MUSIC IN THE PALACEВ - day 1В & 2
19-20.06.2010,В Balchik, Bulgaria
words byВ Nasso Ruskov, Alipi Petrov, photo: Dee Dee

The 8th International Short Film Festival took place from June 19-26 in Balchik. Traditionally, it takes place in 'The Palace' Cultural Centre - a place of beauty that would tame even the wildest member of the Greystoke family.

For the second year running the festival included a parallel music programme (Music in the Palace) and this year's was as diverse as could be. Last Summer the music stage was down by the beach, hosting some of the most interesting and innovative Bulgarian musicians.

This time round we had the added bonus of some top notch international acts and thus enjoyed seven days of complete film and musical bliss in this quaintly wonderful old seaside town.

While many awaited US indie revolutionaries The Bellrays and the oddball trumpet virtuoso that is Saskia Laroo, events kicked off on Saturday, the 19th, with an insane session from the Kottarashky Live Band, sandwiched in between expert sets from DJ Dossiu, who one can always count upon for a cool selection. He's a music fanatic, one of us.

Kottarashky Live Band is the brainchild of mad Bulgarian architect Nikola Gruev, who it seems can draw up way more than building plans. Apparently he's rather good at coming up with enticing sonic routes to the innermost depths of our subconsciousness.

Last year saw the release of his debut album 'Opa Hey', through Asphalt Tango Records - a Berlin-based label with a penchant for Balkan and Eastern European music. His live band doesn't include a live drummer, but instead we get guitar, bass, various samplers and a clarinet.

The sound they conjure up is experimental, electroacoustic and, most important of all - music with a pulse. This comes through in the excellent sound mix - once again a big up to the excellent sound crew. A most promising start to the festival.В 

Woke up just before 9 p.m. (old habits die hard), trimmed bushy eyebrows and slipped out of the hotel, which, luckily, is right next to the stage. First act of the night - Darinka Project, were already on, fronted by the stunningly talented Darinka Tsekova, armed with her rebec, which she plays with devastating skill.

Having performed with the likes of Milcho Leviev, Peter Erskine and Vlatko Stefanovski, Darinka skilfully led her band on a wild hour-long foray into ethno/funk/rock territory and was a true whirlwidn of entranced energy, as she coaxed almost impossible sounds out of her instrument.

This, in turn, sent the crowd into a frenzy and even a friend of mine, who usually won't lend an ear to anything non-metal, had a mad, exulted glow in his eyes.

Darinka Project left the stage to rapturous applause, to be followed by Bliks from Serbia - a new band, boasting some quality musicians.

The key figure here is Milos Petrovic, who unfortunately didn't bring his double bass to Balchik, opting for a bass guitar instead. He did, however, bring a turbo-charged pianist, a fantastic drummer and of course singer Tijana Radojevic, with whom he co-founded Bliks.

This foursome delivered a most pleasant and perfectly perfomed jazz/blues/slow jazz/drum'n'bass mixture, ideal for a warm, breezy night by the sea. When some of the locals forsake the Brazil v Ivory Coast match in order to come out on their balconies and listen to you play, you must be doing something right.