2015-Oct-14 PHOTO+VIDEO Katka Koščová, Jamadan, Adela Banášová and photographers / Rozvojový deň, Stará Tržnica, Bratislava

The subtitle of this  event was "Plea for Humanity: What next?" (click here for my gallery and impressions from the said concert/plea). Wednesday's event in Stará Tržnica provided the much needed context and space for debate in regards to Slovakia's role in helping developing countries in the midst of a refugee crisis.

Even though I couldn't attend the actual discussion, I am making it up now (as you can do too) by watching this video:

What I actually arrived for was much noisier, Jamadan, Slovakia's response to world music. 

After it, I was treated to lots of very interesting photographs and discussions with (photo) journalists. I was in particular, pleasantly surprised by seeing a fellow photographer from my hometown, Vranov, Andrea Kerestešová. Here's her blog. She was among the winning photographers! Please, do check out the winning articles: Pavol Štrba's The Boy Who Survived His Own Death" from Srebrenica,  Magdaléna Vaculčiaková's Cambodian sugar doesn't taste sweet and Tomáš Bella's How did the immigrants radicalise me in one week

While all this was very interesting and important, the best part of the evening was the performance given by Katka Koščová from Prešov, with Daniel Špiner on the piano/pepper-shaker, Jozef Lupták on the violin/mandolin and Michal Matejčík (of Depeche Mode/George Michael fame) on the harp. It was simply splendid, and really heart-felt! Look and listen for yourselves:

Watch in full-screen

2015-Sep-10 Longital SUITA / MDPOH, Bratislava,SK

What a ride, Longital + String Quartet, thank you for letting me a part of it!

It all began with an invitation by Daniel Salontay, not much unlike this one:


It was to a one-off concert collaboration during the renowned Slovak classical music festival Konvergencie, with its director Jozef Lupták playing the cello as a one part of a string quartet, with the string section arranged and composed by Slavo Solovic, an old friend of Longital and Slnko records, now also famous for his work with Korben Dallas (Symphony + Sen), Sendreiovci (Le Orchestroha) and others.

It all started in 2005, when Longital won the Tatrabanka Prize for Art and Slavo Solovic was asked to compose and conduct a full orchestra rendition of one of Longital's song Zlatá (My dear). The performance was amazing, but too grandiose to repeat elsewhere, the band had decided. See for yourselves:


Now, ten years later, after performing with a vibraphonist Stroon in 2013 and after another one-off concert with an old flame of the band, drummer Marián Slávka, which led to them doing most of their concerts in the past year together (like this one just a few days before in Banská Štiavnica), they were ready once again to up their game, with four more musicians on stage.

For me, the invitation was not only to the concert but also to the rehearsal, where I made a lot of shots of the suita rehearsing together in a lovely, sun lit space on top of the city theatre.  This led to another photo invitation, this time in a video form, using animoto:

I was also lucky enough to be a part of the general rehearsal, where I had enough space to take close ups off the performers, and other shots I would not be able to take later at the concert.

Open in full screen Google Photos Album

And continued later in a day with the evening performance itself, where my wife Nadja, having a birthday that day tested a new Sony A7 camera (to a great result, as you can see from the first pictures in the slideshow, which are hers:

I would have lied if I said there were no other photographers - in fact two, plus a camera crew. But it is the video made by one of them, Martina Mlcuchova, that I want to share with you, for its raw energy:


And that is all? (A to je všetko?)



Or is it? To be continued...

