Beginning at 7 p.m., the open-air performance by Mandoki and his world-renowned band, the Mandoki Soulmates, promises to be a powerful celebration of freedom, belonging, and musical legacy.
“Where I was born… time always seems to pause for a moment here,” Mandoki reflects. His deeply personal anthem, Ahol születtem (“Where I Was Born”), speaks to the emotional journey of exile, memory and return.
Forced to flee communist Hungary in 1975 through a tunnel under the Iron Curtain, Mandoki left behind not only his homeland but also the censorship that stifled his artistic freedom. The legendary Bem Club, once a sanctuary for underground musicians and free thinkers, was where his journey began. With friends like Laca Szűcs and Gábor Csupó, Mandoki dreamed of a life of unrestricted artistic expression—a dream that led him to global stages and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
“My homeland is my breath,” Mandoki says, describing Hungary as an inseparable part of his identity, even while writing songs in English and essays in German. His connection to his native language is so profound that he hesitated for decades to write lyrics in Hungarian out of reverence for literary icons like Radnóti and József Attila.
The August 21 concert is not just a celebration of Mandoki’s 50-year career but also of the Mandoki Soulmates—a supergroup founded in 1992 that includes artists such as Ian Anderson, Jack Bruce, Al Di Meola, Chaka Khan, Steve Lukather, and many more. Their unique sound blends genres and generations, building musical bridges across cultures. Their latest concept album, A Memory of Our Future, is a global success and a musical manifesto for peace, humanity and European unity, hailed as the “anthem of humanism” and voted Album of the Year.
Having recently been honored at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Mandoki Soulmates now return to where it all began. This once-in-a-generation concert will feature iconic Soulmates songs, surprises, and unforgettable moments—all wrapped in the message that freedom and identity are timeless forces worth singing about.
Mandoki Soulmates – Mega-Concert
August 21, 2025, 7 p.m.
BUDAPEST, BUDA CASTLE – HOLY TRINITY SQUARE
“Humming an old song, I’m home again… where I was born.”
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