Howdy folks!
It's been a while since I last published something on this blog. I guess I can up with a thousand reasons but the truth is that I am lazy
Well for anyone who knows me well that's nothing new. I look at it as not being lazy but more like being a bonvivant
Now why I'm writing all this. Well it's all very simple. Finally I have something to blog about. At first I thought of writing separately about every single interesting event I come across but since the whole month of May was full of such events I decided that it's better to write about everything in one single article. So ladies and gentlemen here it is. In the text that follows you'll find about all the interesting concerts I've been to this month and why it has to be mentioned in this topic. Here we go. Happy reading
First we start with the first big concert for this month. It's something that you don't get to see everyday. And it's definitely something worth seeing and remembering.
05.05.10 H2O@The Box
Now H2O are all too well known american band so I won't bother myself explaining their history and music (you can check that out yourself). This is is their 15th anniversary which kicked with a european tour. Before their gig in Sofia I only knew them from a couple of vids and songs I've heard over the years. I knew that they were good but I didn't know what to expect from them since I'm not a huge hc fan. So I bought myself a ticket and hoped for a decent show worth the money. And so I waited. When the day came I was fairly excited and when I get to the venue it was already crowded in front of it. I waited in front and after several minutes I get in. And as usual I get myself a nice cold beer and waited for the show to start. To be honest the club itself isn't very appropriate for a concert that big. Way too many people way too less space. It was very crowded inside and good thing that I get there earlier. Well after about an hour or so the concert started with the bulgarian supporting bands. First in line was Rezerven Plan, a hc/punk sXe band from Plovdiv with rather unusual lyrics. I have to admit that they've played rather vigorously thanks of course to their lead vocal, Missues, known to the kids as the former host of Kulturistika (on the now defunct MM tv) and a radical vegan/sXe. Now the kid definitely got some balls going to a stage and screaming and kicking like that. The thing that impressed me most with this band was that in stark contrast to other hc bands this one used texts from some of Bulgaria's most beloved poets. And that's was something. However that whole vegan tirade that accompanied their set was something that I didn't like for in my country the whole vegan/sXe thing is mostly a fashionable stance for the kids to look cool and be different from their peers. Giving that and the overall presentation of the band I would say that it wasn't bad but also it wasn't something special. I personally didn't like some of the songs. Nevertheless it was nice to hear something new (at least for me). It was refreshing.
Next in line was Indignity, the boys from Varna who started their set with "My Truth", one of my favourite hc songs. Throughout their entire set the mood was high and to me it seemed like more people are enjoying their music in contrast to the previous band. A nice little moshpit was formed with more people willing to enter it. Their music was fast-paced and the kind that can't leave you watching from the side-lines. It definitely made me happy to be there and not regretting for anything.
Now the last of the bulgarian bands to come out before the headliners, was Brothers In Blood from Pleven. Another very good bulgarian hc band. From start to finish they didn't let down the audience. One thing I noticed about their lead vocalist was that he was kinda fashion-like compared to most hc musicians in Bulgarian with the big exception of Last Hope, who in my humble opinion are probably the most fashionable hardcore band in the country in both visual appearance and music. Still Brothers In Blood delivered fast and ass-kicking hardcore, one not to be missed by the appreciative fans.
After the last band came the time for the main event - H2O. To tell you the truth is was worth paying and waiting for. The band came to the stage and without wasting time started playing. By that time the crowd was already in the right mood so when Toby jumped to the stage, instinctively the whole audience moved forward to the stage. And it was a blast from the first to the last song as the band gave everything from themselves and in response the fans sing-a-long from the beginning. Of course as in every real hc concert there was a proper moshpit, one that leaved me and many others exhausted and out of breath (literally). Still it was such a big fun that even given the circumstances and went in and out several times and not regretting for doing so.
I have to admit that one thing that made me a big impression was the fact that although H2O are well-known band they didn't react as a fucking rock stars or something. Gotta admit that the guy singing in front of me was probably one of the most humble singers I've seen in years. Fuck, the guy even climbed the sound speakers and sang from there. It seemed like the band can play endlessly for hours. They played long enough even responded to a biss call. Alas all good thing sooner or later come to an end and so their gig eventually ended. Much can be written about that night but words will me meaningless if you were not there. Definitely it was one of the greatest concerts I've been to and one I will remember forever. Somehow I doubt that I will be the only one giving the excitement and joy that was in the air and the infinite smile on the people's faces. Oh what a night!
http://www.myspace.com/h2ofamily
http://www.myspace.com/brothasinblood
http://www.myspace.com/indignitybg
http://www.myspace.com/rezervenplan
08.05.10 PIZZA@The Box
Well this show has to be the weirdest I've been to. But nevertheless it was nice. Why weird? Simply because there were about a dozen people who attended the gig. The funny thing about it was that I plus two more guys were trying to do a pogo which was absolutely ridiculous and fun at the same time. There was also three girls who smuggled illegally alcohol from the outside. The whole thing was absurd but it turned out nicely for my surprise. To be honest even with a dozen people I had fun. As for the band itself, Pizza is ska/punk outfit that comes from the city of Varna. I have to give them credit that given the shamelessly few people that came they didn't seemed to be disappointed as they played like the club was full. And that they did well. After the gig there was something like a "after-party" in front of the National Theater where we all had a beer with the band.
