Concert: Poland, Armenia, Georgia: Kapela ze Wsi Warszawa, Dogma, Folk Band Bani

In 1918, among countries that could enjoy their newly regained statehood, there were: Poland, Georgia and Armenia. That fact will be recalled by the concert featuring leading bands from these three countries.

Kapela ze Wsi Warszawa – award-winning folk band. Created in 1997. Its repertoire includes avant-garde interpretations of traditional music from the broadly understood area of Mazovia. Despite fidelity to traditional playing and singing techniques, inventively performed old songs sound surprisingly avant-garde and are fully understood by the modern audience. Although we hear traditional instruments – violin, cimbalon, drums – their sounds are surprisingly modern and the musicians are not afraid of combining them with DJing for example.

The group has published 7 records already: Hop Sa Sa (1998), Wiosna Ludu (2002), Wykorzenienie (2004), Wymixowanie (2008), Infinity (2008), NORD (2012) and Święto Słońca (2015).

The band makes the best impression on stage. They have given hundreds of concerts in over 40 countries on 5 continents, including Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Russia, Turkey, France, USA and Canada at theatres, clubs and large festivals.

Folk Band Bani – popular Georgian band founded in 2011. “Bani” in Georgian means “low note”. In traditional singing, it belongs to the singer with the lowest voice, the whole song has to harmonize with him. Georgians treat the art of singing with great solemnity and think that it should only be done by men.

Members of the group come from different parts of Georgia. Their repertoire includes the songs from different regions of the country, as well as traditional songs of other nations of the Caucasus. They sing about what is dear to every man: love, women, wine, friendship and homeland.

In 2015 they recorded their first song, Rachuli, which received much popularity in Georgia. The next one, Caucasian Ballad, became world-wide famous. Vigorous dance, great voices and sunny, Georgian energy won them a team of fans around the world!

Band members:
Mate Pirtskhelava – vocals, panduri
Raul Bitsadze – vocals, panduri
Besik Metreveli – vocals, accordion
Goga Nikoladze – bass guitar
Gela Gogishvili – vocals
Besik Kvitsiani – vocals, piano
Beqa Miqadze – drum

Dogma – the band was founded in 2008 in Yerevan by two popular Armenian musicians: bassist Vardan Grigoryan and guitarist Heno Grigoryan. They both had been members of the legendary Caucasus band Manic Depressive Psychosis (MDP). Later, other musicians joined them. There are only four of them, but during concerts it seems that the entire army of musicians is playing on the stage!

In 2009 they published their first album Ethnic-Methnic, five years later – Under Dogma. In 2016 they published their third record Na Ne.

Dogma’s music is a fusion of Armenian folk melodies and progressive metal, which can transfer the listener from a powerful mountainous landscape to a serene apricot garden in the blazing sun. Aggressive riffs, ethnic vibes and psychedelic soundscapes all wrapped up with stunning delicate female vocals.

The best musical metal band this side of Mars. Amazing bass player. Brilliant vocals. Searing guitar. Thundering neutron drums. This band feature instruments which are weapons of mass destruction!
Ian Anderson / Jethro Tull

Band members:
Heno Grigoryan – guitar, lyrics
Zara Gevorgyan – vocals, lyrics
Vardan Grigoryan – bass guitar, production
Gor Avetisyan – drums
Serge Melkonyan – sound