From 2015-09-10 Longital Suita otvárala Konvergencie

2013-03-07 Longital & Stroon at SNG Naživo

Yet another magic night at the Slovak national Gallery from the cycle "SNG Alive", which Longital had already been part of at one of the very first installations in 2011, as it was featured on this very blog:

http://ondrejvosvete.blogspot.sk/2011/05/2011-04-14-magiclongital-at-sng.html

but the vibe last week was very different, see for yourself:

2013-03-07 Longital & Stroon at SNG Naživo (open picasa slideshow with captions;)

For one thing, Longital were not even supposed to be part of the evening, until a friend in their fellow band, Korben Dallas got sick on the day of the show. Fortunately, Dano, Shina, their acoustic set up and a new concert vibraphonist, Dalibor "Stroon" Kocian went in for the rescue. And they did so with an elegance of their own.
The acoustic performance sounded really unique in the newly opened "Berlinka" space - the acoustic guitar, voices, vibraphone and piano resonated together in the arcs on the ceiling, and stayed there like little clouds of tones.
The concert was part of the evening which was dedicated to blood, promoting the "Krv / Blood" exhibition.
It was preceeded by interesting and entertaining lectures on Elizabeth Bathory, the blood countess and blood sucking animals, especially bugs. It was quite an evening!


Here's also the trailer for the exhibition, which is on until March 31, 2013

Letters by Seinnasay

Forced to listen my sister practicing her piano skills day by day for years,it took me a while to realize her true music potential and inventiveness. But after years spent at the Kosice's conservatory, organizing concerts with friends, appearing on quite a few cds, and finally her stay with the band Gangway and other groups while studying musicology, it is apparent that she lives and breathes for music.

All that gone for the moment, she's here with some new piano pieces. And as always, they're simple and brilliant. Please, take a while to immerse in her arrangements.

From 2010-05-20 Mladá Hudba, Čajovňa Amana, KE

2011-12-08 Živé Kvety unplugged at Alexis, Bratislava

Well, the odds are, if you're not here for the first time, you've probably heard the name "Živé Kvety". But even if you are as familiar with the band as I am, you couldn't possibly imagine their strange and peculiar unplugged quality.

What you can however is to feel the atmosphere from the pictures:



P.S.
Just a several more notes:
- their producer, a Le Payaco singer Tomáš Sloboda, a known lover of spinning the black circles was to appear at the concert at some point. Well, he didn't. Shame for him, I must say. At least I have left the place with a long playing record, Zive Kvety's last - Spúšť (Wasteland). Check it out.
- I have experimented with new Picasa release for these pictures, Picasa 3.9. Screwed up on the Google plus front (whatever that is), but quite nice on coloring the images. What do you think?

2011-Nov-18 Živé Kvety S Magorom

From s1nko memorabilia

I would like to dedicate the following set of photos to Ivan Martin Jirous, aka "Magor", an inspiring persona of Czech Underground, who was putting on life like a sombrero, as Živé Kvety have put it in their song "S Magorom", so vivaciously performed last Friday in Bratislava's prime underground pub, U Očka (Moe's)

The photos are best to be viewed while listening to this recent recording of the song "Sloboda" (Freedom), dedicated to all people free in their minds, common, freaks and geniuses alike.



And here are the photos:

2011-10-21 Gangway(SK,PL) Jazz!

I have finally managed to see my sister's Polish jazz band, and what a concert it was! Compared to to the night before show (which was an afterparty for the 20th anniversary edition Jazz Prešov), the setting in Košice was much more intimate, as-a-matter-of-fact a private show for the owner of the Piano Cafe (who had forgotten/chose not to promote the gig with my poster to the wide public) The place in itself was really small, unfortunately with almost no stage lights (and stage as such), but the sound was great. The show was split up into three parts, with setlist as follows (that's my sister's handwriting, btw):

From 2011-10-21 Gangway at Jazz Piano, Košice

So, gangway, it doesn't matter if you haven't managed to grab more audience by your acapella singing and presentation before the concert in Kosice's street. Because you have succeeded in making your hard core of listeners present extremely happy and content. And that is not of small importance ;)

PS: The next city on Gangway's concert list is YOURS, so beware and prepare!

2011-10-08 S1NK0 Opening - "S1NK0 Vernisáž"

As I have just happily announced in an earlier post, my photo exhibition: S1NK0 - 10 years of Slnko Records, is up and running! But not only that, what a launch it was!

As you can see from the pictures above, we've managed to get the photos to Next Apache just on time to see a wave of friends and people interested in Slnko Records flood the little space of Ben's café.

