Last night was the sold out reunion show for the first major punk band in Yugoslavia, Pankrti ("The Bastards"). Before fans of Paraf jump all over me, I should acknowledge that there is some debate as to who came first. Pankrti had the first album out though, and it was their 30th birthday as a band, so I think it's fair to accord them the title for now.
The crowd was a mix of old and young (some so much so that they probably weren't born before Pankrti stopped performing together), and everyone went nuts when the band came on. Peter Lovšin may look like a middle aged guy, but he rocked out nonstop like a teenager during the set and two encores, at one point doing a backwards summersault while keeping time with a tambourine.
Contrary to rumours, Niet didn't play last night, due to some dispute or demand that couldn't be met. On the other hand, as Iva pointed out, Ivan Kral (guitarist for Patti Smith and Iggy Pop) played with the band as a special guest.
For those of you who didn't make it, I've dug up some old Yugoslav punk clips. Enjoy!
Bandiera Rossa, the song that had all of Hala tivoli pogoing like mad.
Album version of Bandiera, with still shots of Communist parades and demonstrations from around the world. Bandiera rossa la trionferà! Prešeren square makes a quick cameo.
Niet, the no-shows, playing Lep dan za smrt.
Niet, Ritem človeštva.
Vintage concert footage of Pankrti and others from Kongresni trg. This is how young Slovenians rolled in 1988.
A clip from the film Outsider. Bosnian band Zabranjeno pušenje does a great version of Anarhija, called "Anarhija all over Baščaršija" but I can't seem to find it online.
Just so Rijekans wouldn't feel left out, some footage of Paraf (also rumoured to play with Pankrti, possibly on a reunion tour through ex-Yu countries) set to one of their songs.
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4 comments:
Hey! This is a great round-up of punk scene :)
A bit of trivia: the '88 concert of Pankrti was held as a part of mass demonstrations demanding the release of Janez Janša who was held in an army prison on a charge of high treason.
Funny, huh? ;)
My god! That's crazy! How things have changed. I can't really imagine a counterculture concert for Janša today.
You want more? On that particular concert Pankrti did a punk version of "Janez, Kranjski Janez" (Janez of Carniola) - a patriotic WWII song, composed by my late grand-uncle :)
The tables have indeed turned :)
Wow, thanks for the info P! You seem to come from a family full of creatives. Now that I relisten to it, I can hear the "Gremo partizane" in the clip :)
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