Perkalaba group from Western Ukraine, playing Hutzul-ethno-ska music. Perkalaba started their career in the 1998, in Ivano-Frankivsk (Western Ukraine). At that time, Perkalaba was a ska - punk oriented band, with some influence of roots reggae playing in the underground club scene.
Later the band became much more rooted in Ukrainian Hutzul music. So the history Begins...
Perkalaba toured through all Ukraine, playing gigs in different clubs. In 2003 Perkalaba had concerts in Sopot (Poland), Zhdynia (Poland), Amsterdam and Berlin and festival "Ekotopy 2003"(Sheshory) Mazepa Fest 2004 (Poltava).
Perkalaba are named after a little Hutzul village in the Carpathian mountains, a place which symbolized to musicians their Zion. Presently, they focused their music on what they call 'Hutzul roots' - Perkalaba are facing their new future today..
The group was discovered at the 'Rock Existenzia Festival' in Kyiv (Ukraine). At the concert, it was obvious to experts that a band with such a dynamic and energetic interplay between ansemble and audience, is a true gem. The crowd loved Perkalaba regardlles of their ethnic identity.
The music of Perkalaba is inspired by various ethnic music from around the world, especially from various regions of Ukraine, such as Hutzul, Bukovyna and Zakarpattya. Other influences include the punk music of the Pogues' Shane McGowan, Element of Crime and from reggae such bands and artists as Bob Marley, Manu Chao, Skatalites. After the success of Goran Bregovic, Orchestra Bobana Markovica, No Smoking Orchestra by Emir Kusturica this is the Ukrainian answer.
Perkalaba group, which is well known to everybody in Ukraine, Poland and elsewhere, who appear at all kinds of folk-rock related festivals. If you have not had an opportunity to see them yet, but you also are a fan of the Ukrainian folk-rock, I do recommend that you give them your ears and full attention. Especially if you like folk punk. As so many uUkrainian artists, their music is of high quality and they don't do things by halves. As many eyewitnesses say, even today this group is already able to rouse an audience of many thousands, and their music has spread like a wild-fire.
Here there is energy without limit, and I know for sure that the group rouses even those who do not like such music very much, and this fact speaks for itself. One may use different epithets. Well roasted, so yellow that looks black, flashing of dry salted knitting needles, quick green pressure, a fragment of a joker in a looking glass. In other words, here both musical torpedoes and songs, which may be called ballads, are presented.
Or you may not call them that, as there is no less restlessness at this disc than melody, and they do not lack beautiful melodies. I hope, it will be like that in future, because this first album of theirs is cheerful and bright news.
You can buy the album "Horrry!" from www.UMKA.com.ua . A collaborative album with the group "Braty Gadukiny" called "Qzzaargh vs. Perkalaba" is also available from www.UMKA.com.ua
The new album "Hovorit Ivano-Frankivsk" is now available to buy from www.UMKA.com.ua for a measly $6.92!
