You probably know the sound, even if you don't know the band's name. The blurred female face on the cover of the album Jane Doe, tattooed on fans all over the world, had no name for twenty years. Then in October 2021 French model Audrey Marnay got in touch with a message along the lines of "hi Converge, Jane Doe here, shall we talk?" and frontman Jacob Bannon confirmed it the very next day. In 2021 the woman from the iconic cover came forward as French model Audrey Marnay, who said the source was her photo from the Italian edition of Marie Claire, and Bannon quickly confirmed it on the band's social media. But before you start putting together the best events in Trutnov for next week, let's get one thing straight.

Converge, Centinex and Vulvectomy are not playing in Trutnov this week. None of those three concerts is in our calendar and I don't want to pretend otherwise. What you actually have within reach in the city are two family shows at the UFFO centre. This text is therefore twofold: first a guide to what is genuinely happening in Trutnov, then a listening guide for anyone who wants to turn things up at home or through headphones. No misleading, so you know exactly what you're getting into.

Best events in Trutnov this week: start at UFFO

The sure thing next week is the UFFO community centre. On Wednesday 15 July there is a children's programme, and on Friday 17 July another show follows. The rest of the article is for anyone who wants to crank up the volume alongside that.

When you're listing the best events in Trutnov, start where things happen most often in the city. On Wednesday 15 July the hall hosts NEXTGEEN, KIDS & BAND, MINI KIDS & BAND, and on Friday 17 July comes J.S.M.E. Both take place at UFFO. Click through to the event detail to find out when the doors open, how much tickets cost and exactly what to expect. If you're planning further ahead, bookmark our events calendar, where the programme in Trutnov and the surrounding area is updated on an ongoing basis. That's the honest answer to the question of what to do in the city this particular week. Everything else is a bonus for your ears.

UFFO: seven cheetahs and a stone from Sněžka

UFFO is Trutnov's main cultural venue, opened in 2010. It handles theatre, concerts and exhibitions alike, seven bronze sculptures guard the entrance, and the foundation stone was brought from the summit of Sněžka.

This is no ordinary hall. Uffo, whose full name is the Trutnov Region Community Centre for Culture and Leisure, is a multifunctional facility; it took its name from Trutnov-born poet Uffo Horn, construction began in October 2008 and it opened on 24 September 2010. The name is no coincidence, and there is more symbolism around it. The foundation stone that was ceremonially tapped at the official start of construction comes from the highest peak of the Krkonoše mountains, Sněžka. Anyone walking past can hardly miss the striking artwork in front of the building. The square in front of the centre is decorated by a group of seven bronze sculptures by Michal Gabriel called Smečka (The Pack), which is the property of Trutnov's city council.

Inside, the space is built for flexibility. The total capacity of the hall is 640 people. In a concert layout it can be stretched even further, so the transition from intimate theatre to a large concert is simply a matter of reconfiguring the seating. That it is a fine piece of architecture was confirmed by the jury as well. In 2011 the building won the prestigious Czech Building of the Year award, beating 42 other entries. And if you're planning a trip to Trutnov later in the year, bear in mind that UFFO also runs a festival programme. The international music festival Trutnovský podzim and the international new circus festival Cirk-UFF are held here regularly.

A remarkable figure stands behind the name. Uffo Horn (1817-1860) was a Trutnov poet, playwright, liberal and revolutionary who in the revolutionary year of 1848 became commander of the national guard and led it to the aid of Prague. In other words, the building bears the name of someone who definitely did not blend into the crowd in his day. Symbolism that fits today's topic rather well.

Converge: the hardcore that rewrote the rules

Converge are American pioneers of metalcore and their 2001 album Jane Doe is one of the most influential records in heavy music, full stop. Anyone who wants to understand why today's extreme scene sounds the way it does starts right here.

Converge were founded by vocalist and visual artist Jacob Bannon and guitarist and producer Kurt Ballou in Salem, Massachusetts in 1990. With their extremely aggressive and boundary-pushing sound rooted in both hardcore and heavy metal, they are pioneers of metalcore and its offshoot mathcore. The turning point came with their fourth record. Jane Doe is the fourth studio album, released on 4 September 2001 on Equal Vision Records. The response was immediate and has held ever since. Rolling Stone later placed it at number 61 on its list of the greatest metal albums of all time.

The way it was made is also interesting. At a time when a lot of things were already being recorded digitally, the band went against the grain. The entire album was recorded onto six reels of two-inch tape across three studios and mixed in two. That rawness is audible, and it may be partly why the record doesn't sound overproduced the way so many later releases in the genre do. The cover artwork, to which the story from the introduction is attached, was designed by the frontman himself. The album artwork was created by vocalist Jacob Bannon. And model Marnay's Instagram message - "hi Converge, Jane Doe here, shall we talk?" - closed a mystery fans had been puzzling over for two decades.

For a complete newcomer, a simple recipe: put on the opener Concubine. It's short, raw and hits you in the face before you have time to blink. For those already in the know, Converge are proof that a band can be over thirty years old and still not slip into routine. If you want to understand where the DNA of modern hardcore came from, this is the starting line.

Centinex: old-school Swedish death metal

Centinex are veterans of the Swedish death metal scene from the early 1990s. After breaking up they came back and kept going, and if that characteristic buzzsaw sound from Sunlight Studio appeals to you, this is the address.

