One hour's drive from the Slovakian capital of Bratislava, Trenčín is situated where the large Danubian basin meets the Carpathian hills. It's an area of clashing cultures; a mix of beautiful architecture and ugly communist-era relics; a place where Hungarian can be heard as often as Slovak.

Established in 1997 with a handful of Czech bands and barely 50 fans, the town's Pohoda Festival now pulls in an annual audience of over 25,000. But while the two-day event may be considered boutique by UK standards, it's actually the largest music festival in Slovakia, attracting an army of perma-tanned punters from across Eastern Europe.

Located on the outskirts of the city at a military airbase, initial suspicions that the festival was a massive fundraising effort for an anti-abortion campaign proved unfounded.

Yes, Interpol's Paul Banks has got more soul in his tie clip than Editors have in their elaborate stage show, but the Birmingham group put in a blistering performance, packing nearly as much energy as France's Ukulele Girls. Blood Red Shoes were also an unexpected triumph, as were the Subways whose primitive garage-rock seemed to work particularly well when played on concrete. Highlights also included Jamaica’s Lady Saw and Miss Kittin and The Hacker who debuted tracks off their forthcoming album, proving there's more to them than electroclash.

One of the greatest quirks about Pohoda, however, is the fact that the best entertainment can be found off-site: it's worth exploring the nearby 11th century castle by night, while back in Trenčín town centre the Jamm Club, with its dark walls, underground bar and late license, makes the perfect post-festival retreat.