My best wishes go to Daniel Salontay from Longital, founder of Slnko Records with Shina, who had managed to awake his cold on a photo/video shoot two day before the opening and therefore stayed in bed for the whole day, unfortunately.

Therefore, there was no Longital concert, but the entertainment for the evening was solely provided by Andrew Hillard and his band Frank Winter, who had managed to entertain us acoustically and unplugged, breaking several strings and going on late into the night, improvising, covering the likes of Pearl Jam/Led Zeppelin and fairly passing the mark of any imaginable curfew.

Thank you Andy, thank you Frank Winter, thank you friends, family, Shina, and all who had found the time to come last Saturday night. It was unbelievable.

Go see for yourself to Next Apache Café at Panenská 28 in Bratislava, until the end of October!

P.S.: There was a hint of Longital performing again some time the exhibition ends, plus a possible continuation of the exhibition in other parts of western/eastern Slovakia. I will keep you posted, but you've heard it here first ;)

2011-09-08 Frank Winter U Očka

Frank Winter = Andrew Hillard

When we've first encountered Andy (or Frank as everyone calls him after his band), he was backed up by members Peter and Agnes from Živé Kvety, as a guest for their show in Bratislava's punk club "Randal". Later we saw him at another rock venue/pub, battling over and winning attention with a group of rowdy Finnish fans who came over for the 2011 Ice Hockey World Cup.

His unique folk sound wasn't out of place in any of those spaces. But at U Očka (Moe's), he was at his best. Starting as a two piece band with a harmonica player stepping in (mainly to improvise, sadly), continuing as a five piece group, and closing solo on his own after a short break, he was full of energy and ideas. Halfway through the show he even got off the stage to make a round around the venue, at each table giving away a free compilation CD-R, "Memento", made by himself.

When I met him the next day, he enthusiastically described U Očka as - "that place's got popiči [fucking great] sound!" and praised the owner, Rahan, for equipping the venue with American gear and having the sound set up by an American firm specifically for the space. Overall, Andy proved to be a really friendly and talkative chap.

And all that after I mistook him for the owner of the café where I met him, a Canadian named Ben Pascoe. Mistaking Andy was silly on my part, but understandable as I was supposed to meet Ben and it was Andy who greeted me at the place and actually offered me a table and took my order (!). Later I got a five minute chance to meet the real Ben - after he was woken up for a class, fellow teacher as it turns out. In a matter of minutes we managed to agree on a date, music guests and a space to showcase my concert and studio photos of Slnko Records artists (you can already find many of these on photos here at the blog - Longital, Živé Kvety, Kolowrat, Hvozd, Frank Winter, ...)

And, the best part - when I got back to Andy, he agreed to take part in my coming October photo showcase at Next Apache, the S1NK0, as Frank Winter.

More on that this Thursday, when I will officially start promoting the showcase at Dobry Trh on Panenska St, Bratislava, where Next Apache is located, right opposite the square with Presidential Palace.

But you've heard it here first.

"S1NK0 by Ondrej.Ko" at Next Apache, Bratislava, Oct 8 2011

Lineup desiateho ročníka festivalu Gdynia Opener Festival 2011 uverejnený!

(written for mojamuzika.sk)

Do otvorenia "poľskej Pohody" ostávajú už len dva týždne, a preto vám prinášame základné informácie o tomto prímorskom, priam plážovom festivale spolu s kompletným line upom uverejneným na oficiálnej stránke festivalu. V tejto reportáži vychádzame z dobrých skúseností našich redaktorov vyslaných na minuloročný Opener 2010.

Opener, ktorý sa odohráva v oblasti baltického trojmestia Gdynia-Gdansk-Sopot pri Gdyňskom sídlisku Babie Doly, je ako už jeho názov napovedá, najväčší open air festival v Poľsku a blízkom okolí (v r. 2009 viac než 60 tisíc návštevníkov každý deň, čo je dva krát viac než na trenčianskej Pohode). Budúceho roku sa dočká okrúhleho desiateho ročníka. Prvý ročník sa odohral v r. 2002 v hlavnom meste Varšava, nasledujúci rok sa presunul k moru do Gdyne a o rok neskôr sa jeho trvanie rozšírilo na dva, v roku 2006 na tri, a konečne minulý rok prvýkrát na štyri večery a noci plné hudby (program sa už tradične začína až o pol piatej poobede).

