This week in Krakow music (10 February 2016)
Pick of the Week
BELTAINE
Thursday 11th February at Alchemia on Plac Nowy. (20:00 /25 zł)
If you’ve any love for progressive Celtic folk rock born in Poland, this show would be a steal at triple the price. Hailing from Katowice, Beltaine synthesize elements of folk, jazz, and rock into something completely original, yet rooted in tradition. They’ve played major folk festivals the world over and are recognized as one of the most creative and exciting forces in the evolution of contemporary folk. You can read about their latest album Miusjik in my Best of Polish Albums 2015.
Also coming this week:
On Thursday, Germany’s power metal merchants POWERWOLF bring their theatrics and tales of vampires and werewolves to Kwadrat Klub. If big dramatic metal is your thing, don’t forget the silver bullets and holy water (18:30 / 100 zł.)
The twin harmony lead guitar heroics associated with bands like Thin Lizzy, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest were the invention of legendary British band WISHBONE ASH, whose 1972 album Argus and the following year’s Live Dates are seminal cornerstones in the history of British Rock. Nearly half a century later, guitarist Andy Powell may be the last original member standing, but as evidenced on the most recent studio offering Blue Horizon, as well as the new live 4 disc Road Works set, the sound is still classic Ash. Andy and company will be bringing the Road Warriors Tour to Kwadrat Klub on Friday night (February 12th), and if you long for a time when heavy guitar music could incorporate folk, blues, jazz, and boogie, all while staying melodic yet rocking as hard as can be, this is your chance to see one of the originators who are still among the best (20:00 / 135 zł.)
Looking for a fun Saturday? This weekend you could start the day by shopping for some classic vintage vinyl, spend the evening listening to a great vocalist interpret the songs of one of the best, if not THE greatest, songwriter/poets to ever hail from Krakow, and wind up dancing to the most modern electronic music. You probably won’t, but the point is…you COULD. Like this:
The First Krakow Vinyl Album Flea Market promises thousands of albums to be offered for sale at Artefakt Klub at Dajwòr 3 from 11:00 to 16:00. And it’s free (the admission, not the records, of course…)
The songs of the late Marek Grechuta are one of Poland’s great treasures, and to understand this brilliant man and his music is to gain an insight into the soul of Poland itself. JOANNA LEWANDOWSKA has the perfect voice with which to lovingly convey the pathos within, and she will be performing those songs at the Akademia Muzyczna Conservatory (Św. Tomasza 43) on Saturday night (February 13th.) Anyone with an interest in the music or culture of this city should really consider attending this tribute to one of its favorite sons (19:00 /40 zł).
If techno is more your speed (or BPM), later Saturday night sees NYC producer (and particle physicist) GUNNAR HASLAM perform a DJ set at Szpitalna 1 in the Mały Rynek. His own music can veer from House to Aggro to Ambient, with a distinctly lo-fi New York approach. And, um, science (22:00 /10-15 zł).
Or, you know, you could do all three.
And if you do that, by Sunday night you may want to atone for all that excess by treating your loved one to an evening of romance because, after all, it IS Valentine’s Day. Well, you’re in luck, because Polish singer EDYTA GÓRNIAK will be performing a show entitled LOVE 2 LOVE at Hala TS Wisła that very night! If you’re not familiar with her, she rose to fame back in 1994 after bringing Poland a second place finish in the Eurovision Song Contest ( Poland’s first year in the competition, and still it’s best showing.) Since then, she’s had loads of career ups and downs, but has become a ubiquitous presence on Polish television via reality shows and, most recently, as a judge on The Voice Poland. Still, her four octave range should do the trick if you need a little Valentine candy (18:00 / 80-200 zł.)