http://www.myspace.com/elkobo
09.05.10 THE TOASTERS@Swingin Hall
That was an interesting night. First I didn't want to the concert it was kinda last minute decision. Second I wasn't a Toasters fan so I reluctantly went to the club. Third I wasn't in the mood for that kind of music that day. But anyway I went. And to this day I do not regret for my decision. I know that it contradicts everything I mentioned above but after all every person do make mistakes from time to time and I'm glad I didn't made it. Now to the point. I went there a little bit early and had to wait for about an hour or so until the concert starts. One of the bands that had to come was Red Five Point Star but they were robbed few days before coming to Bulgaria and were replaced in the last minute by the Kaya, bulgarian ska (mostly) band that I've never heard before. To be honest I was fairly disappointed by them. They've made me feel slippy and that's quiet an achievement. I wish I could tell something good about them but they were simply boring. Well sorry about that but they wasn't my kind of band. Next on stage came another bulgarian ska band named Plastic Bo from Asenovgrad, whom I already knew from one concert in Backstage two years ago. I did like them in the past so I had fair amount of expectations about them. Don't know why they let me down. I don't know what I liked about this guys before but that night I was unable to find something worth dancing to. Except two or three songs that I liked the rest was simply dull. I guess that I've simply grew up and my musical taste shifted to more serious stuff. In contrast to that the were of course lots of kids who were dancing to their music. Whatever. The best was for the last as The Toasters went up on stage. As I already mentioned before I had no expectations about them and at first I simply watched them playing. Soon I realized that I'm beginning to like them and not long after this I began to skank. Basically I danced almost to their entire set and of course most of the time I was on te front line. After they've played all of their songs they were called to bis several times and to my surprise they came to the stage every single time. That was something. I have to admit that this was one of the best ska concerts I've been to and I'm glad that I went there although my initial reserves about the band. It was fucking awesome!
http://www.myspace.com/toasters
http://www.myspace.com/plasticbo
http://www.myspace.com/kayabandbulgaria
13.05.10 MERUDIA+ORATNICA@Twins
To be honest I haven't planed to go listening to those two bands but I was surprisingly invited by a friend. I had absolutely no idea what music does the two groups perform. I was almost convinced that this is going to be one of those ethno music meets drum&bass night but I was totally wrong. First there was a dj set by a dj who didn't made me even the slightest impression. But that was ok given the fact that the interesting part was afterwards. The first band that played was Merudia, some kind of reggae with male and female singers. I have to admit that I definitely liked the voice of the girl. In overall they played a nice melodic kind of reggae that was really nice. After their performance it was turn for Oratnica to play. Now this band is a peculiar one. My understanding is that they play some sort of bulgarian ethno/folk music combined with elements of dub and probably other electronic styles (which I can't remember now). I've never heard anything similar so I didn't even know how to react to this. To my amazement I did like what I've heard. What was even more amazing was the fact that on two of their songs the people started dancing horo. And that's not something you see everyday especially on a night like this. It was definitely an interesting experience. One that I won't mind repeating again.
P.S.: this club sucks big time. it is unbelievable that they've ran out of beer. WTF?!? this is a night joint. it is supposed to have alcohol, plenty of it. it never happened to me before to go to a club and the beer to end in the middle of the night. FUCK that. i had to smuggle in beer from the outside. BULLSHIT. and by the way the blonde female bartender with the short tail deserved to feel first--hand what i've learned from the boxing lessons. what a twat.
http://www.myspace.com/merudia
20.05.10 LAST HOPE+HITMAN@The Box
What can I say. One of the oldest and best known inside and outside of Bulgaria local hardcore bands Last Hope did a nice little concert backed-up by the well-known serbian hc act Hitman and the bulgarians B.F.D.M. No big surprises there. The hardcore princesses both male and female all were there as well as the core fans. First the stage hit those born from different mothers or as they're best known B.F.D.M. Another group that I heard for the first time. Nice fast-paced hardcore. Nothing special. Next were the serbians Hitman. This band is already well known to the bulgarian audience as they played in Bulgaria several times and they released a split with Last Hope. They definitely play some kick-ass hardcore. It's been a while since I've heard such a good hc band. Definitely a band worth listening to. Last but not least Last Hope. The name says it all. The band has played with such notorious bands as Murphy's Law, Stampin Ground, 25 Ta Life, Agnostic Front. They know how to make a good show for sure. Since the beginning they revitalize the audience by bringing them closer to the stage and into the moshpit. Those guys made one heck of a show and crowd seemed to appreciate it. Veterans of the bulgarian hardcore scene Last Hope did not disappoint.
http://www.myspace.com/lasthopesofia
http://www.myspace.com/hitmanbhc
http://www.myspace.com/bfdmsfc
27-28-29.05.10 MELLOW MUSIC FESTIVAL
Now this festival is something I came across accidentally on the internet. I was completely surprised that something like this is going go happen in my home city and I was curious to see what it's like. To be honest this festival was like a breath of fresh air after all this hardcore/ska concerts. To be honest more than the half of the musicians/bands were completely unknown to me (well almost all of them actually) but that didn't stop me from going. To be honest I was quite surprised to see so many people from different age groups and probable with different musical tastes together. I have to admit that I like the whole idea of the festival - couple of artists brought together on one stage in a park which is in the center of the city. Very neat idea. Well there wasn't tea at the park but for my pleasure there was plenty of beer and other liqueur. The format of the festival is rather interesting I have to admit. You have bands playing during daytime in the park for free and you got artists playing in the Expo Center during nighttime which you can listen to for the prize of a ticket for the whole event or just for one specific night. Well I haven't been able to check all artists but as a proud bulgarian I'll mention at least the bulgarians present during the three day festival - Auditory Ossicles, Help Me Jones, 1000names, The Bulgarian & StefaK.
In overall great idea, great timing, good realization!
http://www.myspace.com/audoss
http://www.myspace.com/helpmejones
http://www.myspace.com/1000names
http://www.myspace.com/thebulgariantracks
the end
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