller shows along the way.
Joining them is Domingo, a Szeged-based pop-rock group that made its debut not in a small venue, but on Budapest’s A38 stage. Their standout performance earned them a spot among the 20 most promising new acts of 2023, according to the NKA Hangfoglaló Program. Since then, the band has been working on its first album and playing live sets featuring unreleased material that reflects a wide range of cultural and personal influences.
While the June 14 concert carries the Grasahu name, it is not part of the festival’s usual multi-day format. In April, organizers announced that the full Grasahu Festival in Üllés would not take place this year due to ongoing uncertainty — a challenge faced in previous years as well. Instead, the team is hosting a handful of shorter events and parties in 2025, with the goal of focusing on internal development.
Organizers say Grasahu will return in 2026 in its full form, promising a revitalized festival in Üllés that will “stir up the sands of the Great Plain” once again.
Featured image: András Bálint / Grasahu Festival
