Audioplayer:
Balkan Beatz in Nederland
In de jaren ’90 vierde dance hoogtij. Maar anno 2006 lijkt het publiek uitgekeken op de elektronische dertien-in-een-dozijn four-to-the-floor beats die je in clubs en andere hippe tenten naar binnen gedouwd krijgt. Het is tijd voor iets nieuws, tijd om de grenzen open te gooien. En wie iets verder kijkt dan de minimal techno uit Berlijn, ziet dat er in Oost-Europa een ware rage ontstaan is. Het heet Balkan Beat en het is feestelijker en dansbaarder dan welke dancestroming dan ook. Een complete mix-up van traditie en folklore aan de ene kant en moderne pop-, punk- en dancemuziek aan de andere kant. Etnische invloeden zijn de rode draad, uiteenlopend van het Oostblok tot Arabische, Oosterse en zelfs Latino (mestizo) invloeden.
Half Europa staat inmiddels op z..n kop tijdens alle Balkan Beat happenings en ook over de oceaan slaat het geluid aan, zo laat het succes van een band als Gogol Bordello (NY) zien. Het wordt dus hoog tijd dat ook Nederland .. conservatief tegen wil en dank .. zijn gêne laat varen en accepteert dat dit dé nieuwe sound is!The history of Balkan Beatz
In the early 90´s a young Bosnian sought refuge in Berlin. Like many exiles he wanted to forget the war and the whole shebang. He wanted to start a new life. He began to throw parties for like-minded emigrants and played the old yugo hits. With a melange of irony and nostalgia they finally began to celebrate old socialist bank holidays and the idea of BalkanBeats was born.
This is not a glamorous DJ career, but vital survival training of emigrants. In the Arcanoa, a Kreuzberg underground punk bar, they tried to regain their lost past and identity.
Thus, the fascinating, bizarre, somehow tragicomically celebration of the exiled became a regular event that soon had to take place in larger venues. After a few transit stops, BalkanBeats are blasting in Berlin’s Clubs since 2001.
Balkan Beats around Europe
In other countries it is now being picked up in a racing mode. Also in The Netherlands. The famous Lowlands festival was brought to a peeking party thanks to the Dutch DJs Tommi & Gusztav (back then called “Kees van Hondtâ€) and they invited bands like Gogol Bordello and Balkan Beat Box. The success of it was higher then ever expected: thousands of people danced wildly on their beats and many mobile phone-video’s were found all over the internet after that.
Balkan Beatz is now becoming bigger and bigger and the demand for bookings by clubs and festivals is extreme. DJ’s Tommi & Gusztav are now playing every weekend.
What is so special about the Balkan Beatz Music?
The secret lies in the rough energy, the colorful, fresh timbre, the savageness, passion and dance ability. The inexhaustible diversity stems from Slavic, oriental, Jewish traditions, and from the culture of the Roma people. Many of the bands are inspired by completely different traditions.
The mixture of old and new, of urban and rural influences is the essence of the south eastern European soul – diverse, explosive, and just over the top. BalkanBeats is a rich culture’s musical underground ambassador.
More info:
Balkan Beatz website
DJ Tommi's myspace
DJ Gusztav
