Venue: Ljubljana, Metelkova – Gala Hala
Concert date: 04/27/2007
Attendance: 0
Ticket price: 10 EUR
Six different people from different cultures, with one thing in common – making music. Gino from Bosnia, Mario also from Bosnia, Val from Bulgaria, Masa from Japan, and Americans Chris and Matty are the one and only Kultur Shock. Seattle, in the US state of Washington, brought all these so different yet so alike people together in a collective that plays primarily gypsy punk with a touch of metal and Balkan melodies. Kultur Shock have once again visited the Slovenian alternative capital, aka Metelkova. The guys wowed us at Channel Zero just under six months ago, and this time the Youngunz crew brought them to Gala Hala.
About 20 minutes before midnight, culture shock took over the stage at Gala Hala. The packed hall started moving to the sounds of Mustafa, the track they opened the show with. Two virtuoso guitarists, an excellent frontman, a great rhythm section and a violinist create and deliver music that takes you south through Europe, across the Balkans. The first wave of excitement came with Tutti Frutti. Exotic Balkan melodies, authentic Bosnian vocals and a hefty dose of metal make for an explosion of sound. Standing still was impossible.
Next came a cultural journey with Tango to Istanbul, where the guys will soon be playing their first show on Turkish soil. Yesterday’s repertoire was drawn mainly from the albums Kultura-Diktatura and We Came To Take Your Jobs Away. The temperature in the small hall was rising dangerously.
Especially interesting was the song Horse Thief, where bassist Masa shows off his vocal skills. He adds a gentle, childlike little voice to an otherwise raw punk track, one that, I’d guess, only Japanese boys can pull out of themselves. Adorable.
The in-top-spirits musicians gave the crowd what it wanted and added two encores. The hour-and-a-half show closed with Sarajevo.
Those of us who saw Kultur Shock at Channel Zero last December felt the vibe in the hall at yesterday’s show was a bit weaker. Still, Kultur Shock proved that they deliver every last bit of the show at a hundred percent and flawlessly. They also hinted that they might come back to our parts at the end of the year. Let’s let ourselves be pleasantly surprised.
Props also go to the Youngunz crew for the great organization and their commitment to the good of the Slovenian live music scene.
Text: Živa – Viviana Doria
Photos contributed by: Andrea Budić
Setlist
Mustafa
Duna
Tutti Frutti
Tango la Victoire
Istanbul
God is busy, may I help you?
Mastika
Romana
Zumbul
Gino Loves You
Mano Mi Hermano
Nadjia
Masina
Horse Thief
Sarajevo
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