Zvonky, a retrospective

I heard that Monogram are playing tonight downtown in Vinohrady, a few blocks from Em’s school at the restaurant, herna-bar, horse-museum U Vodarny. They’re a great band, who we saw (and taped) last month as the opener for Hickory Project – they were a good band for that job. I’m curious about the show tonight, however. Monogram have invited “Zvonky” to play support, and concert listings list the “original lineup” of the group, trumpeting this unusual convergence. My friend Eda is listed on mandolin, so I looked up his current band’s website, and there it was: a whole photographic history of Zvonky from the 1980s through until the current transformation into the present-day Country Cocktail. Check it out – (photos from the Country Cocktail website.)

1976

1980

1981

1982

1980

1984

1990

1995

1999

2000

2005

2008

more reports on U Supa

From Bruce, fellow American and musician, who paid a visit to our favorite Smichov saloon a while back – he provides video, photos, and culinary rating

http://czechoutchannel.blogspot.com/2008/02/u-supa-country-saloon-bluegrass-jam.html

Skotsko II

We got safely home Sunday, with various degrees of tiredness and hangover – not just from the whiskey and cider and copious quantities of “Best” brew, but also from the experience of travel and performance. Our last show in Greenock (former sugar capital of Europe in the 18th century – where all the British West Indies molasses came to be processed into sugar) had 11 attendees; even if the theater had been packed, though, it would have been tough. I was having trouble mustering the energy and attention to simply keep on playing.

It was a lovely trip, and was very interesting to see the Scottish bluegrass scene. They’re a country about half the size of Czech Republic…and apparently have about 3 bands who play on a reasonable level.  But there is a lot of activity – part of which is the annual visits of top euro and US bands.  So the small community  bluegrassers isn’t getting much younger, but at least they’re enjoying some fine concerts along the way.  Brings up interesting questions of sustainability.

for more photos, see:    www.flickr.com/photos/blidgood

Many thanks to the community there, especially John Sheldon (tireless organizer and expediter) and Alec Rennie, who hosted Vita and I in his home, and fed us spectacular breakfasts and tea.