Napriek tomu, že je festival pomerne mladý - rovnako ako jeho návštevníci, jeho zabezpečenie a hudobné zloženie je na vysokej úrovni, oproti iným Európskym festivalom má výhodu jedinečného spojenia prímorského festivalu s nám blízkou jazykovou kultúrou.

Doprava
Ak si chcete festival vychutnať, v prvom rade sa tam treba dostať:
- autobusom a vlakom - odporúčame cez žilinu - katowice, z východu autobusom z Popradu do Zakopaného a odtiaľ priamy vlak cez Varšavu až do Gdynie - dlhý, ale lacný (ak máte do 26r, treba si pýtať zľavnený lístok, poľsky "ulgowy bilet do dwadzieścia sześć lat", minulý rok v prepočte za neuveriteľných 13€)

Cestovanie vlakom v Poľsku je pohodlné a je sa na čo pozerať, avšak treba počítať so všetkým - i niekoľkohodinovými meškaniami pre povodne i bežný poľský chaos.

- lietadlom - z Bratislavy momentálne len s prestupom v Prahe a Varšave, kto však má záujem o najpohodlnejšie cestovanie a zastávku v modernom , kultúrne bohatom hlavnom meste, je to rozhodne zaujímavá možnosť.

- autom - neodporúčame, ak áno, západnou trasou - dlhá cesta pre dobrodružné povahy

Na Gdyňskej stanici
Keď sa vám podarí dostať už sem (vlakom, autobusom), máte vyhrané.. už na stanici vás privítajú stovky mladých návštevníkov a pracovníci festivalu, ktorí vám, ak máte viacdňové lístky, ich vymenia za náramky už na stanici a posadia vás do kyvadlového autobusu, ktorý vás zadarmo dopraví až pred brány areálu. Kyvadloviek je veľa a chodia nepretržite, preto je jednoduché vyhnúť sa napríklad rannej nude, a objavovať krásy Trojmestia a okolia i počas festivalu.

Lístky
V prvom rade s potešením oznamujeme, že lístky sú stále v predaji cez poľský AlterArt na oficiálnej stránke festivalu , i cez nám známejšie siete Eventim a Ticketpro. Lístky si môžete pohodlne objednať a vytlačiť priamo z domu. Na výber je viacero možností, od jednodňových, až po štvordňové, bez alebo so stanovacím miestom, a dokonca aj s traťovým železničným lístkom SKM 16 - prímestská zrýchlená železnica do Gdynie, vydaným na vaše meno, za 16 Zl, (zhruba 4.19€). Rozhodne si odporúčame zabezpečiť stanovacie miesto spolu s lístkom, vyjde to o polovicu lacnejšie ako osobitne. Máme dobré skúsenosti s možnosťou AlterArt.

V roku 2010, keďže sme na Opener cestovali z neobyčajného Berlínskeho koncertu skupiny Pearl Jam, sme ocenili aj unikátnu možnosť kúpiť si lístky len na tri dni.

Ubytovanie
Je veľmi dôležité, aby ste, ak sa chcete vyhnúť dochádzaniu na festival, zabezpečili lístok s miestom na stanovanie, ideálne už na prvý deň festivalu, 30.6.
Stanovacích miest je síce menej, ale ak prídete skôr, nemusíte sa obávať dlhých prechádzok do areálu.



Kapely:

- tento rok najviac odporúčame - britských indie British Sea Power, ktorí sú na šnúre k svojmu novému bizarne tanečnému, no klasicky rockovému albumu Valhalla Dancehall. Zažijete, čo ste nezažili!

- z ďalších napr. The National, PULP, The Strokes, James Blake, Abraham Inc, Youssou N'Dour (world music je už tradične obsadená veľkými menami na tomto festivale), ako aj notoricky známych Coldplay a Prince.

