NOVI SAD, Serbia, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Under the slogan "We are all one EXIT tribe," more than a thousand musicians have gathered here for Serbia's biggest music festival EXIT at the Petrovaradin Fortress.
Tens of thousands of people from 90 countries will enjoy a diverse and rich selection of popular music played by rock legends of the eighties and some of the most appreciated electronic musicians and pop stars of the day.
The British band The Cure opened the festival here on Thursday night. Performing in pouring rain, the band earned an ovation from the international crowd.
The Cure's concert started with their famous song "Pictures of You" from their 1989 album "Disintegration", prompting thousands to dance and scream in the downpour.
The audience was warmed up for The Cure's Thursday gig by the experimental band 65daysofstatic, and after the night's headliners, the crowds were treated to a spectacular opening ceremony at midnight, held under the slogan "Peace on Earth, Peace with Earth".
The singers and dancers appealed to humanity to change their ways in order to preserve life on the planet. Their performance culminated in a firework display above the main stage.
After the opening gigs, some 40 stages were brought to life around the fortress by performers such as Lost Frequencies from Belgium, Maceo Plex, Charlotte de Witte or The Selecter, keeping the audience engaged till the early morning hours.
The first evening at the EXIT festival was closed by Carl Cox, touted as one of the most popular DJs of all times.
In the coming days, party lovers will be entertained by the Chainsmokers, Greta Van Fleet, Jeff Mills and many others.
Besides international stars, the lineup also includes popular Serbian musicians, such as the Partibrejkers, Atheist Rap and Zvonko Bogdan.
Organizers said they expected around 60,000 foreign tourists to attend this year's EXIT. Most of the hotels and rooms in Novi Sad have already been booked. The festival will last till July 7.