It was a full house at Bird’s Basement on Friday, July 25, as local Greek ensemble Estudiantina of Melbourne returned to the iconic Melbourne venue with Songs of the Soul – a stirring tribute to rebetiko pioneers Rita Abadzi and Kostas Roukounas.
The sold-out event was a resounding success, drawing music lovers from across Melbourne’s multicultural community to experience the passion and poetry of early 20th-century Greek urban music.
Opening the night were two rising stars of the rebetiko scene – Nicko Zagkountinos and Antonio D’Angelo – affectionately dubbed the “next generation rebetes” from Melbourne. The talented teens, who regularly participate in the Rebetiko Jam sessions at Triakosia every Wednesday, performed a 30-minute support set alongside Con Kalamaras and Alex Petropoulos.
Taking centre stage, Estudiantina of Melbourne captivated audiences with their emotionally rich interpretations of smyrneika, amanedes and classic rebetiko.
The show paid homage not only to the musical brilliance of Abadzi and Roukounas, but to their powerful stories – Abadzi as a pioneering female voice in a male-dominated genre, and Roukounas as a refugee from Asia Minor whose voice still resonates through Greek music history.
Fresh from a successful East Coast tour and the release of their debut album, Estudiantina once again delivered a performance that showcased not just musical excellence but cultural storytelling.
With musicians of Greek, Anglo-German, and Lebanese heritage, the ensemble continues to reflect the diversity and richness of Melbourne’s evolving Hellenic music scene.
For those lucky enough to be in the audience, Songs of the Soul was more than a concert – it was a moving celebration of legacy, resilience, and the enduring power of song.