- z domácich napr Vavamuffin (jedna z najznámejších poľských reaggae kapiel), Janusz Prusinowski Trio (inšpirované tradične poľským folklórom).

Ako na iných, ani na tomto festivale nechýba filmový stage, z ktorého programu odporúčame v prestávkach najmä, v poľsku veľmi obľúbený svetový festival krátkych filmov Future Shorts.

Z iných aktivít dávame do pozornosti Diabelski Młyn, Fashion'er, Kids Zone (pre deti) Signing Tent (unikátny stan, kde sa vám podpíšu hviezdy festivalu) a tradičné Silent Disco. Taktiež sa tam bude odohrávať niekoľko výstav.

Kompletný line up tu:

alebo na oficiálnej stránke ako pdf




Na čo by ste mali myslieť:

-stanové mestečko je rozľahlé, no kapacitne obmedzené - dobre zabezpečené je Toi Toi, a aj proti krádežiam - stanové mestečko je strážené, oplotené a osvietené niekoľkými svetelnými vežami, pri ktorých svetle si, ak máte to šťastie, môžete študovať festival aj v noci.

Zo sebou si treba pripraviť na noc teplé oblečenie - v lete pri mori klesá uprostred noci teplota náhle k nule, a vy sa budíte, že je vám zima, ráno o šiestej už je znovu vyše 20 stupňov.
Samozrejme, treba si pripraviť krémy i pršiplášte, a trpezlivosť do radov na sprchy. Tie, rovnako ako jedlo v rámci areálu, si kupujete za tzv. festivalové "bony" - studená sprcha je zadarmo, teplá (nie vždy funkčná, no menej obsadená) za 3 bony. Tieto bony sa dajú tiež nabiť na špeciálnu platobnú kartu AlterArt, ak by ste sa báli, že ich stratíte - touto kartou sa dá platiť u väčšiny predajcov jedla vnútri festivalu.

V ponuke stanového mestečka je tiež nabíjačkáreň i malý obchodík, tu sa však platí znovu festivalovými bonmi. Za tieto si v areáli môžete napríklad skúsiť i služby ako masáž.

Ak vám bonový systém, alebo široká ponuka jedla v areáli festivalu nevonia, základné pitie a potreby si môžete zakúpiť u nezávislých predajcov pri vstupe do areálu festivalu, neďaleko stanového mestečka, na lokálnej pláži.

Na festivale, ako to už názov napovedá sa čapuje pivo holandského sponzora.

Areál festivalu je delený na dve časti, stanové mestečko, ktoré sa dá v prípade potreby pohodlne obísť priamo do areálu festivalu, kde však človek musí prejsť kontrolou - náramku i bezpečnostnou. Odporúčame si preto so sebou zo stanového mestečka alebo z miesta ubytovania nosiť minimum vecí, žiadne fľaše s vodou - i keď odporúčame napríklad menšie batohy s vakmi na vodu - prejdú cez kontrolu a sú neoceniteľné v horúcom kotli pred pódiom.

Alternatívne ubytovanie - ak ste už príliš pohodlní na stanovanie medzi tínejdžermi, a nevadí vám dochádzanie, v ponuke je široká skála kempingov, hotelov, ubytovní, internátov a pod. Dobrodružnejšie povahy sa môžu spoľahnúť na zjednanie ubytovania priamo na mieste, budú vám ho núkať rôzni ľudia aj počas festivalu.




A čerešnička na vrchol tejto chutnej poľskej torty:

MORE
Ako už napovedali mnohé doterajšie odkazy v popise festivalu, najväčšia výhoda festivalu je jeho prímorská poloha - priamo z areálu je to len 30 min pešo (!) na miestnu piesočnatú pláž, kde vás privíta čapované pivo, ak budete mať šťastie, jeho letná varianta so sirupom (odporúčame príchuť Imbir - zázvor). Na pláž je to ráno krásna prechádzka, nikde nikoho, a nakoniec sa budete mať problém zdvihnúť a ísť aj na tie najväčšie hviezdy festivalu (minulý rok nám takto ušiel začiatok úžasného koncertu Massive Attack).