Centinex is a Swedish death metal band founded in 1990. Their story follows a classic arc. They split up on 12 April 2006, some of the members subsequently formed the death metal band Demonical, and in January 2014 Centinex got back together. Their debut was recorded at the place where the entire Swedish sound was born. The album Subconscious Lobotomy was recorded at Sunlight Studio during July and released in October 1992. That is the source of the distinctive "buzz saw" guitar tone that death metal fans still remember to this day.

The comeback after the break was no formality. Death in Pieces is the eleventh full-length album by Centinex, released in 2020 on Agonia Records. For someone more familiar with the melodic branches of death metal, Centinex make a good bridge: old-school rawness without today's polish. And if you want to hear what the genre sounded like before it splintered into dozens of subgenres, this is almost a textbook example. No frills, just pressure.

Vulvectomy: Italian kings of slam (and a fair warning)

Vulvectomy play slamming brutal death metal, one of the heaviest and deliberately most provocative ends of the spectrum. This is not music for everyone and their aesthetic is not for the faint-hearted. That is entirely the point.

Vulvectomy are among the most uncompromising Italian slamming brutal death metal bands; Diego Fanelli founded them in 2007 and their ultra-heavy sound draws on genre pillars such as Devourment and Cephalotripsy. They come from Italy, specifically from Bari and Rome, and are still active. After a lengthy break they came back in style. In 2025 they released their fourth album Aberrant Vaginal Gestation on the label Comatose Music, which they described as a new chapter but without any concessions from their characteristic brutal sound. And it was quite a break. Twelve years had passed since their previous record.

Let's be honest. The track titles and artwork of this band are built on shock, and deliberately so. The shock value in the lyrics and imagery is not for everyone and may make some people shake their heads, but anyone who gets past that and enjoys extreme metal is in for a serious dose. Reviewers did not hesitate to call the band Italian kings of slam after their latest album. If this is your blood type, you know what you're getting into. If not, feel free to skip it and go back to the dynamics of Converge or the rawness of Centinex. Nobody is going to force you.

How to keep track of dates and tickets so you don't miss anything

Always get the date and venue of a concert from an official source, not from memory. For events in Trutnov, buy tickets through verified channels and keep an ongoing eye on tour dates for international bands, because they change and sell out fast.

For the two events at UFFO the situation is straightforward: the specific time, price and how to buy tickets are all on each event's page, whether it's the Wednesday children's programme or the Friday show. Trutnov's city information centre also serves as a natural hub for what's going on in the city. Trutnov's city information centre is located in the Old Town Hall building on Krakonošovo náměstí. That's a good place to get your bearings when you're in town and looking for somewhere to go in the evening.

For the three bands in this article, things work differently. They are international names whose Czech dates appear irregularly, so it pays to follow them over the long term. Browse our concerts overview, where announced dates are added as they come in, and in the artists section you can keep an eye on specific bands and their upcoming shows. Extreme metal in this country is also often played in smaller clubs and on shared bills where three or four bands follow one after another. Buy early, arrive on time and don't underestimate how quickly club capacities fill up compared to a large hall. After that it's just a matter of letting the sound blow you away properly.

Frequently asked questions

What can you see in Trutnov right next week?

The UFFO centre is a sure bet. On Wednesday 15 July the programme NEXTGEEN, KIDS & BAND and MINI KIDS & BAND is on there, and on Friday 17 July the show J.S.M.E. follows. Details with times and tickets can be found on each event's page.

Are Converge, Centinex or Vulvectomy playing in Trutnov?

No, none of those three bands is playing in Trutnov this week and we have no date for them in the calendar. We included them as a listening tip for fans of heavier music. Their appearances in the Czech Republic are irregular, which is why we recommend keeping an eye on the concerts and artists sections, where announced dates appear first.

Which of those three names is the most accessible for a complete newcomer?

Converge, without question. Their Jane Doe is raw, but thanks to its dynamics and atmospheric passages it's easier to get into than the slam from Vulvectomy, which is deliberately the heaviest and most provocative of the three.

What makes UFFO itself interesting for Trutnov?

It is the city's main cultural venue, opened in September 2010 and named after local-born Uffo Horn. Seven bronze sculptures by Michal Gabriel called Smečka stand in front of the building and the foundation stone was brought from Sněžka. In 2011 the building won the Building of the Year title.

Where do I buy tickets for events at UFFO?

The safest route is the centre's official channel and the specific event page, where the purchasing method is listed. In the city you can also get your bearings at Trutnov's city information centre on Krakonošovo náměstí, which acts as a hub for local events.

Sources

  • NEXTGEEN, KIDS & BAND, MINI KIDS & BAND (15. 7. 2026, UFFO, Trutnov) - programme and tickets
  • J.S.M.E. (17. 7. 2026, UFFO, Trutnov) - programme and tickets
  • Concerts overview and artists for tracking dates
  • Wikipedia and Kudy z nudy - history and capacity of the UFFO centre, Michal Gabriel sculptures, festivals (cs.wikipedia.org, kudyznudy.cz)
  • Trutnov Information Centre - Uffo Horn and the UFFO Community Centre (ictrutnov.cz)
  • Wikipedia: Converge, Jane Doe (album), Centinex - career and discography; Nordic Metal - Centinex timeline
  • Official Vulvectomy website, Encyclopaedia Metallum, New Noise Magazine - profile and reviews of the album Aberrant Vaginal Gestation
  • Crack Magazine - context of the Jane Doe album and the revelation of the cover model