Kto by nemal mora dosť, užije si ho do sýtosti v nádherných prístavoch Gdansk a Gdynia, i v menšom mestečku Sopot. V minulosti nemecké handlové mestá, dnes moderné poľské prístavy s prímorskou kultúrou, zábavou, vyžitím, i nádhernými historickými pamiatkami.

Dúfame, že sme vás dostatočne navnadili na to, aby ste sa rozhodli pre tento festival. Je to skutočná poľská "awantura".

From gdynia more

FOTO/TEXT: Ondrej Koščík (http://ondrejvosvete.blogspot.com)

2010-01-12 Sungod Abscondo @ Wave

Tuesday Jan 12th 2010, Prešov, Scala

Kevin Macke, US: singer, songwriter, and guitarist
Mark Manney (Abscondo), US: singer, songwriter, and guitarist
David Latinovic, Serbia: bass and guitar
Martin Spaldon, Slovakia: drums

Now this was quite a surprise for me. I have heard about this band before, but they have quite eluded me until recently. Mark Manney (Abscondo) is a Seattleite (!) settled here in Prešov, which interestingly has been called "the Slovak Seattle" for quite some time. As far as I know, he has been creating music steadily o his own for the past two years, recorded two albums in his home and blogged about life and music here in Slovakia, but never took the stage. Until now.

Due to school and other stuff I have ignored his first solo show in support of his new (kind of) international, but strongly Prešov-based band Sungod Abscondo, but when I heard about their performance at Wave, I just couldn't miss it. Thank you Padequa for bringing me in! The songs are unbrushed, rough, same as the music. But the Jam is right on, thanks to Kevin Mackey (formerly New Jersey), and his passion for Pearl Jam (you got it right! three PJ shows on his belt), Martin Spaldon and his un-be-lie-va-ble drum work, David's playfull bass and Ascondo's wild rhytm guitar.

The original songs got the club audience really interested, but when they bursted into cover songs, the energy level passed 11 right away. The scope and combination of these songs was really unconvetional, beyond nothing I have yet experienced from Slovak bands. Kings of Leon, Rolling Stones, White Stripes' Hardest Button to Button which emerged from one of their own songs, and now hold your breath: PEARL JAM's PORCH with Jimi Hendrix's PURPLE HAZE tag!



Youtube cannot capture glimpse of the atmosphere of the night, but whatever. It made my day. Not to mention the unbelievable amount of friends present in the club. Plus new ones from Sungod. I got several offers on artwork, perhaps a photo exhibition at the club. Time to dust off the concert photos ;)



Such a nice surprise! Not the best band around by any means, but the potential is there:

DOWNLOAD/LISTEN TO THE DEBUT FOR FREE:

some links
http://galuscakova.blogspot.com/2008/07/abscondo-midnight-snow-sungod-abscondo.html
Sungod Abscondo MySpace page

OSKAR RÓZSA Partnership Unlimited @ Scala

FULL SCREEN

Thursday 21th Jan, Scala, Prešov, SK
Ondřej Štveráček - sax
Ľubo Šrámek - keyboard
Oskar Rózsa - bass
Martin Janočko - drums

Another race from spanish classes to concert at PKO.. Boy,was it worth it! My first full concert with manual focusing all the way through. At first I thought it wasn't such a swell idea but, as you can see from the pictures, there is a whole new level to the relations between the musicians. And all my gratitude goes to program manager of PKO for the white screen behind the stage and for bright changing lights - it has really made my job much easier and the compositions much more meaningful. Real vignette and real jazz make the real experience together.

As for the concert: I wasn't too surprised by Mr. Rozsa's bass performance, he's a legend. What was the real deal was the jam - it could be clearly seen how relaxed and content were the other performers, the concert was slowly building up, peaking shortly before the end and exploding creatively at the unexpected encore part. The mood was really inspiring! Highly recommended.

And Mr. Šrámek, take it easy!

UPDATE: VIDEO